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

Meghan Trainor, an American singer-songwriter and television personality opened up about her third child through surrogacy. In an interview with PEOPLE she said, :"It wasn’t our first choice, but we had endless conversations with our doctors on this journey, and this was the safest way for us to be able to continue growing our family. We are forever grateful for that option."

Trainor, 32, and her husband Daryl Sabara, 33, welcomed their daughter Mikey Moon via surrogate on January 18, and are also parents to their sons Riley,4, and Barry, 2.

What Did Meghan Trainor Say About Surrogacy?

"Our surrogate is one of the most selfless, strong and loving people I’ve ever met. We felt so connected throughout the entire journey, and I’ll always be grateful for the care and love she showed our daughter. She gave us the greatest gift of our lives. She graciously answered our many check-in texts to make sure she was doing okay."

Meghan also said that she wants people to know that surrogacy is just another beautiful way to build a family. "It is not something to whisper about or judge. It is rooted in trust, science, love, and teamwork. Every family's journey looks different, and all of theme are extremely valid."

Read: Your Child’s 2026 Vaccine Checklist: What to Take, When, And Why It Matters, According To Doctor

Why Did Meghan Trainor Choose To Have A Child Through Surrogacy?

Trainor wrote Dear Future Mama, a pregnancy and parenting book in 2023, where she talked about her struggles during her first two pregnancies. She mentioned how traumatic was it for her after Riley's birth, when she also faced post-traumatic stress disorder, when her son was rushed to the NICU. At the same time, Trainor was being treated on the surgery table. "Usually when you're being sewn up for 45 minutes, you're like, 'Look at my gorgeous baby. We did it. This is everything.' But I was laying there alone."

She said in that very moment she was so drugged that she called her mother and cried. She had to learn how traumatic that was for her. She also told PEOPLE that she had reached a "breaking point" and struggled with her mental and physical health after Barry's birth. In an essay for Today.com, she wrote: "I was alone with Barry and he would not stop crying and then I was crying. I was having a panic attack and I was just over-exhausted, but I felt like I was dying. I felt if I stood up, I would pass out. I didn’t feel safe holding the baby and at the same time I felt like my body was giving up on me."

With the past medical reasons, especially the impact on her mentally, and other complication, after medical consultations, Trainor chose to go for surrogacy.

Also Read: Parents Are Now Preferring Girls Over Boys; What Led To This Shift?

What Is Surrogacy?

As per Yale Medicine, surrogate mothers are impregnated through the use of in vitro fertilization or IVF. In this process, doctors create an embryo by fertilizing eggs from the intended mother or an egg donor with sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor. Since the surrogate mother does not provide the egg, she is not genetically related to the child.

Emre Seli, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist tells Yale Medicine, “Gestational surrogacy is a great option for people who really want to be parents but have faced long odds."

Should teens be lifting weights? This is a question many people wonder, and Cara Natterson, a pediatrician, finally has answers! "Tweens and teens should not be lifting heavy weights, but they absolutely can do resistance training. There is an important difference between the two," she says.

In an Instagram video, shared by the account @less.awkward, which is ran by Natterson, and Vanessa Kroll Bennett, Natterson explains that during puberty, "the body is flooded with hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and growth hormone, which together trigger the release of IGF-1, a key driver of growth spurts and cartilage development".

Also Read: Measles Outbreak Confirmed In Two South Carolina College

So, What Happens When A Teen Trains?

“When kids are growing rapidly, the cartilage around their bones is actually weaker than the bone itself, which makes them more vulnerable to injury during weight lifting," she points out. She further explains that in peak growth phases, bones are still mineralizing. They form a scaffold first and fill in later, which means the bones are porous and easier to injure at this stage.

“The most vulnerable part of a growing bone is the growth plate, which sits at the ends of long bones and is the weakest point when it comes to fractures.” Natterson says that if a child gets injured during weight lifting or even sports, the growth plate is often where that injury occurs. This is why kids should not be bearing heavy weights until they are done with their growth spurts, she says. However, she points out that this "does not mean they should avoid strength-building altogether".

“Resistance training, where children use their own body weight, is not only safe but encouraged. Even five, six, and seven-year-olds can do it," she says.

Also Read: Have You Also Noticed Suddenly Becoming Lactose Intolerant? Nutritionist Explains Why

What Is Resistance Training?

Exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, squats, and anything that makes one use their own body weight is safe. Natterson says, “Exercises like push-ups and pull-ups strengthen muscles and improve bone density without putting excessive pressure on weak cartilage, thin bones, or growth plates.”

For more impact, one can use resistance bands. While people also use dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells, Natterson recommends to avoid any weights during the growth spurt.

Here Are Some Examples Of Resistance Training That One Can Do Without Lifting Weights

Chest Press

• Wrap your resistance band behind your back.
• Hold both ends with your hands and start with your arms at your side.
• Bend your elbows and push the band in front of you.

Bicep Curls

• Stand on the resistance band and hold both ends in hands.
• With your arms extended by side, pull your hand up, keep elbow bent at side.
• Do it with one or both arms.

Squats

• Stand on your resistance band and grab both ends with your hands.
• In a squat position, hold the bands but do not lock your arms.
• Extend your knees until you are in a standing position.

Pull Ups

• Grip a bar with hands shoulder width apart.
• Start with a full hang, then pull your body up by squeezing your shoulder blades down and back until your chin clears the bar
• Then lower down the control and keep your core engaged.

Push Ups

• Start is high plank with hands wider then shoulders.
• Keep your core tight and body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Lower your chest towards the floor by bending elbows to 90 degrees.
• Push back up powerfully to the starting position, maintain a rigid core and straight back throughout.

A healthy childhood begins with timely protection, and vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to keep children safe from serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases. With updated recommendations for 2026, parents are being urged to take a fresh look at their child’s immunization schedule and ensure that no essential dose is missed.

“Parents often think of vaccines as optional or something that can be delayed, but infections do not wait,” says Dr Nishant Bansal, Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Noida. “Vaccination at the right age gives a child the best possible start and prevents complications that we still see far too often in hospitals.”

Children’s immune systems are still developing, which makes them more vulnerable to infections. Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and fight germs without causing the disease itself. This reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, long-term complications, and even school absenteeism. On a larger level, widespread vaccination protects newborns, elderly family members, and children with weaker immunity by limiting the spread of infections.

Vaccines Recommended for All Children in 2026

According to Dr Bansal, the 2026 vaccine list continues to focus on preventing both long-standing and emerging health threats. He explains that these vaccines are backed by years of research and real-world evidence showing their effectiveness and safety.

Some of the key vaccines recommended for children include:

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP or Tdap): These protect against serious bacterial infections, including whooping cough, which can be life-threatening for infants.

Polio (IPV): Prevents paralysis caused by poliovirus and remains crucial despite India being polio-free.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR): Protects against highly contagious viral illnesses that can lead to complications like hearing loss, brain inflammation, and pregnancy-related risks later in life.

Chickenpox (Varicella): Prevents painful blisters and reduces the risk of severe skin infections and pneumonia.

Hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Offers protection against meningitis and pneumonia, especially in young children.

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV): Helps prevent pneumonia, meningitis, and serious bloodstream infections.

Hepatitis A and B: Protect the liver from viral infections that can lead to chronic disease.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Recommended for older children and adolescents to protect against cancers linked to HPV later in life.

Meningococcal vaccines (MenACWY and MenB): Recommended starting at 9 months and 1 year, though they can be given later as well, to prevent serious brain and blood infections.

Rotavirus, Influenza (Flu), and COVID-19 vaccines: These continue to be important in reducing severe disease, hospitalization, and complications.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Especially recommended for infants at higher risk of severe infection.

“Each of these vaccines has a role,” Dr Bansal explains. “Some prevent infections that spread very fast, while others protect against diseases that cause long-term damage. Together, they form a safety net for the child.”

The Importance of Follow-Ups and Booster Doses

One common misconception among parents is that skipping or delaying vaccines is harmless. Dr Bansal strongly disagrees. “Missing follow-up doses can weaken the protection a vaccine offers,” he says. “Some vaccines need multiple doses to build strong and lasting immunity, while booster shots help maintain that protection as the child grows.”

He adds that parents should not panic if a dose is missed. “In most cases, the schedule does not need to be restarted. A pediatrician can guide you on when to safely take the next dose.”

How Parents Can Stay on Track

Keeping a vaccination record, setting reminders for upcoming doses, and attending scheduled follow-up visits are simple but effective steps. Dr Bansal advises parents to have an open discussion with their child’s doctor and get a vaccination schedule tailored to the child’s age, health, and risk factors.

“Vaccination is not just about preventing illness,” he says. “It is about giving children the freedom to grow, learn, and thrive without avoidable health setbacks.”

As 2026 approaches, experts urge parents to prioritize immunization and make informed decisions. A timely visit to your pediatrician and adherence to the recommended schedule can go a long way in keeping your child, and the community, healthy and protected.