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Talking PointHello - a year to help all children communicate

0-6 months

baby and mother

This is a guide to how children develop speech and language between 0 and 6 months.


Children develop skills at different rates, but by 6 months, usually children will:

  • Turn towards a sound when they hear it.
  • Be startled by loud noises.
  • Watch your face when you talk to them.
  • Recognise your voice.
  • Smile and laugh when other people smile and laugh.
  • Make sounds to themselves, like cooing, gurgling and babbling.
  • Make noises, like coos or squeals, to get your attention.
  • Have different cries for different needs. For example one cry for hunger, another when they are tired.
If you are concerned about a child, find out what to do here.

You can also check the progress of a child here.
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