During a well-child visit, a mother expresses concern that her 9-month-old infant has not begun babbling yet. Based on your knowledge of developmental milestones, how would you best address her concern?
Inform the mother that babbling is typically expected by the first birthday, and there is likely no need for concern until this milestone deadline has passed.
Advise the mother that it is perfectly normal for a 9-month-old infant not to babble, as some children skip this stage completely while having an otherwise healthy development.
Reassure the mother that children develop at their own pace, but recommend monitoring the infant's communication development and considering further assessment if no progress is made in the coming months.
Recommend immediate audiological testing to rule out hearing loss, as not babbling at 9 months is always indicative of a hearing disability.