Hearing Milestones in Children

YOUR BABY SHOULD:
Birth to 3 months:	Startle to a sudden loud noise.
	Soothes or calms to your voice.
	Squeals, coos, laughs.

3 - 6 months:	Turns head or moves eyes to find a familiar voice.
	Plays at making noises and sounds.
	Likes sound making toys.

6 - 9 months:	Responds to his/her own name.
	Begins to understand common words like "no" and "bye-bye".
	Imitates speech by making sounds like coughing, clicking tongue, smacking lips.
	Will watch you and listen when you read nursery rhymes.

9 - 12 months	Repeats simple words and sounds that you make, jabbers.
	Points or reaches for familiar objects when asked.
	Responds differently to happy or angry talking.
	Follows simple directions.

12 - 18 months:	Bounces to music.
	Talks in what sounds like sentences, with a few understandable words.
	Identifies people, body parts and toys.
	Enjoys listening to stories read aloud.

18 - 24 months:	Understands you when you call from another room.
	Points to body parts when asked.
	Begins to speak in two-word combinations, such as "Mommy, more!"
	Prefers certain books and brings them to you.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING:
Birth to 3 months:	Whenever your baby makes sounds try to imitate them. Use a pleasant voice when talking to your baby.
	Hold your baby close to you, often rocking, singing, talking quietly and reading.
	Talk to your baby using his/her name while you work around the house, "Hello, Johnny."

3 - 9 months:	Keep imitating your baby's sounds, talk a lot with him/her.
	Hold your baby close to you, often singing, reading nursery rhymes, stories, or talking.
	Talk to your baby about his/her toys, and play games like "Peek-a-boo" or "Pat-a-cake".

9 - 12 months:	Make simple speech sounds to see if your baby will imitate you (bah-bah, gah-gah).
	Pay attention to see if your baby says "mama", "dada".
	Talk with your baby about his/her toys and items in your house. Play singing games.
	Point to pictures in their books and talk about them.

12 - 18 months	Show your baby his/her body parts, "Here's baby's nose, eye, ear" etc.
	Show simple picture books, helping to turn the pages, talk about the pictures.
	Play: "Where's daddy? (mommy?) and point to daddy (mommy). "Where's the doggy? (or a toy)", "What does the doggy say? Bow-wow."

18 - 24 months:	Read simple stories to your child and ask questions "Where's the kitty?" and point out the picture.
	Give instructions, "Put the doll on the chair", "Put the ball in the box".

Hearing Milestones in Infants/Toddlers