Health and Wellbeing in Childhood

The development and expansion of communication skills occurs across our entire lifespan. However, the foundations are established in our early years. In this chapter, we define communication and distinguish between different types of communication. We describe stages in the development of communication skills in the early years, explore the key achievements associated with each stage, and identify features that may indicate concerns at each stage. Finally, we discuss the links between oral and written communication skills and we suggest strategies for stimulating and supporting communication development across the early years.