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

Parenting test that ensures that individuals are ready to take responsibility of a child sounds good, until its turns into a trauma of lifetime, where not scoring enough or failing that test leads to separation of the child from his parents. So is the case of many parents in Denmark, who have to undergo this parental scrutiny. Keira, being one of them, had just given birth to her daughter last November, but she knew that she only had two hours before her newborn would be taken into care.

She tells BBC, “Right when she came out, I started counting the minutes,” she recalls, adding that she couldn’t stop looking at the clock to see how long they had together. When the moment came, Keira says she sobbed uncontrollably, whispering “sorry” to her baby. “It felt like a part of my soul died”

She is a Greenlandic parent, among many, living in Denmark, who are now fighting to get their children back after they were removed by social services. In many of these cases, authorities have relied on the competency assessments, known as FKUs. This test determines where parents are fit to raise their children.

What Is the Danish Parenting Competency Test?

The FKU, or “parenting competency test,” was a psychometric assessment used by Danish child protection authorities to evaluate whether parents were fit to raise their children. In theory, the test aimed to protect children by identifying families in crisis or parents unable to provide adequate care. In practice, however, it became a tool of controversy—especially when applied to Greenlandic families.

The test assessed parents in a series of areas, such as their responses to imagined scenarios, self-concept, physical and mental well-being, outlook on life, and plans for the future. Most importantly, it was based on Western conception of good parenthood and delivered in Danish, with minimal attention to Greenlandic language, customs, or kinship systems. This incompatibility resulted in regular misinterpretations of the capacity of Greenlandic parents and sometimes led to children being taken from their parents.

Greenlandic children have traditionally been disproportionately represented in Denmark's child welfare system. Approximately 7% of Greenland-born children and 5% of children who have at least one Greenlandic parent are placed out-of-home. That's in sharp contrast to only 1% of the general Danish child population.

"Not Civilized Enough To Act Like A Human Being"

These assessments, which were banned for use on Greenlandic families in May after decades of criticism, remain legal for Danish families. They often take months and involve cognitive exercises, personality testing, interviews, memory challenges, and general knowledge questions.

According to Keira, some of the questions she faced felt irrelevant and culturally disconnected. “Who is Mother Teresa?” and “How long does it take for the sun’s rays to reach the Earth?” were among the things she was asked. She also recalls being made to play with a doll and criticized for not making enough eye contact. Keira alleges a psychologist even told her the test was meant to determine “if you are civilized enough, if you can act like a human being”.

While defenders of FKUs say they offer an objective framework, critics argue the tests cannot reliably predict parenting ability and are designed around Danish cultural norms. They are administered in Danish, not Kalaallisut, Greenland’s primary language, something many say leads to miscommunication and unfair evaluations.

A Disproportionate Impact

Greenlanders are Danish citizens, and thousands live on the mainland for work, education, and healthcare. Yet studies highlight stark disparities. Greenlandic parents in Denmark are 5.6 times more likely to have their children taken into care compared to Danish parents, according to the Danish Centre for Social Research.

The Danish government announced plans to review around 300 cases involving Greenlandic children, including those shaped by FKU results. But as of October, the BBC found only 10 cases involving the tests had been reviewed—and not a single child had been returned.

Keira’s own assessment concluded she lacked “sufficient parental competencies to care for the newborn independently”. Despite the ruling, she keeps cots in her home, along with baby clothes and framed photos of Zammi. She visits her daughter once a week, bringing flowers or traditional Greenlandic dishes—“just so a little part of her culture can be with her,” she says.

No Chance Of Reviewing The Test

Unlike Keira, some parents will never see their cases reconsidered. Johanne and Ulrik, whose son was adopted in 2020, have been told their case will not be reopened. Johanne had undergone an FKU in 2019 that labelled her “narcissistic” and described her as having “mental retardation,” based on criteria then used by the WHO claims she rejects.

Their baby was also meant to be taken immediately after birth, but because he arrived prematurely on Boxing Day while social workers were on holiday, the couple spent 17 days with him. “It was the happiest time of my life as a father,” Ulrik says, describing those days of feeding, changing nappies, and helping Johanne pump milk.

When authorities eventually arrived, two social workers and two police officers, the couple begged them not to take their son. Johanne asked to breastfeed him one last time. Ulrik remembers dressing his child before handing him to foster parents: “I felt the most horrific heartbreak”.

The couple no longer have access to their son but hope to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Denmark’s social affairs minister told the BBC the government will not revisit adoption cases because each child is now with a “loving and caring family.”

Experts disagree sharply on the validity of FKUs. Former test administrator Isak Nellemann says the assessments “are very important, about the most important thing,” claiming that when results are poor, “in about 90% [of cases] they will lose their children”. He also argues that some components lack scientific validity.

However, Turi Frederiksen, a senior psychologist, told BBC that while imperfect, the tests remain “valuable, extensive psychological tools” and denies they are biased against Greenlanders.

Rare Union That Is The Only Ray Of Hope Of Childless Parents

Among the few who have successfully regained custody is Pilinguaq, whose daughter was returned more than four years after being placed into care. The mother still struggles to rebuild trust; even briefly leaving the room can cause her daughter to panic. “If I go to the bathroom and close the door, she will have a panic attack,” she told BBC.

Her two older children are expected to return home soon as well, decisions made by local authorities, not the national review.

Keira continues to prepare for Zammi’s first birthday by building a traditional Greenlandic sleigh decorated with a polar bear. Earlier this month she was informed that her daughter will not be coming home yet—but she refuses to give up.

“I will not stop fighting for my children,” she says. “If I don’t finish this fight, it will be my children’s fight in the future”.

Upasana Konnidela, during her visit to IIT Hyderabad, as the Vice Chairperson of Corporate Social Responsibility at Apollo Hospitals, she told students: “The biggest insurance for women is to save your eggs. Because then you can choose when to get married, when you want to have kids on your own terms, when you are financially independent. Today, I stand on my own two feet, I earn a living for myself.” However, egg freezing is becoming popular now and has many benefits. It brings emotional comfort to the women planning their future. This procedure has become a growing source of confidence and reassurance for today’s women. In this article, the expert explains what is egg freezing, who is advised it, the benefits. It is time to clear all the misconceptions regarding egg freezing and help women to preserve their eggs for the future use.

Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation has become popular over the years among women who wish to preserve their fertility. So, egg freezing is a process where a woman’s mature eggs are collected, frozen at very low temperatures, and stored for future use. This allows women to use their younger, healthier eggs later in life when they decide the time is right for pregnancy. This procedure is widely chosen by the women now. The process is initiated with hormone injections that help the ovaries produce multiple mature eggs instead of just one. After that, the woman will be regularly monitored with the help of ultrasound scans and blood tests. Once the eggs are ready, they are retrieved and frozen. When the woman chooses to conceive, the eggs can be thawed, fertilized, and used for IVF.

Who should opt for egg freezing: Those women who wish to postpone their pregnancy because of career aspirations, education. Ones detected with endometriosis, autoimmune diseases, or low ovarian reserve. Women with cancer who may have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation. So, it is necessary to consult an expert who will explain to you about this procedure.

The benefits: It tends to offer emotional security to women and give them enough time and freedom to plan pregnancies without the pressure of a biological clock. It improves the chances of having a healthy pregnancy later, using eggs preserved at a younger age.

Facts related to this procedure: Egg freezing helps women preserve their fertility by storing healthy eggs at a younger age, giving them more control over future family planning. Women shouldn’t worry as this procedure is extremely safe, and widely chosen by women and is supported by modern technology that keeps egg quality intact for years. Egg freezing is indeed a boon for women. So, women shouldn’t hesitate and come forward to freeze their eggs.

Here, the expert also debunks myths linked to egg freezing

Myth: Egg freezing is extremely expensive

This is one of the most common misconceptions. Currently, many hospitals offer affordable pricing, EMI options, and flexible packages for women and thus, it has brought a sense of relief for them. As awareness increases, many women are finding that egg freezing is far more accessible than they believed.

Myth: Only rich or celebrity women opt for egg freezing

Many working professionals, teachers, healthcare workers, IT employees, and women from all backgrounds are opting for this procedure.

Myth: The procedure is painful and unsafe

Egg retrieval is quick, done under sedation, and most women return home the same day. Don’t fret as the procedure is extremely safe when done under the skilled expert.

Avoid believing on any false information or rumors related to egg freezing. If planned early and guided by a qualified specialist, it can help women fulfil their dram of motherhood later in life when they are fully ready.

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing lifestyle disorders in India, and while its impact on the heart, kidneys, nerves, and eyes is widely discussed, its effect on male reproductive health is often overlooked. To understand it better, the Health and Me team spoke to Dr. Prajakta Chaudhary, Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Andheri. The doctor explained that uncontrolled diabetes can significantly harm sperm quality, sexual function, and hormone balance. “Many men don’t realize that poorly managed diabetes can directly affect their fertility,” she says.

While both men and women are affected by diabetes, a large proportion of men remain unaware that their reproductive health may be at risk. High blood sugar levels, especially when unmanaged for long periods, interfere with the body’s ability to use insulin properly, leading to complications that extend far beyond fatigue, thirst, or frequent urination. Dr. Chaudhary explains that long-standing diabetes can damage nerves, blood vessels, and even reproductive organs, creating a cascade of effects that may impact fertility.

How Diabetes Affects Sperm Health

Uncontrolled diabetes can compromise sperm health in multiple ways. One major concern is oxidative stress, a condition triggered by high blood sugar levels that damages sperm DNA. Dr. Chaudhary notes, “High glucose levels can harm the genetic material inside sperm cells, affecting their ability to fertilize an egg.”

Men with diabetes may experience:

• Lower sperm count
• Reduced sperm motility (slower movement)
• Abnormal sperm morphology (shape issues)

These changes can make conception more difficult. Additionally, diabetes-related nerve damage may lead to erectile dysfunction or difficulty ejaculating, further reducing the chances of successful conception. Hormonal imbalance is another concern, many men with unmanaged diabetes show reduced testosterone levels, impacting libido and overall reproductive function.

“When diabetes remains uncontrolled, we commonly see low testosterone and issues like erectile dysfunction or ejaculation difficulties,” the doctor shares. This combination can significantly challenge a couple’s journey to parenthood.

Steps Men Can Take to Protect Their Fertility

Despite the risks, men can take meaningful steps to safeguard their reproductive health. Dr. Chaudhary emphasizes the importance of consistent diabetes management: “Regular monitoring of blood sugar and keeping it within the recommended range is the foundation.”

She advises incorporating the following habits:

• Take prescribed diabetes medications regularly
• Exercise for at least 45 minutes daily
• Practice stress-relief activities like yoga or meditation
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet
• Quit smoking and reduce or avoid alcohol
• Go for routine health check-ups

For couples trying to conceive, she recommends adding hormone testing and semen analysis to routine evaluations.

The Last Word

Poorly managed diabetes can impact sperm quality, testosterone levels, and sexual function—but the good news is that these issues are often reversible with proper care. Dr. Chaudhary explains that fertility treatment for men with diabetes typically focuses on stabilizing blood sugar, correcting hormonal imbalances, and addressing sperm-related issues. “Depending on sperm quality, assisted reproductive techniques like IUI or IVF may be recommended,” she adds.

For men with diabetes planning to start a family, early evaluation and timely intervention can make a significant difference. As Dr. Chaudhary puts it, “With proper guidance and blood sugar control, fatherhood is absolutely achievable.”