Communication Milestones from Birth to Age Five: When to Seek Help

Monitoring your child’s communication milestones helps you gauge whether they are developing typically and identifies when professional support might be beneficial. Speech Pathology Australia provides detailed milestones from infancy through age five.

At 12 months, babies respond to their names, use gestures like pointing and may say their first words.

By 18 months, children can follow simple instructions such as ‘come here,’ and their vocabulary grows to about 20 words.

By age two, children should be able to follow simple directions and combine two words, like “more juice.” They typically use around 50 words and begin to produce different types of words such as nouns, verbs and adjectives.

At age three, vocabulary increases to 200–300 words, and children can form three‑word sentences and ask simple questions. They understand most everyday conversations and can follow two‑step commands.

Four‑year‑olds can tell simple stories, understand and ask ‘who,’ ‘what’ and ‘where’ questions and use pronouns correctly. Their speech is understandable to familiar listeners, although they may still have difficulty with certain sounds like /r/, /l/ or /th/.

By age five, children can follow three‑step instructions, use well‑constructed sentences and speak clearly enough to be understood by most people. They enjoy telling stories and jokes and may start using simple conjunctions.

It is important to remember that developmental timelines have a broad range. Some children speak early while others take longer, especially if they are exposed to more than one language. However, certain signs warrant attention. Consult a speech‑language pathologist if your child does not babble by 12 months, is unable to put two words together at age two, is difficult to understand by age three or avoids talking altogether. Other red flags include poor eye contact if it is not socially expected, difficulty following directions or not using language socially.

Early intervention yields the best outcomes because the brain is most malleable during the early years. Speech pathologists can assess your child’s skills and create a plan tailored to their needs. Therapy may focus on vocabulary building, sentence structure, sound production, listening skills or social communication. Parents play a crucial role by modelling language, reading together and practising strategies recommended by the therapist.

If you are concerned about your child’s speech or language, trust your instincts. It is better to seek advice than to wait and hope the problem resolves on its own. With the right support, most children make significant progress and gain the confidence to express themselves.