9.5 month old stopped saying baba, dada

[LittleDoveLove]

Hello
I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this. My 9.5 month old started saying baba, dada babbling at about 8 months. For the past 2 weeks he hasn't done this at all. He will shout but generally has gone a lot quieter than he was. He will blow raspberries but also less. He can cruise around so walking well but speech seems to have disappeared.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

At this age there is not much point in worrying. He could just be going through a phase.

Talking Point have some useful information on encouraging speech and you could start using baby signs but honestly, I'd try not to worry.

If it's autism that you are worried about, he's much too young to check and you could end up spending his baby months worrying over nothing instead of enjoying your time with him

[Chickenandegg8]

Yes my little boy was just like this! He was even super quiet and didn’t make much noise at all.
I was super worried as my nephew is autistic.
He did pick back up again. Now at 19 months he has over 30 words (including animal noises and 2 signs)
I would really try not to worry. Give it a few more months and see where he is. 😀

[Chewysmum]

My son did exactly this, for about two months he said nothing at all, but I carried on talking to him and taking him to bookbug (the Scottish version of baby club) and before long he was joining in with the nursery rhymes etc. He's almost 21 months now and his speech is really good, he can sing most of the songs with about 80% accuracy and he's even starting to speak in sentences now so I honestly wouldn't worry. I'd just continue talking to him and if you can manage it, the clubs make a huge difference in my opinion. It's just a stage, it'll pass then you'll wish for these quiet old days 😂

[Jannt86]

My LG didn't really babble at all when we first adopted her at 9MO and suspect didn't really before that but never really got a clear answer as to whether she ever did before this. It took her til about dot on 12MO to really babble then and even after that it was a good couple of months before there was a good variety of babbles. She was quite slow with her words too at first. If you look back on here you'll see a couple of panicky posts from me about it as it really did bother me. However at 21MO she's really starting to catch up and I've pretty much relaxed. She says probably over 100 words now and quite regularly speaks 2 and 3 word sentences and even a couple longer. Work on social skills and keep talking to him and if he's still not babbling in a month or 2 then I'd get a hearing test done (my LO has always had fluid in her ear or something going on every time we go and it can make a huge difference to their speech) He's still far too young to reliably say he does or doesn't have autism so just keep on going with the knowledge that it's much more likely that he DOESN'T. I found a website called //www.teachmetotalk.com really useful as the podcasts from a speech therapist really explain the basics of speech aquisition and give you kdras of a few simple games etc that you can use to help baby along so at least you don't feel totally helpless. There's much more chance that you'll be complaining that you can't shut him up this time next year than he isn't talking though so just enjoy him xx

[LittleDoveLove]

Thank you all, I will look at the website, what sort of classes did you take them to? We do a sing and sign although he just wants to crawl off! A sensory and a rhythm one.

[Jannt86]

We've done a few but tbh entirely in the interest of getting us out and about. Most of them are lovely but nothing substitutes good old one to one time with babies especially ITO speech. The only one I wouldn't especially recommend is baby sensory at this age as our local group got really snobby about the babies who were mobile which is just ridiculous as babies should be encouraged to move. Look out at your local libraries and churches too as they'll likely do lovely sing song sessions and playgroups. What I did (and still do) as well though is just sing sing sing relentlessly to my LO and read and really make an effort to get on her eye level for a good chunk of the day. Hard work if you have a hyper child like mine but you just have to pick your moments (eg I sing to mine whilst she's sat in the highchair and read to her whilst she's eating snacks and at bedtime) It's the simple things like that that I think really make the difference and will likely pay off at some point (although don't think I'm questionning that you do that already I'm just saying keep doing it) I also love swimming with my LO. Lovely bonding time where you can really have close contact and get at eye level. Honestly just enjoy him and do the typical baby bonding with him. There's a reason that we're intuitively programmed to do these things... because they work. Have a look at teachmetotalk too. Some good ideas on there. Mine especially loved 'aaaaaaaa boom' which is just very simply saying aaaaaaaaaa as you lift your arms in the air then boom as you hit them on a hard surface and encourage them to copy.

[Jannt86]

PS don't be discouraged if they don't seem to be interested in the singing/reading. Several of the nursery rhymes I didn't think she was paying attention too she's just come out with all the actions to eventually..... just on her terms