First words with meaning
What it is
Says 1–2 words besides mama/dada and means them ('ba' for ball counts).
Start preparing
- Name what the child is looking at, in short phrases, 100 times a day ('cup. your cup. water in the cup').
- Give choices ('apple or banana?') and wait 5 seconds.
- Read the same books over and over; leave the last word of a familiar line for the child.
- Bilingual homes: keep both languages rich; count words in both.
When to check with a professional
No words by 16 months is a good reason to ask for a hearing test and a speech-language referral; loss of words at any age is worth a same-week call. Development varies widely; this is a prompt to ask, not a diagnosis.
Related
Sources
- Learn the Signs. Act Early. — milestone checklists (2022 revision) — CDC / American Academy of Pediatrics
- Speech and language development milestones — American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Compiled with AI assistance from the public sources listed above. Not yet reviewed by a clinician — check anything important against the source, with Tipat Halav or with your doctor.