Talk to me

You may hear the first words from your baby, or noises that could be a word like dada and mama, as early as 10 or 11 months. Usually though, it’s around the 12–18 month mark that the sounds turn into something really recognisable.

‘It’s never too early to start looking at books with your baby,’ says Emma. (Have a look at our article ‘Babies need books’ for suggestions) ‘The main thing is to have fun. Throughout the day have a few set times when you just sit down and play and talk together. Switch the telly or the radio off, because very young children find it difficult to phase out background noise to hear what you’re saying.

‘Use action rhymes, like Pat-a-Cake or Wind Your Bobbin In. Repeat any noises your baby or toddler makes, taking it in turns. Most of us do this anyway – and we help by naming things they point at, like ‘car’ or ‘teddy’.

‘If they say something like ‘Daddy gone’, you can say ‘Daddy gone to work’, to encourage them further.

And, according to the experts, there’s nothing wrong with baby talk. ‘Within reason, obviously,’ says Emma. ‘Most people – men particularly – raise the pitch of their voice when talking to babies. It’s an instinctive thing, because babies find it much easier to make out your voice when it’s higher pitched.’

Late talkers generally catch up with their peers by the time they’re at school

As a general guide, by the time your child is 18 months old, a health visitor will expect a vocabulary of about 10–20 words.

If there’s a genuine problem, whether it’s straightforward glue ear (which causes problems with hearing and hence speech development) or more complex special needs, your health visitor should pick up any difficulties at developmental checks. Mention any worries you have at this stage and if you’re concerned, ask for a consultation with a speech therapist.

For further information on speech therapy services and support groups you can call the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists on 020 7378 3012 / 3.