Talking with Your Baby

At four months of age, your baby is already putting together ideas about speech and sounds. She does this even though she cannot speak.

Even without speech, your baby already knows how to “talk” with you. She“speaks” by being fussy or with happy giggles. She will learn more ways to let you know her needs, even before she learns to speak. She has learned to coo and laugh.

Not all sounds and gestures are for communication. Learning to make sounds is fun for a baby. Hearing the sounds she makes is also fun for her.

Taking turns is part of language. When your baby coos or gurgles, be sure to listen to her. Then respond. Talk to your baby often. Use both familiar words and sounds and new words and sounds. This will get her attention and hold it.

Babies start to learn to talk at different ages. They also learn in different ways. Talking to your baby a lot helps her learn.

This content has been provided freely by CMC. Click Healthy Start, Grow Smart—Your Four-Month-Old for your free download. Click GreatDad Free Ebook to download the entire Health Start, Grow Smart series.

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