Cooing typically occurs within which age range?

Cooing is a developmental stage in infant language acquisition that typically occurs between 3 to 6 months of age. During this period, infants begin to produce vowel-like sounds, characterized by cooing and gurgling noises. This stage is significant as it reflects the infant's increasing control over their vocal apparatus and serves as an early form of communication.

Cooing often follows the initial reflexive crying stage and precedes babbling, where infants start to combine consonant sounds with their vowel sounds. This progression indicates the development of oral motor skills and the beginnings of vocal play.

The understanding of this timeline is important for recognizing typical language development milestones in infants, and it can help caregivers and professionals provide appropriate support and encouragement during this critical period of language growth.