Babies' first words are often seen as a important and precious moment in their development, marking the beginning of their journey into verbal communication. For instance, when the baby looks at his or her parent and says "mama" for the first time, it brightens up the parent's face with joy but it is a meaningful connection in their bond that is growing. For parents, these are some sources of pride and joy. But how do you determine whether your child's speech and language are progressing?

Understanding the communication milestones will help monitor a child's development and spot potential issues before they become more serious. The milestones serve as benchmarks to guide health care providers on whether a child needs further assistance.

Importance of Communication Development in Early Years

The first five years of a child's life are the time of massive growth and brain development at an incredible speed. All domains of development find their roots within this period, including communication. From the day they were born, babies start crying to communicate, and within weeks or months, they begin to babble, imitate sounds, and eventually words. Communication is not only important to express needs but also for understanding the world and building relationships. It is an important tool that supports cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Speech Milestones by Age

Babies learn communication skills at their own pace. General milestones can, however serve as a guideline for typical development. Let's go through these milestones by age:

Newborn (0-3 Months)

At this point, the babies communicate mostly through crying. They give cues as to their needs by responding with actions like smacking the lips when hungry or arching the back when they feel overstimulated. At the end of three months, you may also observe:

• Smiles in response to your appearance.
• Cooing sounds.
• Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
• Your voice.
• Different cries for specific needs.

Upto 6 Months

By six months, babies start experimenting with sounds and use their voice to play. Major developments include:

• Making gurgling sounds during play.
• Babbling with different sounds.
• Vocalizing likes and dislikes.
• Responding to the change in tone of voice.
• Turning eyes toward sounds.
• Showing interest in music and sound-making toys.

Till 12 Months

By the first birthday, there are some significant communication milestones that have been achieved:

• Trying to imitate speech sounds.
• Speaking basic words like "mama," "dada," or "uh-oh."
• Responding to simple commands, such as "Come here."
• Recognizing common items by name, like "shoe."
• Turning toward sounds and voices.

Upto 18 Months

In this stage, children learn to understand and use words in a consistent manner. Some of the important milestones are:

• Knows the names of people, objects, and body parts.
• Responds to simple commands with gestures.
• The child says up to 10 words.

End of 24 Months

By two years of age, children usually have more developed communication skills:

• Using simple sentences, like "more milk."
• Asking one- to two-word questions, such as "Go bye-bye?"
• Following simple directions and answering simple questions.
• Saying 50 or more words.
• Being understood by family members at least half the time.

Ways Parents Can Support Development

Parents can be very supportive in developing the communication skills of their child. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Pay Attention to Hearing: Ensure your child responds to sounds and voices. Notice if they react to noise or look at you when spoken to. If you suspect hearing issues, consult your pediatrician promptly.

2. Engage in Conversation: Respond to your baby’s coos and babbles. Talk to them frequently about daily activities, like “Mommy is making breakfast,” or “We’re going to the park.”

3. Imitation Training: Teach your baby to imitate actions and gestures of others, such as clapping, waving, or peek-a-boo. These activities encourage her to understand turn-taking and even nonverbal communication.

4. Animals Sound: Learning time must be fun. Train your baby to imitate an animal's sound, "A cow says 'moo.'". This encourages sound production along with word association.

5. Read and Sing Together: Reading stories and singing songs expose your child to language patterns and rhythm. Make it a daily habit to promote vocabulary growth.

6. Use Your Native Language: Speak to your child in the language you’re most comfortable with. Early exposure to rich language environments helps babies learn effectively.

7. Strengthen Their Attempts: Cheer every time your child tries to speak. Repeat the words and sounds and gently correct as needed. A little "baby talk" is okay but clearly say simple words for them to imitate.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Though every child develops at his own rate, there are some delays that point toward professional intervention. Talk with your child's health care provider if:

- Doesn't turn toward sounds or his name.

- By 12 months, he isn't babbling, and by 18 months, he has not spoken a single word.

- Uses speech in a peculiar manner or shows delayed speech.

Your pediatrician can refer you to some specialist who could be an audiologist or speech-language pathologist for more extensive testing. In the case of a bilingual child, he will also be evaluated by a bilingual speech-language pathologist.

Communication milestones form a kind of roadmap in understanding how your baby develops. This means through conversation, play, and learning activities, you could be able to enhance language skills while promoting your child's development. When concerned about delay, consult professional help, as this might make all the difference by having communication skills set up to meet a great future for your child.

Communication Milestones: Birth to 1 Year. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Digital technologies have transformed how children learn, communicate and access information. But concerns about mental health and online safety have prompted governments worldwide to consider restrictions on children's social media use. In India, Karnataka has announced a social media ban for children under 16. Other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Bihar, are considering age-based restrictions.

On October 15, the Supreme Court held that “the right to access and use the internet is a fundamental right of every individual.” A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Chandran added that children, “irrespective of their age, enjoy the same rights,” and that “the safety of our children and their freedom are not at odds with each other. Our children are entitled to both.”

The debate is not just about screen time. It also concerns how digital platforms are designed, how algorithms shape what children see and how these factors may affect their health and well-being.

A recent three-paper Series in The Lancet examines these issues through the concept of digital determinants of health: the digital systems, business models and design choices that influence health outcomes.

In an exclusive interview with HealthandMe, Dr. Salman Fitrat Khan, a member of the Youth Advisory Group for The Lancet Series on Digital Determinants of Health and a co-author of its umbrella review, “Associations of digital media use with health, behavioural and developmental outcomes in children and adolescents: an umbrella review and meta-analysis,” discusses how governments can protect children's mental health while safeguarding their digital rights.

Also read: Over 2 Hours of Daily Screen Time Linked to Depression, Obesity In Young People: Lancet

Q. What does this Lancet Series mean for children and adolescents in India, where smartphone and social media use is rising rapidly?

Dr. Salman: India has the world's largest youth population, with about 65% of its people under 35. Digital access and media use are also expanding rapidly. At this scale, even modest adverse effects of digital media could add up to a substantial public health burden.

India has an evolving regulatory framework for digital technologies and child protection. Existing safeguards include the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which provides for verifiable parental consent for children, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

However, enforcement remains uneven, and requirements for child-friendly platform design and systemic risk assessment are less developed than in some other jurisdictions. Restrictions on social media use by children under 16 are also being considered at national and state levels.

Generative AI is already part of Indian children's lives. One consulting report found that 77% of children older than 10 had used it for schoolwork, although this is not a peer-reviewed finding.

A major challenge is the lack of research from low- and middle-income countries. Very few studies we reviewed came from these settings. Locally led research is therefore crucial to understanding how rising smartphone and social media use affects children and adolescents in India.

Q. Are parental screen-time limits enough, or should countries regulate platform design and recommendation algorithms? What measures do you suggest?

Dr. Salman: Parental limits alone are not enough. Current approaches place much of the responsibility on young people and families, even though many risks arise from systems largely beyond their control. No single measure, including age limits, is sufficient.

The Series identifies device screen-time limits as an example of “technological solutionism” and proposes a broader approach:

• Safer platform design: Require age-appropriate defaults, safeguards for high-risk features and assessments of potential harm before new features are widely rolled out.
• Protection from commercial exploitation: Ban behavioral advertising and commercial profiling of minors.
• Platform accountability and transparency: Require companies to assess and mitigate mental health risks associated with recommendation systems and engagement-driven design. Improve algorithm transparency and provide vetted researchers with secure, legally protected access to platform data.
• Age restrictions with safeguards: Design age-based limits that prevent exclusion and avoid broad identity-verification requirements.
• Ongoing evaluation: Assess interventions continuously and adapt them as evidence emerges, including to address unintended consequences.

Support for parents remains important through caregiver resources and digital literacy. However, these measures should complement structural reforms rather than substitute for them.

Read More: Social Media Bans for Kids Gain Ground Worldwide: Will They Work?

Q. Which digital features pose the biggest concerns for young people's mental health?

Dr. Salman: The Series does not rank these features, noting that platform design remains largely invisible in current research. However, it highlights several areas of concern:

• Engagement-maximizing design: Infinite scrolling, autoplay and hyper-personalized algorithms can encourage habitual use and have been linked to effects on attention, sleep and emotional regulation.

• Engagement metrics and recommendation systems: Likes and follower counts may fuel anxiety, while recommendation systems can lead users into increasingly narrow content streams.

• Notifications: Frequent notifications can interrupt attention and encourage reward-seeking behavior.

• Appearance-focused content: Such content may contribute to depression, anxiety and body dissatisfaction, particularly among girls and young women. The Series' umbrella review found an association between body-ideal content and poorer well-being.

• AI companions and generative AI: AI companions raise concerns about emotional manipulation, while generative AI can produce images of young people that may be used for exploitation and abuse.

• Data-driven advertising: Children's data can be used for commercial targeting, including advertising unhealthy products.

These concerns do not mean that every child will experience harm or that every feature has the same level of evidence behind it. The Series highlights the need for better research into how platform design affects young users.

READ: Is India Set To Implement A Social Media Ban For Children?

Q. How should parents distinguish normal digital use from problematic use?

Dr. Salman: The Series defines problematic digital use by its pattern rather than the number of hours spent online. It involves loss of control, preoccupation and continued use despite harm. There is no universally consistent definition of problematic use in research.

Warning signs include digital use that disrupts sleep, schoolwork or relationships, or displaces physical activity and face-to-face interaction. Late-night use can also be a concern.

Heavy use, however, can be entirely normal for teenagers, including when they communicate with peers or explore their identities. Some forms of digital engagement can be beneficial, particularly moderate, socially oriented use. For young children, educational content watched alongside a caregiver was associated with better outcomes.

Parents should avoid treating problematic use solely as a child's failing. This can overlook the role of platform design in shaping behavior. The Youth Advisory Group also described doomscrolling as a response to platform environments rather than simply a personal choice.

Q. What would you want policymakers and technology companies to change first?

Dr. Salman: Technology companies should prioritize two steps:

• Assess new products for potential harm before release.
• Share data and internal research with vetted researchers.

For policymakers, the Series recommends treating digital determinants of health as a core public health responsibility. This includes:

• Designating focal points within health ministries to coordinate with education and data protection authorities.
• Prohibiting third-party tracking of minors in publicly funded health and education systems.
• Auditing school platforms, youth health apps and major social media platforms used by adolescents.
• Involving young people as partners in policymaking, not merely as consultees.

Where regulatory capacity is limited, practical starting points include incorporating digital risks into school health surveys and adolescent health programmes.

Pennsylvania’s health department has issued a health alert on congenital measles for the first time in decades as cases rise among pregnant women and newborns.

As of October 19, Pennsylvania had reported 1,286 measles cases across 42 counties, with 247 hospitalizations and six reported deaths. At least 50 pregnant women have reportedly been affected.

At least one death has been linked to congenital measles. The first death reported in the current outbreak was that of a newborn boy who died immediately after birth while his mother was severely ill with measles.

The health department said the outbreak had raised concerns about congenital measles, which has not been identified in the state for decades. The alert provides clinical guidance on managing measles during pregnancy and in newborns.

Decades of MMR vaccination meant many doctors had never encountered such cases. However, declining vaccination rates have allowed measles to spread in under-vaccinated communities.

Nationwide, 4,410 confirmed measles cases had been reported as of October 15, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of these, 96% were in unvaccinated people.

Also read: What Happens After Measles Infection? The Hidden Risks That Can Last For Years

What Is Congenital Measles?

Congenital measles occurs when a pregnant woman contracts measles and transmits the virus to her fetus through the placenta.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), newborns with clinical or laboratory evidence of measles within the first 10 days of life following exposure in the womb are considered to have congenital measles.

Historical reports suggest that transmission occurs in approximately 25% to 30% of cases when the mother develops measles in the days before delivery, although data are limited.

What Happens to Babies With Congenital Measles?

Congenital measles can range from an asymptomatic infection to severe disease and death, according to ACOG. Symptoms may include fever, rash and jaundice. Complications can include pneumonia, low platelet counts and neurological problems. The rash may appear late, look different or be absent.

Can Congenital Measles Be Fatal? What To Watch For In Newborns?

Read More: Measles Cases Are Rising in US—Who Should Get A Booster Shot?

Before immune globulin became widely used, congenital measles mortality was reported to be as high as 30%.

Affected newborns also face an increased risk of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare, fatal brain disease that can develop months to years after infection.

ACOG advises considering newborns at risk of symptomatic, transmissible measles if they are born after maternal symptoms begin and up to 14 days after the mother's rash onset.

Asymptomatic newborns who initially test negative may be considered for repeat testing on day 10 of life to check for infection acquired in the womb.

How Can Parents Protect Their Babies From Measles?

MMR vaccination before pregnancy is the best way to prevent measles during pregnancy and reduce the risk of congenital measles.

Women without evidence of immunity should receive at least one MMR dose in non-outbreak settings and two doses at least 28 days apart during outbreaks.

Because MMR is a live vaccine, it should not be given during pregnancy. Women should avoid pregnancy for 28 days after vaccination.

Pregnant women who may have been exposed to measles or are unsure of their immunity should promptly contact their healthcare provider.

The pertussis vaccine, which protects against whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis), a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection, offers strong protection in young children, according to a new study led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the study found that children who received three or more doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine had 96.2% protection against laboratory-confirmed pertussis.

Pertussis Vaccine Offers Strong Protection

The DTaP vaccine is administered in a five-dose childhood series. The first dose is given at 2 months of age, followed by doses during infancy and early childhood. The final dose is recommended between ages 4 and 6 years.

The MMWR study compared children in Alaska who had received three or more DTaP doses with those who were unvaccinated or had received fewer doses than recommended.

Unvaccinated children had approximately 26 times the odds of developing laboratory-confirmed whooping cough compared with vaccinated children.

Overall, adjusted vaccine effectiveness against pertussis was 96.2% among children who had received three or more DTaP doses. Partial vaccination also offered protection, with effectiveness reaching 85.3% among children who had received one or two doses.

“Pertussis vaccination is effective in preventing laboratory-confirmed pertussis in young children,” said corresponding author Joseph McLaughlin of the Section of Epidemiology, Alaska Department of Health, Anchorage.

Also read: RSV Warning: Welsh Mum Urges Pregnant Women To Get Vaccine After Baby Nearly Dies

Whooping Cough Can Cause Severe Complications

Pertussis can cause serious complications in young children, including pneumonia, pauses in breathing (apnea), seizures, brain damage, and death. Severe coughing fits can also trigger vomiting and, in some cases, fractured ribs.

Infants younger than 6 months are particularly vulnerable because their immune systems are still developing. Babies may not develop the characteristic “whoop” sound and can instead experience feeding difficulties or pauses in breathing, making the infection harder to recognize.

According to a provisional CDC report, 16 people died from pertussis in the United States in 2025, including 10 infants.

Whooping cough spreads through respiratory droplets and can affect people of any age. However, newborns and people who are not adequately vaccinated face a greater risk of severe illness.

Previous research has also found that unvaccinated children are more likely to develop severe illness or require hospitalization than vaccinated children.

Childhood Vaccination Rates Have Declined In The US

Read More: US Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Decline, Exemptions Rise as Measles Cases Hit 35-Year High

Despite the protection offered by vaccination, DTaP coverage among US kindergartners has declined in recent years.

CDC data show that coverage fell to 92% in the 2025–26 school year, down from 95.2% in 2017–18.

The findings underscore the importance of maintaining high childhood vaccination coverage to reduce pertussis infections and protect children against severe illness and death.

Identifying Whooping Cough Symptoms

Whooping cough often begins with cold-like symptoms, including a runny nose, sneezing, a mild cough, and sometimes a low-grade fever. After one to two weeks, coughing fits may become more severe and persistent.

The cough can be followed by a characteristic whooping sound as the person gasps for air. Vomiting after coughing fits can also occur. However, symptoms vary, particularly in infants, who may experience breathing difficulties without a typical cough.

Diagnosis may involve laboratory testing of a nasal or throat sample. Early recognition is especially important in infants because the infection can progress to serious complications.