Do you remember your child's very first cry? At first, your newborn's cries may seem like a foreign language to you. But before you know it, you will learn your child's "language" and be able to provide him with what he needs when he communicates to you. Right after birth, you introduced your child to your own ways of communicating: touching, soothing, holding and making facial gestures. Your child will learn your "language," just as you will learn his. Soon you will be able to recognise which need your child is expressing and respond accordingly. In fact, sometimes what a child needs can be identified by his cry. For example, your child’s "I'm hungry" cry may be short and low-pitched, while "I'm upset" may sound choppy. Crying is your child's main method of communication, but he is also capable of other, more subtle forms of communication. Learning to recognise them is exciting and rewarding and can strengthen your bond with your child. Always respond to your newborn's cries – he cannot be spoiled with too much attention. Your prompt response when your child communicates will let him know that he's important and worthy of attention.
Language development really takes off during this time, especially as your child approaches his second birthday. He is better able to understand what you say and express what he wants.
Between the ages of 2 and 3, children experience a tremendous "growth spurt" in language skills. They will understand more and speak more clearly, and are usually able to use language to engage in a simple question-and-answer format.