What are Prelinguistic Skills?
- SLP Mama
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 23
By: SLP Mama, Taylor Rowe, MS/CCC-SLP
Before babies begin to use words, they develop a set of prelinguistic (or "before language") skills. These early skills lay the foundation for their ability to communicate and understand language later in life. As parents and caregivers, understanding these skills can help you support your baby's development.
What are some examples of Prelinguistic skills?
Joint attention: This is when a baby and caregiver focus on the same object or event, sharing attention. For example, when you point to a toy and your baby looks at it, you’re engaging in joint attention.
Communicative intent: Babies begin to understand that their actions can communicate a need or desire. For example, looking, pointing, reaching, or making sounds to get your attention are early forms of communication.
Shared enjoyment: This is the ability to share joy or interest with another person, like smiling or laughing together during play.
Eye Contact: Eye contact is one of the earliest ways babies connect with others. It’s a key component of building relationships and establishing joint attention.
Imitation: Babies learn by mimicking the actions, sounds, and facial expressions of their caregivers. Imitation helps them practice communication skills and develop motor patterns for speech.
Babbling and Vocal Play: Babbling (e.g., "ba-ba" or "da-da") is an early form of vocal experimentation. It shows that babies are starting to learn the sounds of their language and practicing how to use their voices to communicate.
Turn-Taking: Taking turns in interaction, whether through vocalizations, gestures, or actions, is an early precursor to conversational skills. Games like peek-a-boo and back-and-forth sound play help develop this skill.
Gestures: Gestures, like waving, pointing, or reaching, are key ways babies communicate before they have words. Pointing and reaching are important milestones that indicate intentional communication and shared attention.
Responding to Name: When a baby consistently turns their head or looks at you when you say their name, it demonstrates their growing understanding of social cues and attention to language.
Sound Localization: Turning toward a sound or voice demonstrates attention to auditory information. This is an early indicator of their ability to process and respond to sounds, which is crucial for language development.
Anticipation of Routines: When babies show excitement or readiness for familiar routines (e.g., raising their arms to be picked up or giggling before a tickle game), they demonstrate understanding of predictable events and sequences.
Prelinguistic skills are the building blocks of your baby's communication journey. By focusing on building skills like joint attention, communicative intent, and shared enjoyment, you can help your baby develop the skills they need to understand and use language. The best part? Supporting these skills doesn’t require special tools or expensive toys, just lots of loving interaction, play, and responsiveness to your baby’s cues. Check my next post for simple ways to encourage these skills at home!
If you have concerns about your baby’s communication milestones, contact Taylor Rowe Speech-Language Therapy today!
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