Communication & Talking Check
How much is your child understanding, and how is their talking coming along?
Have a think about how your little one gets their message across each day — the babble, the words, the gestures, and how much they take in when you speak to them. Answer a few questions and you’ll have a friendly read on where things stand.
It’s a gentle guide built around familiar milestones, not a test and not a diagnosis. Children come to talking at their own pace, so take the result as a nudge to act if you need it, not a verdict.
How old is your child?
Just pick the closest age — that way we can ask the right questions.
If your child does this sometimes, or has ever done it, go with “Sometimes” rather than “Not yet”. “Not yet” simply means it’s still on its way. There are no wrong answers here, and a couple of “not yet”s is completely normal.
Signs it’s worth getting a little help
- Your child was using words or sounds and has lost them
- No babbling or gestures (pointing, waving) by around 12–15 months
- No single words by 18 months, or no two-word phrases by around 2 years
- Your child doesn’t seem to hear you, or had frequent ear infections
Get help straight away if your child has lost skills they used to have, or doesn’t seem to hear you or respond to sounds (ask your doctor for a hearing test — don’t wait). And if your child is ever in immediate danger or has hurt themselves, call your local emergency number or go to your nearest emergency department now.
✓ Saved on this device — your result and progress stay private, and they’ll be right here whenever you come back.
Based on: CDC “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” developmental milestones (public domain) · ASHA developmental milestones · Our evidence base. A supportive guide, not a diagnosis.
Why Communication matters
Here’s why this matters so much: communication is how your child gets their needs met without having to melt down. Long before the words are tidy, a shared gesture, a look, or a single try at a sound is your child saying "I’m here, notice me." When that back-and-forth works, the whole day runs smoother — snacks, naps, cuddles and squabbles all get easier because your little one can tell you what’s going on inside.
In our clinic we see how early language quietly props up everything that comes later. Understanding words is the foundation for following instructions at nursery, making sense of a story, and one day sounding out letters. And every time your child is understood, a little deposit goes into their confidence. Children who feel heard tend to reach out more, try more, and bounce back faster from frustration — so supporting communication isn’t only about talking, it’s about your child feeling like a capable, connected person.