When did your toddler boy start talking?

[lndngg]

My 18 month old understands virtually everything we say and is definitely very social and good at communicating but is only saying a few words and they are definitely more baby-talk/ mumbling.

Am feeling slightly anxious about it at the moment as we are on day 4 of a very bad cough, which has meant lots of CBeebies and his dummy!

[elQuintoConyo]

Much later, closer to 2yo, if not older. He started with words (poppy = strawberry, Spo Bo = Spongebob) and sentences much later.

By 3yo he was a waffler, and still hasn't stopped at 5!

If you are very worried, talk with your hv, but i think at his age it is fairly normal (trust me i'm an anonymous voice on the internet!)

[Soubriquet]

Ds is 19 months

He knows the odd word. Mummy, daddy, Dd's name, nanny, yes, no but the rest is baby babble.

Dd was the same. She had the odd word until just after she turned 2 and then her langaige exploded

[FemaleDilbert]

Saying a few single words - between 18 months and 2 years. No proper sentences till 2.5

[QuilliamCakespeare]

He had about 30-50 words by 18 months I think but he's always been a proper chatterbox and doesn't pause for breath now! I have a friend with a two year old who only says 'Mama' so the range for 'normal' can be huge.

[lndngg]

Thanks! He can definitely say words, I've heard him say things like 'yellow' and 'digger' relatively clearly but I think he knows he is pronouncing things quite like we do and is maybe a bit shy about it?

[daisydalrymple]

Dc3 is two next week. He has about ten definite words.
In the last couple of weeks he seems to be trying out a lot more sounds though.
As you say, he also understands everything we say. Follows all instructions etc.

We read to him, point at things as we sat them, lots of picture books etc. He's taking his time!

[Mummy2squish]

From just after 2 the words just started to come out so much more. He's nearly three now and I can have full conversations with him!

[NickyEds]

Ds is 2.9 and only really started talking two months ago- his pronunciation is still quite unclear but his progress has been huge. I really wouldn't worry op, 18 months is still very young and understanding and communication are more important at this age.

[TheABC]

Around 2.5 - we feel the house move we did when he was 2 disrupted his development for a few months. Now at 3.5 we can't shut him up!

[YoJesse]

Over 3 before he started making proper sentences. Lots of speech and play therapy helped. Can't shut him up now

[ByeByeLilSebastian]

First ds was speaking by 2.
Second ds is still not saying much at 28 months.

They're all different

[Aoibhe]

Dd was pretty much speaking in full sentences at 18 months, eg 'I want to go to the shop mummy' so you can imagine how terrified I was when

DS was only babbling 3-4 words/sounds at 18 months - mama, dada, nana. He had some words at around 2, eg mine, look, dog, bye. He started putting 2 & 3 words together at 2+3 months, eg 'Go away', 'Mama gone'. 2.5 now and more words coming every week but still no structured sentences. I've been reassured by lots of people and threads on here that it can happen very suddenly by 3 so I'm trying not to worry.

I think the most important thing before 2 is that they understand everything. 18 months is still very young.

[ZeroDarkHurty]

All kids are different but the milestone guidelines are there for a reason. I'd check the milestones list and if he's a bit behind mention it to your health visitor. Probably nothing to worry about, but if in doubt it's always worth checking it out.

Ds1 (who is on the autism spectrum) hit all the speech milestones... But always just before the milestone date rather than well before it. So, he had 6 clear words by 18 months and was putting 2 together by one week before his 2nd birthday (a speech therapist recently confirmed that's the least they'd expect for a typically developing child, and may have been cause for concern given he was consistently only just meeting the milestone date, although in isolation a slight speech delay wouldn't be overly concerning). He's now 6 and pretty articulate about the things that interest him.

Ds2 had 6 words by 12 months, 2 words together by 15 months (and acquired multiple new words daily) and now at 21 months can put 5 words together at times. He seems like a talking monkey to me at times!

[flumpybear]

DS was 15 months ish but DD was really slow even at 2.5 years she barely talked - she's 8 now and is fine, perfectly well spoken bright little child too .... I wouldn't worry at 18 months

[JosephineMaynard]

Both my sons had some clear words by 2, including some 2 words together - forget how many, but nursery considered their language development within the normal range. Plus lots of babbling. Their understanding was well ahead of their speech.

With both of them, their speech and vocabulary exploded shortly after their 2nd birthday. Some pronunciation issues at first, but they were both chattering away and able to hold a conversation well before 3.

[Artandco]

Neither spoke really until 2.5-3 years. Both bilingual so I think it just took them a while to process. They pointed and understood stuff from around 1.

They never really did the 'baby talk'. Just pointed and said not much, then started talking in full clear sentences. They could read at the same time also

[BertieBotts]

18 months is very early in terms of talking. DS was 2 before his words were really recognisable and I think 3 is more when they start to be understandable by other people.

[uhoh2016]

Ds is 21m he has sayings rather than actually speaking full words. He'll say "get off" when climbing on something he shouldn't or says "ta ra" "loooldleoo" when leaving somewhere.
He will repeat a lot of things you say rather than say things for himself. 1 word he doesn't say though is mum/mama/mummy I can't wait until he shouts for me rather than giving a moan or wail for my attention.

[BearGryllsHasaBigRope]

Eldest ds was having full conversations by 18mos. He said his first word at 10 months. It was ridiculous! Ds2 isn't saying a single word at 17mos but understands a lot. He's just in no rush to talk. He makes himself understood well enough without needing to chat just yet. He was the same with crawling/walking too. He's much more chilled than ds1 ever has been.

[redcaryellowcar]

My eldest was talking confidently at two, my youngest only had about 10-20 words at his 2y4m check, as you can imagine I was worrying. Ds2 is now 2y 9m and talking loads more, I think the breakthrough came when I started understanding enough of his babble to be talking back to him, eg he'd say something about a dog and I'd say 'oh yes, well spotted, a black dog' etc, I met a speech and language therapist who said singing nursery rhymes and songs in general as well as small world play (eg building a farm, getting your duplo people to build a house, play firefighters etc) really helps language development.

[JinkxMonsoon]

My boy is 18m and only recently has started saying a few words (dummy, hiya, and a mangled version of "juice"). His sister at the same age had a LOT more words, I'm sure. He does a lot of pointing and shouting to get his needs met.

I think it's partly a boy thing and partly a second child thing. I think I probably spoke directly to DD all day long when she was little, but I'm too busy to do the same with him.

[DelphiniumBlue]

DS1 - about 20-22 months
DS2 - about 12 months
DS3 - almost 3

Absolutely no difference in educational outcomes, save that now ( oldest 2 are adults) DS2 is slightly more verbose, but I put this down to reading more.
It's way to soon for you to be worrying!

[LeopardPrintSocks1]

2.5yrs

[Emberfirefly]

As long as his comprehension is good you have nothing to worry about. They are all different. I have 3 boys - the middle one was quite a late talker, at 3 his health visitor wanted to refer him to a peach and language therapy but we knew his comprehension was entirely normal and we weren't worried at all. My the time he started reception he had caught up with all his peers no problem.

[Emberfirefly]

*speech and language therapist. Stupid iPhone sorry.