Communication is learned
Newborns cry, make sounds, and move to express their needs. These are natural reactions. They act as signals to tell parents and caregivers what they need and how they’re feeling.
As babies grow and parents and caregivers respond to them, babies learn to use actions and sounds to send messages on purpose. They learn to communicate.
Serve and return
Babies learn to communicate from birth through “serve-and-return” interactions.
Like a game of tennis, your baby "serves" or starts by using signals like crying, cooing, or looking at you.
Then you "return" the serve by responding to your baby by meeting the baby’s needs. For example, you might meet their needs by speaking gently, soothing them, or feeding them.
These back-and-forth interactions build connections in the baby’s brain, and this is how communication skills develop.
As your baby grows, serve-and-return interactions are still important for language learning and social, emotional, and thinking skills.
What you can do
- Respond immediately: When your baby cries, coos, or gestures, respond with soothing words or a smile and meet their needs. This teaches your baby that what they do is important.
- Let your baby lead: Pay attention to what your baby is looking at and talk about it.
- Play with your baby: Give them things to hold and shake.
- Copy their actions. Try games like peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake.
- Read and sing: Read books, tell stories, and sing songs to your baby. It’s never too early to start. Pause to let your baby respond with sounds or facial expressions.
- Encourage babbling: When your baby makes sounds or babbles, copy their sounds and add new ones.
More resources
Where to get help
To learn how speech-language pathologists and audiologists can help with speech, language, and hearing concerns, contact your child’s healthcare provider or visit Pediatric Rehabilitation.
