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Investigating the Relationship Between Early Speech Milestones and Oral-Motor Development in Infants
K M Allison1, K M Radville1, A Martens1
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|February 3, 2026
Summary
Infants with stronger oromotor skills at 6 months produced more speech sounds and babbled earlier, suggesting a link between oral motor development and early speech abilities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Infant Communication
Background:
- Early oromotor skills are crucial for feeding and speech development.
- Understanding the relationship between oromotor abilities and early speech milestones is important for identifying potential developmental delays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between infants' oromotor skills and the onset of babbling.
- To determine the relationship between oromotor proficiency and phonetic inventory at 6 months of age.
Main Methods:
- Parents of 50 six-month-old infants completed the Child Oral and Motor Proficiency Scale (ChOMPS).
- Caregivers reported on infant babbling and phonetic inventory (protophones) via an online questionnaire.
- Statistical analyses included linear and logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Higher ChOMPS scores were significantly associated with a larger number of reported protophones.
- Infants' ChOMPS scores significantly predicted the likelihood of babbling by 6 months.
- Preterm status and sex did not influence babbling onset or phonetic inventory.
Conclusions:
- Early oromotor development appears linked to emerging speech abilities in infants.
- Stronger oromotor skills at 6 months may indicate a larger protophone variety and earlier babbling.
- Oromotor behaviors could serve as early indicators of developing speech skills.
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