At What Age Can Babies Start Calling "Mom" and "Dad"?

Due to differences in language abilities among children, the timing of when they start calling "Mom" and "Dad" varies. Generally, babies start calling their parents between 7 months and 2 years old. While this age range can be used as a reference, it is not necessarily accurate. As long as the child is physically healthy, it is normal for them to start calling later.

Some babies start calling as early as 7 months old, while others may take until over 2 years old. Most babies start calling simple words like "Mom," "Dad," "Grandma," and "Grandpa" that are easier to pronounce when they are over a year old. As long as the baby can understand the meaning of what their parents are saying, there is no need to worry about their speech development. It is worth noting that boys tend to start calling later than girls.

1. Preparatory Stage (0-1 year old): This stage is characterized by babbling and initial understanding, also known as the "pre-speech" period. By 8 months old, babies reach a peak in vocalization practice and can change their volume and tone to imitate real language.

2. First Stage of Language Development (1-1.5 years old): During this stage, babies start to use single-word sentences and can use gestures and expressions to assist in communication. They can imitate animal sounds instead of their names and can mimic sounds they hear, such as repeating questions in a parrot-like manner, known as "echo language" (Note: Echo language appears during this stage and disappears by around 2 years old, which is normal).

3. Second Stage of Language Development (1.5-2 years old): Also known as the "naming stage," children at this age begin to understand that "everything has a name" and like to ask about the names of objects. Their vocabulary rapidly increases.

4. Third Stage of Language Development (2-2.5 years old): Children can speak short sentences, use pronouns like "you," "me," and "him/her," and start to accept the unique grammatical habits of their mother tongue. They may use exclamations to express emotions and ask questions using interrogative sentences.

5. Fourth Stage of Language Development (2.5-3 years old): Children at this stage can use complex sentences and enjoy asking questions, hence it is also known as the "inquisitive stage".

6. Complete Stage (3-6 years old): Children speak fluently, use all types of words, and can discover grammatical relationships from adult conversations. They can correct their temporary grammatical errors and gradually develop true language skills.