Scharf et al. Pediatrics in Review 2016 Milestone Category

Receptive Language

Milestone Name	Expected Age
Startles to voice/sound	1
Alerts to voice/sound	2
Regards speaker	3
Orients head in direction of a voice	4
Stops crying to soothing voice	4
Begins to respond to name	5
Stops momentarily to “no”	6
Gestures for “up”	6
Looks toward familiar object when named	7
Attends to music	7
Responds to “Come here”	8
Looks for family members, “Where’s mama?”... etc	8
Enjoys gesture games	9
Orients to name well	9
Orients to bell	9
Enjoys peek-aboo	10
Waves “bye-bye” back	10
Stops activity when told “no”	11
Bounces to music	11
Follows one-step command with gesture	12
Recognizes names of two objects and looks when named	12
Looks appropriately when asked, “Where’s the ball?”	13
Follows one-step command without gesture	14
Points to one body part	15
Points to one object of three when named	15
Gets object from another room upon demand	15
Points to five to six body parts	22
Points to one picture when named	16
Points to two of three objects when named	18
Points to three body parts	18
Points to self	18
Understands “mine”	18
Points to familiar people when named	18
Points to three pictures	20
Begins to understand her/him/me	20
Points to four to five pictures when named	22
Points to four pieces of clothing when named	22
Follows two-step command	24
Understands me/you	24
Points to 5 to 10 pictures	24
Understands “just one”	28
Follows two prepositions: “put block in ... on box”	30
Understands actions words: “playing... washing... blowing”	30
Understands three prepositions	33
Understands dirty, wet	33
Points to objects by use: “ride in ... put on feet ... write with”	33
Points to parts of pictures (nose of cow, door of car)	36
Names body parts with function	36
Understands negatives	36
Groups objects (foods, toys)	36
Follows three-step commands	48
Points to things that are the same versus different	48
Names things when actions are described (eg, swims in water, you cut with it, it’s something you read, it tells time...)	48
Understands adjectives: bushy, long, thin, pointed	48
Uses 300 to 1,000 words	48
Tells stories	48
100% intelligibility	48
Uses “feeling” words	48
Uses words that tell about time	48
Knows right and left on self	60
Points to different one in a series	60
Understands “er” endings (eg, batter, skater)	60
Understands adjectives: busy, long, thin, pointed	60
Enjoys rhyming words and alliterations	60
Produces words that rhyme	60
Points correctly to “side,” “middle,” “corner”	60
Asks what unfamiliar words mean	72
Can tell which words do not belong in a group	72
Understands simple commands, “Bring to mommy”	16