Early Signs of Communication Delays Parents Often Miss

May 26, 2026 8 min read

You notice it in quiet moments. Other toddlers at the park are pointing at dogs and calling out “doggy,” and your child watches without a sound. Or your baby has stopped babbling the way they used to, and you catch yourself wondering: is this just their pace, or is something being missed? That worry can sit heavy, especially when the signs are so small that no one else seems to see them.

The short answer: many early signs of a communication delay are subtle and easy to overlook because they happen before a child talks in full words. Things like limited babbling, few gestures, not turning to their name, or not following simple directions can be some of the earliest clues that a child could use a little extra support with communication.

And here is the reassuring part: children develop language on a wide range, noticing early is a good thing, not a reason to panic, and checking in with a professional does not commit you to anything except getting clearer answers.

What are early communication milestones?

Communication starts long before the first word. In the first year, most babies alert to sound, make back-and-forth sounds with you, coo, and turn toward voices, and by 4 to 6 months they typically babble with different sounds, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

By 7 to 9 months, many babies look up when you call their name and string together long babble like “mamama” or “babababa.” Between 10 and 12 months, ASHA notes that most babies point, wave, show or give objects, respond to simple phrases like “Go bye-bye,” and say one or two words such as “mama” or “dada.” The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) describes a similar path: by age 1 to 2, children usually follow simple commands, point to pictures in books, add new words regularly, and begin putting two words together like “more milk.” These are the building blocks, and the early ones are more about gestures, sounds, and understanding than about clear speech.

What early signs are easy to miss?

The signs parents miss most are the prelinguistic ones, the communication that happens before words. Because a quiet, easygoing baby can seem “just mellow,” these clues slip by.

Keep a gentle eye out for limited babbling or a drop in the variety of baby sounds, and for few communicative gestures such as pointing, waving, or reaching up to be picked up, since ASHA lists pointing, waving, and showing objects among the things most babies do by 10 to 12 months. Other easy-to-miss signs include not looking up when you call their name, limited eye contact during back-and-forth play, not following simple directions, a small or slowly growing vocabulary, and not yet combining two words. KidsHealth suggests calling your doctor if a child is not using gestures like pointing or waving by 12 months, prefers gestures over talking by 18 months, or by age 2 cannot follow simple directions or produce words and phrases on their own rather than only imitating. Limited pretend play and a loss of words or skills a child used to have are also worth mentioning to a professional. One quiet sign on its own is rarely the whole story, but a pattern is worth a conversation.

When should I check in?

Check in whenever you have a concern; you do not need to wait for a “bad enough” moment. Both NIDCD and the American Academy of Pediatrics (through HealthyChildren.org) are clear that talking to your child’s doctor early matters.

A few research-backed anchor points can help. KidsHealth notes that not using gestures like pointing or waving by 12 months, relying on gestures over words by 18 months, or being unable to follow simple directions or say words spontaneously by age 2 are all reasons to call your doctor. HealthyChildren.org adds that many children have some trouble with language comprehension or speech, and that early detection matters so support can begin before it affects other learning. NIDCD encourages talking with your doctor about any concern, and a hearing check is often part of the picture, since hearing and speech are closely linked. If your gut says something is off, that instinct is worth honoring, even if your child is “probably fine.”

What can I do at home?

You can do a lot, and it looks a lot like everyday togetherness. The goal is more back-and-forth, not drills.

ASHA suggests responding to the sounds your baby makes, looking at them when they vocalize, and imitating their sounds so they learn conversation is a two-way street. Teach playful turn-taking through peek-a-boo, clapping, blowing kisses, and waving bye-bye, which builds the gesture skills that come before words. Narrate your day out loud, talking through what you see and do, and sing, tell stories, and read together every day. KidsHealth echoes this: focus on communication, read early with simple picture books, and use everyday moments to name things around you while keeping language simple. If your family speaks more than one language, keep using the languages you are most comfortable with, since early exposure helps children learn language best. Follow your child’s lead, name what they are interested in, and give them a beat to respond.

How does speech therapy help?

Speech therapy helps by turning everyday interactions into targeted, playful practice, and by coaching you so the progress continues between visits. A speech-language pathologist first looks closely at how your child communicates, then builds a plan around it.

As NIDCD explains, a speech-language pathologist talks with you about your child’s communication and overall development, uses specific assessments, and often includes a hearing check, then may suggest home activities, individual sessions, or further evaluation depending on what they find. KidsHealth notes that an SLP looks at both what your child understands (receptive language) and what your child can say (expressive language), then works directly with your child while showing you what to do at home. For little ones, this often looks like play, following your child’s interests, modeling sounds and words, and building the prelinguistic skills, gestures, joint attention, and imitation, that pave the way for talking. To read more about how this works day to day, see our guide to in-home speech therapy, our overview of speech milestones by age, and our post on whether your child is a late talker or has a speech delay. If you are wondering about timing, how young is too young to start toddler speech therapy may help, too.

What is the next step?

If any of this sounds familiar, the next step is simple: call (805) 702-3427 or schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We offer in-home and virtual visits across our service area, and we support children from birth to 18. There is no pressure, just a friendly conversation about what you are noticing and what might help.

Common questions about communication delays

Is my child just a late talker, or is it a delay?

It can be hard to tell from the outside, and the range for typical development is genuinely wide. What helps is looking at the whole picture, not just word count, including gestures, understanding, and back-and-forth. A brief conversation with a speech-language pathologist can help you sort out what you are seeing.

My baby understands me but does not talk much. Should I worry?

Understanding words (receptive language) and using words (expressive language) can develop at slightly different paces, and strong understanding is a good sign. Still, if you have concerns about how few words or gestures your child is using, it is reasonable to check in rather than wait.

Can a bilingual home cause a speech delay?

Learning more than one language does not cause a delay. Families are encouraged to use the languages they are most comfortable with, because early, rich exposure supports language learning. If you have concerns, a professional can look at your child’s communication across all the languages they hear.

My child stopped using words they used to say. Is that important?

A loss of words or skills a child previously had is worth mentioning to your child’s doctor or a speech-language pathologist. It does not point to any one cause on its own, and bringing it up simply helps the right people take a closer look.

Therapy Clubhouse serves families across Westlake Village and Ventura County with in-home and telehealth speech and occupational therapy; our Westlake Village clinic opens Fall 2026.

Sources

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Every child develops differently. If you have concerns about your child’s communication or development, please talk with your pediatrician or a licensed speech-language pathologist.

About the author

Nita Anavim, M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed, ASHA-certified pediatric speech-language pathologist at Therapy Clubhouse, where she helps children from birth to 18 build communication and confidence through in-home and telehealth speech therapy. Learn more on Nita’s bio page.

Ready to take the next step? Call (805) 702-3427 or schedule a free 15-minute consultation with a licensed pediatric therapist.

Nita Anavim

Speech-Language Pathologist at Therapy Clubhouse

Nita Anavim is a licensed speech-language pathologist (M.S., CCC-SLP) and co-founder of Therapy Clubhouse who helps children from birth to 18 build communication, language, and feeding skills through warm, play-based, family-included therapy.

Pediatric speech therapyLanguage developmentArticulationStuttering and fluencyAACFeeding therapyEarly intervention