Communication Before Words: Building Connection First
Speech is one output of communication, not its beginning. How to grow the connection that words stand on.
Communication begins long before words. Eye contact, shared attention, gestures, and turn-taking are the foundation speech is built on — and they can be strengthened every day at home.
Get face to face and follow their lead. Join what your child is already interested in rather than redirecting them to what you planned. Interest is the doorway; join them there.
Pause longer than feels natural. Many children need extra processing time. Ask or comment once, then wait — silently, warmly — for up to ten seconds. The pause is where communication grows.
Celebrate every signal. A glance, a reach, a vocalization — respond to each as if it were a sentence. When signals work, children send more of them.
If your child uses a device or pictures to communicate, treat that as real speech: respond to it instantly and model on it yourself. Alternative communication does not delay talking; it builds the network talking depends on.