A child begins communicating before saying their first word, and their skills gradually develop:
- From age 3–2 months: they make simple sounds like cooing to express feelings and respond to your voice and facial expressions.
- From 6–12 months: they babble repetitively, producing syllables like “ba-ba” and “ma-ma.”
- From 7–11 months: they recognize their name, distinguish parents’ voices, and start saying simple words. They also use gestures like pointing to express needs.
- By the first year: they say their first meaningful word like “mama” or “dada,” often with gestures.