By 9 Months of Age, Your Child Should Know Their Name
Starting at a surprisingly young age, children show recognition of their name. If they are not responding to their name consistently by 9 months, this could be an indication of a delay or hearing loss. Read on to learn more.
Recognition of Name by Nine Months
Before the age of one, children are able to recognize their name when said by a parent or caregiver. The CDC indicates that 75% of children consistently respond to their names by 9 months but other sources report that children begin to show recognition as early at 4–6 months. Check out this blog for more information of other vision and hearing skills developing during this 4–6 month age range.
Children learn to respond to their name before they are able to say it. This is because children are able to understand before they are able to speak as receptive language, understanding, develops before expressive language, communicating. Children will show their recognition of their name in a variety of ways.
How Do They Respond?
Children respond to their name being called in different ways. Some children will turn and look directly at the person calling their name. This is typical. Other children will pause briefly when playing without making eye contact. This is also typical. Still other children will continue playing but look at the person without pausing. This is also normal. All of these are valid responses a child makes when their name is called and all are ways that children can show us recognition.
A child’s ability to show recognition of their name may be situationally dependent. Many children are able to respond pretty consistently in a quiet environment, such at at home, but inconsistently in louder places. This is normal for many children as they may not be able to focus with lots of exciting things happening around them.
Some children have difficulty keying in on one voice in busy or highly stimulating environments. As such, they may not respond to their name if music is playing, if another person is engaging with them, during a playgroup or on the playground. Other children might not respond to their name when they are highly focused, such as when playing with a preferred toy or watching television, or even when they are tired.
Can They Hear Me?
If children are not responding, it could be due to a hearing issue. Some children do not respond to their names at a young age and this can be a sign that it is time to recheck their hearing or check with their pediatrician. Have they had frequent ear infections? That could impact their ability to hear you.
In many states, it is standard to do an infant hearing screening shortly after birth. If your child is not responding to their name or other sounds, I would strongly encourage you to call the pediatrician to have their hearing retested. If they have never had a hearing test, I encourage you to speak to the pediatrician about a hearing screening. Hearing tests are relatively quick and provide good information.
If you are interested in learning more about vision and hearing development in infants, check out this blog post for more details.
How To Support Development:
Is your child having trouble learning their name? If your child is having trouble learning their name or responding to sound in general, definitely check in with their pediatrician. Don’t wait for a well-visit — call them and set up an appointment. If a child has trouble learning their name, it could be an indication of a developmental delay or hearing loss.
After calling the pediatrician, try some of these strategies:
Repetition
— Repeat their name frequently throughout the day. Children benefit from repetition in natural contexts, such as play.
Try This:
- Instead of saying “Do you want more banana?” try saying “Child’s name, do you want more banana.” The more opportunities they can hear their name, the more they are able to practice.
Have Them Look at Themselves
— Say their name while playing in the mirror or looking at photographs (physical or on a cell phone). It is another great way to teach their name. Young children often love to look at themselves so this can be a great way to support them during play.
Try This:
- While they are looking, say their name while gesturing to their reflection or image. For example, while looking at a picture of them, say: “I see child’s name!” or “Where is child’s name?! There they are!” or “I just booped child’s nose” while interacting in the mirror.
Change Your Voice
— Experiment with different volumes, rhythms, or tones. Changing the volume and pitch can help the child to pick out the specific word you are bringing attention to.
Try This:
- Try saying your child’s name in a happy, high pitched voice, calling for them from across the room with a loud voice, and a sing-songy voice during play.
Singing
— Music and singing are magical tools. I incorporate music and song across all of my speech therapy sessions with small children. It helps to keep their attention and is often very enjoyable for all.
Try This:
- Sing song that includes their name. There are lots of songs to sing with a child’s name inserted to personalize it and they can be found with a quick search. Here is one as an example. You could also make up one of your own.
Turn Taking Games
— Social games are a great developmentally appropriate way to encourage learning. They also allow for lots of repetitions in a fun and interactive way.
Try This:
- Play games like hide and seek or peek-a-boo asking “Where is child’s name?” while they are hiding or their face is covered. This one is very effective to do with a singing voice.
Summary
Children are capable from a young age of responding to their name. Most children are able to respond to their name by 9 months of age. Children are able to show recognition in a variety of ways and their response may depend on the situation. If you feel that your child is not responding to their name or sound in general, contact your pediatrician for support.
TLC Speech Therapy is a speech pathology private practice, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in feeding, swallowing, and communication skills in infants, children, teens, and adults.
For more information check out our website at tlcspeechtherapy.com or contact us at hello@tlcspeechtherapy.com
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