Do babies who talk early grow up smarter?
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The baby next door said "mama" at one. Yours is two and barely says a few words. Does that mean your child is less clever? Let's start with the result of one big study. In Copenhagen, Denmark, the mothers of eight thousand four hundred children wrote down when their child learned each new skill. Over two thousand of those boys later took an intelligence test as adults.
Those who could name things in a picture before eighteen months averaged one hundred and three point seven. Those who learned it between eighteen months and two: one hundred and one point seven. After two: ninety-nine point five. So the early talkers did score a little higher. But by how much? From first group to last, only about four points.
How small is four points? The average score is one hundred. About two in three people land somewhere between eighty-five and one hundred and fifteen. Draw the early talkers and the late talkers as two hills, and they sit almost on top of each other. So pick any late talker, and that child could easily be smarter than an early one. An average can't predict one person.
How common is talking late? At two, in roughly every seven or eight children, one still says only a few words. It's more common in boys, and in families where someone else talked late too. How much schooling the parents had, or how much money they have, made little difference. And more importantly, most of them catch up.
One study followed late talkers, and by second grade about five in six had caught up. And at seven, the ones who caught up scored no differently from other kids on an intelligence test. So what's really worth watching? Not how many words they say, but whether they understand you, and whether they point.
Most late bloomers already understood a lot at two, and they pointed and gestured, letting their hands do the talking. If your child doesn't answer to their name, doesn't understand simple words, and rarely points, don't wait: get their hearing and development checked early. So yes, talking early and being clever are a little bit linked. But the link is so small you'd barely see it in any one child.
Next time, try this: without pointing, just say "give me the ball." Then see if your child goes and gets it. What was your child's very first word? Tell me in the comments.
One says “Mama”,
one says nothing yet
The baby next door said “Mama” at one. Yours is two and barely says a word.
Does that mean your child is less clever? Don’t worry just yet. Let’s start from the result of one big study and work backwards.
8,400 children,
three scores
In Copenhagen, Denmark, the mothers of 8,400 children wrote down when their child learned each new skill in the first three years. More than 2,500 of the boys later took an intelligence test as adults. Split them by when they could first name things in a picture, and the average scores are the three bars above.
Early talkers did score a bit higher — but only about four points, first to last.
The bars are zoomed in; most of their height is cut off.
Four points on
a 100-point ruler
The average score on an intelligence test is 100, and about two in three people land between 85 and 115. The three groups’ averages crowd next to 100 — on the ruler they’re almost a single dot.
Two hills that
almost overlap
Draw early talkers and late talkers as two hills, and the hills almost sit on top of each other. Pick any late talker, and that child could easily outscore an early talker.
An average can’t predict one person.
One in seven or eight
two-year-olds talks late
An Australian study of more than 1,700 two-year-olds found about 13% were late talkers. It was more common in boys and in families where someone else talked late too. Parents’ schooling and family income made little difference.
Five in six
catch up
One study followed about thirty late talkers as they grew up. By kindergarten and first grade about three in four had caught up; by second grade, about five in six. At seven, the ones who caught up did no differently from other kids on intelligence, reading and spelling tests.
Watch the ears and
the hands, not the words
Most “late bloomers” who later caught up already understood a lot at two, and they pointed and gestured, letting their hands do the talking. Children who stayed behind were often behind in understanding and gesturing too.
No response to their name, not understanding simple words, rarely pointing. Get their hearing and development checked early.
The US CDC’s milestone checklist: by 18 months, a child tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”. If you’re worried, ask a doctor early — no need to wait.
