What is a common vocal milestone for infants by 7 months?

By 7 months, infants typically reach the vocal milestone of producing syllable-like sounds, which marks a significant step in their language development. At this age, babies begin to engage in canonical babbling, which involves repeating consonant-vowel combinations, such as "ba-ba" or "da-da." This vocal experimentation is crucial as it lays the foundation for later speech development and the ability to form words.

The production of these sounds reflects the infant's exploration of their vocal capabilities, helping them to refine their motor skills necessary for speech and to experiment with the rhythm and melody of speech. Encouraging this form of babbling is important as it helps the infant in developing communication skills and promoting interaction with caregivers.