Resources
Pediatric Therapy Links, LLC
Developmental Milestones
12-18 months
- Responds to simple commands with gestural cues that are familiar in their daily routine
- Looks at objects or people when their attention is directed to them by an adult
- Engages in functional play with toys using them as they are intended to use (e.g. “rolling a car”).
- Begins to understand inhibitory commands (e.g. “no”)
- Babbles consonant-vowel combinations and produces strings of syllables which sound like they are speaking to their caregivers
- Begins to imitate words and uses 5-10 familiar single words
18 months- 2 years
- Follows familiar directions related to their daily routine
- Begins to identify familiar objects in the home (e.g. “toys”, “clothing items”, “body parts”)
- Consistently uses gestures and vocalizations to indicate his/ her wants and needs.
- Uses several single words and may even put two words together once he/ she says 25-50 single words.
2-3 years old
- Identifies familiar objects in pictures and recognizes actions in pictures
- Begins to understand location words (e.g. “on”, “in”).
- Engages in pretend play interactions with toys
- Follows directions without the need of gestures
- Uses 200 or more words spontaneously in 2-4-word phrases to communicate his/ her wants and needs
- Correctly produces early developing sounds including the /p, b, m, t, d, n/ sounds
3-4 years old
- Understands the function of objects and recognizes basic attributes (descriptors)
- Understands different linguistic concepts including size words, quantity words, location words.
- Follow two step directions.
- Communicates using 4-5-word sentences using a variety of nouns, verbs, and simple pronouns (e.g. “I’, “my”).
- Uses these sounds correctly in words /k, g, f/
4-5 years old
- Follows multi-step directions and understands sentences with concepts or descriptors.
- Understands pronouns
- Understands a variety of language concepts (descriptive concepts, time concepts, location concepts, quantity concepts)
- Uses different grammatical structures correctly when speaking (e.g. plural nouns, possessive nouns, pronouns, different verb tenses).
- Talks easily with adults and peers responding to “who”, “what”, “where”, “when”, and basic “why” questions with a logical answer.
- Uses these sounds in words: /v, l, s, z, sh, ch, j/
5-6 years old
- Demonstrates emergent literacy skills including identifying letters in print, turning pages in a book, recognizing the parts of a book
- Identifies beginning sounds in words and recognizes rhyming words.
- Retells a story with key details of the story.
- Formulates grammatically correct questions to seek information
- Uses the /r/ sound and blends (e.g. /st, bl, dr/) correctly in words.
Links to Informational Sites on Developmental Milestones for Early Childhood and School Aged Children
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) Speech Language Developmental Milestone Checklists for Parents and Caregivers
Communication Development through Elementary School and Identifying Concerns – American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA)
Identify the Signs of Speech Language Delays in Young Children – American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA)
Additional Resources and Informational Links
Autism Speaks and FAU CARD are both websites providing information and resources for families on Autism Spectrum Disorders.
National Down Syndrome Society is an advocate for individuals and family’s of individuals with Down Syndrome.
United Cerebral Palsy is an organization that provides resources to families with children who have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and other related disabilities. Cerebral Palsy is a motor disorder that affects a child’s ability to move and maintain balance. Cerebral Palsy occurs from damage to the developing brain in utero, at the time of birth, or very early in life.
Office Location
2684 SW Immanuel Drive
Palm City, Florida 34990
Palm City, Florida 34990