Hearing and talking milestones from birth to age 5, from the National Institutes of Health. Your answers stay on your device.
Check your child’s speech, language and hearing against the milestones published by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health. Pick your child’s age range, answer each item, and get a plain-English summary you can print for your child’s doctor.
Choose your child’s current age range.
This is a milestone checklist, not a diagnosis. It can help you decide what to ask about, but only a qualified professional who evaluates your child, such as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, can tell you whether your child has a speech, language or hearing problem. If you have any concern, talk with your child’s doctor.
NIDCD explains that your doctor may refer you to a speech-language pathologist, “a health professional trained to evaluate and treat people with speech or language disorders.” The speech-language pathologist “will talk to you about your child’s communication and general development” and use special spoken tests to evaluate your child. “A hearing test is often included in the evaluation because a hearing problem can affect speech and language development.” Depending on the results, the speech-language pathologist may suggest activities to do at home, recommend group or individual therapy, or suggest further evaluation by an audiologist or a developmental psychologist.
At Holsman, pediatric speech therapy is offered at the Holsman Children’s Therapy Center in Fair Lawn (15-01 Broadway, Suite 14C, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410; 201-351-1682), along with pediatric physical and occupational therapy. See also our speech therapy page. You can schedule pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy directly — no physician referral needed. Some insurance plans require a referral for coverage; our team will check your child’s plan before the first visit.
Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health. “Speech and Language Developmental Milestones,” NIH Publication No. 00-4781, page last updated October 13, 2022 (checked November 3, 2026): nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language. Checklist items are reproduced word for word from NIDCD’s “Your baby’s hearing and communicative development checklist,” which NIDCD notes is based upon How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?, courtesy of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association. NIDCD states that, unless otherwise noted, the information on its site is in the public domain (NIDCD website policies). Use of this material does not imply endorsement by NIDCD or NIH of Holsman Physical Therapy. Early Intervention: NJ Department of Health; NYS Department of Health; preschool evaluations: CDC.
Next step: Pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapists at the Holsman Children’s Therapy Center in Fair Lawn can evaluate your child and set clear goals with you. Call 201-351-1682 or 1-855-465-7626. You can schedule pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy directly — no physician referral needed. Some insurance plans require a referral for coverage; our team will check your child’s plan before the first visit.
New Jersey: NJ Early Intervention System (NJEIS), 888-653-4463 (toll-free for New Jersey residents). The evaluation is at public expense; some ongoing services have a family co-pay based on household income and size, and families below 300% of the federal poverty level pay nothing (NJ Department of Health).
New York: the New York State Early Intervention Program (EIP). In New York City, call 311 and ask for “Early Intervention.” Elsewhere, call your county Early Intervention Official. New York says there is no cost to families (NYS Department of Health).
Other states: CDC’s Early Intervention contacts by state.
CDC says: “If your child is age 3 or older, call any local public elementary school (even if your child does not go to school there) and say: ‘I have concerns about my child’s development and I would like to have my child evaluated through the school system for preschool special education services.’” (CDC)
You do not need a doctor’s referral or a diagnosis to ask for these evaluations (CDC).
It depends on age. For example, NIDCD lists “Has one or two words (‘Hi,’ ‘dog,’ ‘Dada,’ or ‘Mama’) by first birthday” and, for 1 to 2 years, “Puts two words together (‘More cookie’).” Use the checker on this page for your child’s age range.
NIDCD says to talk to your child’s doctor if you have any concerns. Your doctor may refer you to a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation, which often includes a hearing test.
NIDCD explains that a hearing problem can affect speech and language development, and that sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss. That is why a hearing test is often part of a speech-language evaluation.
You can schedule pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy directly — no physician referral needed. Some insurance plans require a referral for coverage; our team will check your child’s plan before the first visit.
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Pediatric speech, occupational and physical therapy at the Holsman Children’s Therapy Center, 15-01 Broadway, Suite 14C, Fair Lawn, NJ.
📞 Call 201-351-1682