Signs of Communication Delay in a 3-to-6-Month-Old

At three to six months, your baby is just beginning their conversation with the world — coos, gazes and gurgles are the first words of a language all their own.

In short

Between 3 and 6 months, communication shows up as cooing, smiling back at you, turning towards voices and watching faces — not in words yet. Gentle reasons to seek a developmental check include a baby who rarely makes sounds, doesn't smile socially, doesn't turn towards voices or sounds, or makes little eye contact by around 6 months. None of this is a diagnosis — it simply means a clinician's warm, early look is wise, because support at this age works beautifully.

What's typical at 3–6 months

This is the pre-speech stage, where babies practise the rhythm of conversation long before words. By around 6 months, most babies will:

• Coo and babble — vowel sounds ("ahh", "ooh"), then chains like "ba-ba", and squeals or chuckles.
• Smile and respond socially — beaming back when you smile or talk to them.
• Turn towards sound — looking for your voice, a rattle or a familiar noise.
• Take turns — "answering" your sounds with their own, a back-and-forth that feels like chatting.
• Watch faces and make eye contact — gazing at your mouth and eyes as you speak.

Gentle flags worth a clinician's eye

These are reasons to ask early — not signs of a diagnosis:

• Very few or no sounds — little cooing or babbling by around 6 months.
• No social smile — not smiling back at familiar faces.
• Not responding to sound — doesn't startle, quieten or turn towards your voice (this also deserves a hearing check).
• Little eye contact or shared gaze — rarely looking at faces during play and feeds.
• Loss of a skill — sounds or smiles that were there and then faded.

A simple hearing screen is often the first, reassuring step, since clear hearing underpins early communication.

The Pinnacle way

A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an online list. Our clinicians watch how your baby connects, listens and sounds out the world, and shape playful support around your everyday moments. You can explore our speech therapy for early communication and start with a simple [developmental check](/).

Trusted sources

CDC "Learn the Signs, Act Early" milestones for babies; American Academy of Pediatrics guidance (healthychildren.org) on early communication and developmental monitoring; ASHA resources on infant pre-speech and hearing.

Next step — Trust what you notice each day. [Book a gentle developmental check](/) with a Pinnacle clinician for a calm, clear look at your baby's early communication.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.