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Baby communication 4 to 7 months

Baby communication 3 to 6 months


Developmental milestones include:

  • She is responding to her name
  • She makes her own sounds in response to sounds that she hears
  • She is starting to experiment with her babbling
  • She is trying to imitate sounds
  • The range of sounds she can makes is growing
  • She can hold a 'conversation'

All children are different and develop at different rates, so don't be overly concerned if your baby is acquiring new skills at a different rate to those around her. But if you are worried about her development, talk to a health professional for a little reassurance.

What can I do to encourage her communication?

  • Play copycat games. Your baby will love it when you copy his sounds
  • Have 'conversations' with your baby, waiting for a pause in her babble to 'answer'.
  • Ask her questions - and wait for an answer. Your tone of voice should signal to your baby that you have finished taking and now it's her turn.
  • Introduce your baby to simple words that apply to his everyday life. Use the correct word rather than babytalk - this will help her speech patterns later on.
  • Read a book with your baby - at this stage, she'll start to be interested in the illustrations as well as the sound of your voice, so try to choose a book that has bright and clear pictures.

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This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot - New Zealand's parenting resource for newborns and baby. Sources include SA Government's Parenting and Child Health and Raising Children Network.

Last revised: Tuesday, 24 June 2008

This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.