First words of the child: when and how you start talking

The age in which we usually start talking coincides approximately with the completion of the first year of life, but can vary between 10 and 18 months, since each child is in himself. Here are some ideas to encourage not only the first words, but in general the use of language in children

«Mom, what were mine first words? » The proverbial curiosity of the children also heads for their biography. Sometimes questions like this put us in difficulty, however often parents and grandparents tenderly remember those first words, noted on the album of memories or linked to some curious episodes.

According to a commonplace, the First words of children They would reveal the characteristics of their personality: the most delicious will say “Pappa”, the most cuddly “mom”, the most sociable “baby”. But is it really the case? And what is the “right” age to start talking?

When does a child say the first words?

What is the age you start talking about? Before answering this question, it is necessary to clarify what words are.
A word is the verbal label that we use to refer to an object, an event, a feeling, etc. Must have two characteristics:

1. Intentionality. The word must be used for a precise purpose. Most of the time the first words are used by the child to make a request (he will say “Milk!” To have a drink) or to declare something (“dad!” To say that he saw his father arrive).
2. Meaning. The word was born to convey a precise meaning. This is why the onomatopoeia (ie sounds that animals and objects such as “bau” or “brum”) and incomplete words (for example “ino” for “balloon”) or crippled (such as “Neply” for “chocolate” or “touch” for “cat”).

On the other hand, the lallation does not count as a word (of which we speak in depth in this article) because it does not bring with it a precise meaning, despite the intention is present.

Established this, When it is that a child says the first words? When ready, that is when he developed three particular requirements:

1. Responsiveness. He is interested in the world and in particular people. A participating and awake look is an example.
2. Imitation. He manages to repeat – in his own way – gestures, grimaces, sounds, for example by responding to his grandfather’s words with a verse.
3. Shared attention. It focuses on a phenomenon or an object with another person, such as when you look at a book together.

These skills will also join the ability to abstraction and the understanding of language, both necessary for the child to pronounce the First fateful words.

Scientific literature tells us that usually theage in which we start talking coincides approximately with the completion of the first year of life (12-13 months). However, during the very first childhood there is a great variability in the acquisition of the evolutionary stages: each child follows his growth trajectory and the norm generally oscillates between 10-18 months.

What are the first words of the children?

There is an online free access database called “wordbank” which, among the many functions, helps us to find out what are the First words in 42 languages ​​of the world. It was created by the Psychology Department of the University of Stanford, California (USA), collecting questionnaires compiled by families, and analyzes the data of more than 92,000 children. “Mom”It’s the first word in 12 languages, while in seven languages ​​in first position there is”Pope“. This “competition” between parents can be considered resolved in a tie if the first two places in the ranking are taken into consideration: in fact, in most cases when the first word is “mom”, the second is “dad” and vice versa. Among the exceptions there are Greek, where there is first position “Grandmother“, The Danish with”HI“, The Australian with”jam“And the Israeli with”car“.

But why do children start from these words? The reasons are three:

1. Are composed of More visible sounds on the mouth; Children observe how we speak and manage to imitate sounds as /m /, /p /t /t /t.
2. They are articulated with parts of the mouth already trained during sucking.
3. They are part of the “social words”, useful to ask for something or to draw attention.

This explains why often among the first words of children are the names of the family members, the names of food or toys or onomatopoeia.

How to help children say the first words?

To encourage the emergence of the first words, specific communication strategies can be implemented and propose some activities. Here are some ideas on What to do to help children talk:

• Comment. Let’s try to describe what captures the attention of the child using above all the words connected to the five senses. For example, while we manipulate dry leaves: «Listen to how it creaks (hearing). Bosco perfume (sense of smell). This is rough, this instead is smooth (touch) ». Simple personal hygiene practices can also be excellent narrative ideas and help the child accept them more willingly.
• Listen. Let’s not forget that communication is a game that is done in two! We do not storm the child’s child but always leave him the time necessary to answer, even if only with a verse. It can be useful to keep in mind the 5 second rule, that is, take a 5 second break between one sentence and another. The child will more easily want to repeat or intervene.
• Expand his (and our) universe. Language is learned from experience, so the more experiences you live, the greater the opportunities to learn something new. For this purpose, reading is very precious, together with other activities such as neonatal massages and cradle music (often proposed by consultors and children’s centers). Apparently “simple” situations can also be very stimulating, like a walk to the local market or attend the playground.
• Talk face to faceslowly, using mimicry and gestures, playing with the voice. These precautions They allow to articulate the sounds with greater precision and exaggerate the movements of the mouth a little, intriguing smaller.
• Use simple, not simplified language. It seems the same concept, but here is the difference: “simple” means using the correct and specific terms, in short but complete sentences; “Simplify” means to use childhood, too generic or onomatopoeic words because it is erroneously thought that some words are too difficult for the child.

Let’s see now instead What Not Dowith some indications on how to correct some errors and clichés:

• Anticipate his needs. In this way we deprive the child of an opportunity to express a request or a choice! An experiment useful to stimulate the interaction is, for example, to extend its glass to the baby, but empty. Most likely he will try to attract attention with a call or a word to report this strange event!
• Banning bilingualism. The benefits of multilingualism are not calculated only in terms of language, but also of brain and cultural development. It is important that every parent or family member interacts with the child in the language in which he is more competent to provide the right model.
• If he uses gestures instead of words, pretend not to understand it, so he will strive. Unfortunately, this strategy often leads to an increase in frustration in the child and consequently pushes him to communicate less and less. Rather, the correct example must be provided: if the child makes a gesture to ask for his favorite puppet, while we approach it, we call him correctly so that he can match the word to the object.
• Use video or educational cartoons or cartoons. According to the guidelines issued by the Italian Pediatric Society, children under the age of 2 should not be exposed to television or other electronic devices. Attention above all to videos and cartoons called “educational” and advertised among the solutions for the child who does not speak. These products, in fact, do not provide a real communicative environment: the conversation remains to a single way, since the characters do not change their answers according to the interaction of the child.
• “The pacifier has never hurt anyone». The pacifier can be a valid ally of the parents to reassure the child and facilitate falling asleep. However, the use should be limited to short moments during the day and starting from the year of age should be disincentive. The pacifier in fact keeps the mouth engaged and reduces the communicative push.

How to understand if there are problems?

A delay of the acquisition of language It may be a manifestation of other conditions (deafness, autistic spectrum disorders, generalized delay of development, genetic syndromes …), but it can also present itself in an isolated way and/or have a transitory character. Therefore, in case of doubt, it is important confront the family pediatricianwho knows the child’s family and personal history and will be able to guide the parents. Here’s when a consultation may be particularly necessary:

• If it seems to you that the child does not feel good, he has had numerous otitis, he does not react if called by name or strong and sudden sounds;
• if it seems to you that the child is “in its world“, He cannot maintain visual contact, he does not show shared attention ability, does not smile, takes on stereotyped and repetitive behaviors;
• If you think the child struggles to move the tongue or the muscles of the mouth, in particular if this also happens during the weaning and introduction of solid foods;
• if it seems to you that does not communicate With no communicative channel (gestures, facial expressions, verses …) in addition to crying.