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Behaviour/development

8 1/2 month old son not babbling at all... is that worrisome?

10 replies

specialk1215 · 06/07/2007 20:44

Hi all. I just joined Mumsnet... I have heard so many great things about it that I am really excited to participate. I have two kids - a 25 month old daughter, and an 8 /12 month old son.

My son seems to be developing really well, other than the fact that he has yet to start babbling. No 'ba ba ba', 'ga ga ga' etc. at all. He makes lots of happy vowel sounds (ahhhs, ooohhhhss, etc), but no consonants at all. I am fairly certain that his hearing is quite good, as he responds to the tiniest of sounds. He is developing really well in other ways.

He has reflux and has been on medication (ranitidine) for that, but otherwise is quite well.

All the development books (which I know I shouldn't pay too much attention to!) say that most babies are babbling by six months. My daughter certainly was. Our health visitor suggested that if he is not babbling by nine months, we can get his hearing tested. That is in two weeks, but still no babbling. I am pretty sure it's not his hearing, but I guess you never know.

Just wondering if any of you have experienced this with your children? If you could share your experiences on this front, I would really appreciate it.

Many thanks in advance!
I look forward to participating in the Mumsnet community.

Karen

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bewilderbeast · 06/07/2007 20:49

welcome to mumsnet. If you stand behind him and he can't see you or anyone else does he react to different types of noise?
I am not much of a fan of the baby books, I threw mine away a few weeks after having ds. You've done the right thing speaking to the health visitor and I would follow their advice but I also wouldn't worry too much they all develop at their own pace. As long as you are talking to him he'll get the idea eventually. I hope you enjoy mumsnet, it can be fun, fractious and sometimes downright offensive but everyone is lovely and this is the best place in the world if you need a bit of anonymous advice

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specialk1215 · 06/07/2007 20:56

Thanks bewilderbeast! Yes, he definitely responds to sounds - even if we are behind him and he can't see anything. He seems to respond even to tiny whispers, so I really don't think it's his hearing.

I know that most babies are babbling away at this age... Just wondering if anyone else has had a baby delayed like this who turned out to be just fine.

I guess I am just one of those mums who worries. Ack!! I will have ulcers by the time my kids head off to university!

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mistypeaks · 06/07/2007 20:57

Don't get stressed about these milestones, but be aware that the health visitor is there if you need her. I was told so many times that dd1 should have a vocab of 30 words by age 2 and she barely said anything recognisable to anyone other than me. Until one morning dh and i were listening to her on the monitor rather than going straight in to get her. We hear 1...2...3...4. Hello sis-sis (dd2) Morning bear. Georgia juice. Oh oh pooh!! Little bugger has been able to do it for ages and just kept it secret i reckon so she can get away with more. Not only that she can blimmin' count!!!!
So to ramble. In short they develop at there own pace, listen to your instincts.

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lucyellensmum · 06/07/2007 20:59

specialk hello yes, mn is great, but watch out, you;'ll soon be an addict. Have a lurk on some of the more contentious threads, i promise you will be ranting with the best of them within a week
I would personally like to burn all baby books and development charts, i wont look at them any more, my DD has speech delay, only a handfull of words and she is two in a few weeks. She does have speech therapy, i used to worry myself stupid, now i just enjoy her, we saw a peadiatrician at 18m (i had other worries)and when i mentioned development charts and baby books she said, burn them!! the range of development in babies is vast and these charts are a source of anxiety more than a help

Im sure your wee son will be fine, you are doing the right thing getting it checked for your peace of mind. I have just noticed you saying he is making oohs and ahhhs, sound perfectly like he is doing quite nicely to me. Go with your gut feeling, throw the baby book out and enjoy your son.

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queenrollo · 06/07/2007 21:35

my ds(now 23 months) was only ooooooing and aaaaahing at about that age. he's had a limited vocabulary until fairly recently, in the last few weeks he's started copying lots more words, but only actually using a few of them. (i guess he has favourites)

my ds would rather have pointed and grunted when he wanted something, and even now he still yells for attention (in the morning for example when he wakes up)rather than calling for mummy or daddy.

dp apparently said 'duck' when he was about one then nothing until he turned two when he announced 'daddy go work' and after that MIL couldn't shut him up.

i wouldn't worry about it unduly just yet, especially if you're sure his hearing is fine.

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funkimummy · 06/07/2007 21:47

My daughter didn't really take off with the whole babbling thing until she was roughly a year old. She was exactly the same as your son.

My DS however was babbling earlier than six months and had a vocabulary by the time he was 13 months!! Hasn't stopped talking since!

DD however, is still just as happy babbling at 15 months as she was at a year old!

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muppetgirl · 06/07/2007 21:50

Our son was the same -was even recorded in his red book as a cause of concern.

We constantly talked to him about everything and read to him everyday/night from when he was weeks old. Though we did communicate through basic baby signing he didn't start to talk till about 2. Once he hit 2 it was amazing the progress he made from week to week. He's now 3 and has a brilliant vocabulary that I believe came from us reading/talking to him from a very early age.

I know these books are supposed to help (why tell me what he should be doing and expect me not to worry?) but not all dc follow the milestones.

If you are happy he can hear, just make sure you keep talking, give them pauses during speech so they can make sounds make to you as if in coversation -it really does work!- and I'm sure all will be well.

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specialk1215 · 07/07/2007 15:49

THank you all. I think I am going to really enjoy mumsnet! I hope I can help others as well.

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heavy · 07/07/2007 15:58

i didn't even know what babbling was until we had the 10mth review. my son certainly wasn't doing it so he was sent for a hearing test. nothing wrong with his ears or his speech he just started a bit later. he's 3 now and chattering away merrily. my health visitor freaked me out though - i've avoided her ever since.

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christywhisty · 07/07/2007 16:23

Ds didn't start babbling until gone 8 months. We were on the transfer coach on holiday when he started Bababaing. He was one of those children who seemed to learn to do things overnight ie 2 days before his 2nd birthday he swallowed a dictionery overnight and just spouted new words all day.

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