Which communication milestone occurs at 7-9 months?

• A. Anticipates routines, makes wants known
• B. Produces sounds, recognizes familiar sounds or phrases
• C. Uses gestures, names things, responds to familiar requests
• D. Responds to familiar requests

Answer: (B)

At 7–9 months, the key development is active auditory communication: babies begin to produce sounds through babbling and also show recognition of familiar sounds or phrases. This combination shows both a motor shift into purposeful vocal play and growing auditory discrimination tied to social interaction. Producing new sounds reflects the infant’s growing control of the vocal apparatus, while recognizing familiar voices or phrases indicates they’re listening for known people and routines, which lays the groundwork for later words and more intentional communication. The other milestones describe later steps in communication, such as using gestures or naming objects, or responding to familiar requests, which typically appear after this period.