Assessing communication, cognition, and vocalization in the prelinguistic period

There are relationships among the stages in which infants begin to develop their communicative competence, display differentiated vocal productions, and exhibit the beginnings of cognitive develop-ment. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, behaviors representative of the normal stages of communication, cognition, and vocalization in the prelinguistic period were identified. Research results were then summarized and organized to develop a checklist for the assessment of at-risk infants. The behavioral checklist can be used to monitor infant development; to supplement formal screening and diagnostic tools; to instruct parents about the normal range of communicative, cognitive, and vocal development; and to provide direction for how parents can observe and report their observations.