Before children learn to talk they need to develop their early communication skills. These include: looking, joint attention, taking turns and listening. These skills are key building blocks for developing understanding and communication. A lot of important communication skills develop before first words appear. 

Children need you! They need opportunities to communicate with familiar adults. Children communicate more when adults respond to their communication attempts, however and whatever they have communicated. It may be by smiles, gestures, showing and giving objects, pointing and making sounds. During everyday activities, the way you communicate and interact with your child can help them practice these early communication skills.

Look for opportunities to communicate with your child; everything can be an opportunity for talking and playing with them. This will help them to learn about communication and start building those communication skills.

Here are some of the of the questions we are asked frequently and there answers. If you have a questions, please download our Torbay family hub App and you can chat to one of our health visiting team members.