Which statement correctly summarizes early infant communication milestones?

Which statement correctly summarizes early infant communication milestones?

• A. Crying is the first form of communication, and cooing typically begins around 1-3 months.
• B. Cooing is the first form of communication, and crying begins around 6 months.
• C. Babbling begins at birth and continues.
• D. Speaking words by 3 months.

Answer: (A)

Infants first communicate through crying to signal needs. After that, they begin to make more deliberate sounds—cooing—which typically starts around one to three months. This sequence shows how vocal abilities develop in the first year: crying, then cooing, followed by babbling later, and eventually spoken words. The other statements place cooing first, claim crying starts at six months, or assert babbling at birth or words by three months, which don’t align with typical development. Therefore, the description that crying is the first form of communication and cooing begins around 1–3 months best summarizes early milestones.

Infants first communicate through crying to signal needs. After that, they begin to make more deliberate sounds—cooing—which typically starts around one to three months. This sequence shows how vocal abilities develop in the first year: crying, then cooing, followed by babbling later, and eventually spoken words. The other statements place cooing first, claim crying starts at six months, or assert babbling at birth or words by three months, which don’t align with typical development. Therefore, the description that crying is the first form of communication and cooing begins around 1–3 months best summarizes early milestones.