Worried about 15 month old's development

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Hello, just after some advice. My 15 month old DS doesn't have any distinct words. He does say hello as 'Ha' when playing with a toy phone and has said it to me in greeting once. He used to say it as 'arrow' but altered to 'Ha' a few weeks ago. He also points and says 'oook' which I take to mean look. He does babble a lot and can say mama as part of his babbling but not meaning me.

He points at things a lot but only occasionally follows my point and that's only if he is being held at the time. I know that, along with speech, is a red flag for autism and I am a bit worried.

I have spoken to the HV who said he is 'not far from normal' and just to encourage him with lots of talking but they will not refer a child for speech problems until they are two due to limited resources.

I think he can hear well as he responds to his name and I have noticed that over the last couple of weeks his understanding of language has developed. He has been walking since 12 months and is good at climbing, plays nicely with toys, has good fine motor control. He is good with other children, especially older ones as he adores his big brother (4.5 yrs). We get lots of eye contact, smiles and cuddles.

Am I being over anxious? I know he is very young for autism diagnosis but is he actually pretty normal? Would you count his change in pronouncing 'hello' as speech regression or is he just trying a new sound? Is the pointing thing just something that's got to develop?

Thanks for reading.

[minicc]

If you are getting eye contact and emotions from him I would probably just wait and see. Little children can only really develop 1 thing at a time eg. Walking OR talking. If he's particularly active and has a big brother to help him he probably has less need for language than others. Does he understand what you say to him? Could he follow a simple instruction? I think the 'norm' is 5 words by 15 months and he has 2 by the sound of it. I think hv only get twitchy if there is nothing by 20/24 months.

[minicc]

I've also heard from a SALT that they start to be concerned if they don't point. You've said he's doing that so that's another positive thing

[lljkk]

Sounds completely normal ime.

[firawla]

All you can do at the moment really is keep an eye on him & note things down if your worried so you have it to refer back to later. I wouldn't say massive red flags jumping out or anything? fairly normal - he is only 15 months so it is quite young for a lot of speech. See how he goes til 18 months? then if you are more worried try GP if you are not getting anywhere with hv? he could be fine though

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

my 17mo Has no words... wasn't worried til i read this

[tazmo]

You sound as tho u r worrying unnecessarily! My friend has a son who has confirmed autism and he cannot say anything! He defo would not cuddle and my kids babbled until at least 2 year old. You get words at this stage but tends to be simple words like dog, cat etc. i would say my kids speech didnt really fully develop til 2. my friends lad won't play with others, avoids eye contact and screeches in the corner while playing by himself. Heartbreaking for his mum. Do you read to your kids? Helps a lot if you do... Especially books with sounds

[ceeveebee]

My 15 mo DS has no words and can't walk either. His twin sister has a handful of words and has taken a few steps but not walking. Am a bit worried now...!

[tazmo]

I was 18 months before I walked! Try not to worry....

[MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay]

He smiles,cuddles, makes eye contact and is developing nicely other than not much speech.. relax. He;s 15 months old !!

I have four children including one who is autistic with learning diffs too.. and they all developed at VERY different rates.
DD1 had very few words before two.. she turned out exceptionally bright...now a med student at Uni!
DS1 spoke in sentences at 18m.. he's lovely but average
DD2 said nothing,..and I mean NOTHING til she was two and a half..slow to walk too,..now at Uni and very able
DS2 (autistic)didn't babble.. said 'ta' once at about 16 months and then lost it.. didn't speak again til he was 4.No eye contact either. Now he never shuts up in his own sweet way :D

They just all developed at their own pace.

Please try and relax.. honestly he sounds just fine:)

[firawla]

Just to say, the cuddling and eye contact thing is not necessarily the same in all children with autism. My ds with a dx of autism is probably the cuddliest one out of my dc and he would go to anyone - no stranger awareness..
Autism has a massive spectrum not all children are the same!!
Stand by my previous comment but thought I would just add this as you are getting replies about as he is not screeching alone in the corner then you are automatically worrying unnecessarily

[forevergreek]

20 months here, only says maybe 6 words. Is half saying another few as each week passes. Didn't say anything at 18months.

[BramblyHedge]

My now four year old had two words at 24m and used to just grin at everyone. He is now a normal bright reception child who doesn't stop talking.

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Hello everyone and thanks for your replies, sorry to have worried you coconuts I hope you are reassured by these posts. ceevee my niece didn't walk until 19 months and she is fine. Come to think of it, she hasn't many words either, at 20 months. I probably am worrying unnecessarily and will just keep an eye on him.

Although he points a lot, is him not following my point anything to worry about?

[TheAccidentalExhibitionist]

I agree with firawla the spectrum is massive and incredibly varied.
My son has ASD, he was cuddly, pointed, maintained eye contact and had normal speech development as a baby. His emotional development was and still is very delayed as is his fine motor skills as well as his understanding of the world.
As a baby, he was very very anxious, a Velcro baby who formed attachments with very few people. That would be far more significant to me than what you are describing, which sounds normal.

[highlandbird]

I would say he sounds normal, but have very limited experience, just that my DS is 23 months, only says a handful of words recognisable to me (not mummy unfortunately!!) and didn't walk until 18 months! Hv and gp unconcerned as he can hear ok and seems fine in other ways, I think some children just take longer than others. Hv said she wouldn't worry until about two and a half.