Final answer:
Infants from 7 to 12 months develop verbally from simple babbling to speaking basic words like "mama" and "dada," and begin comprehending and following simple commands. They associate objects with words and start to engage in social cues like waving goodbye.
Step-by-step explanation:
Babies within the age range of 7 months to 1 year exhibit significant development in verbal skills. By 7 months, infants may start making two-syllable sounds such as "mama" or "dada," and show signs of anxiety toward strangers as they begin to recognize familiar faces. By 10 months, infants refine their ability to babble, picking up the cadences of speech, and may start to understand simple commands.
By the time a child reaches 12 months, they typically can respond to simple requests and may begin to say words like "mama" and "dada" deliberately. They can follow straightforward instructions, often assisted by gestures. A one-year-old may bring a toy when pointed at and asked, or wave goodbye, indicating a grasp of common social cues. At this stage, they can also associate names with objects and mimic certain actions, such as playing peekaboo.
During this first year, children's verbal skills progress from simple babbling to the beginning stages of meaningful speech and comprehension. These developments are foundational for more complex language skills that will develop over the coming years.