Give me a kick about baby speech development, please

[thecatwiththesilveryfur]

DS is 14 months. He's lovely: very active, very cheerful, into everything. He doesn't talk yet; he makes lots of different sounds and communicates quite well by reaching for things he wants, but he doesn't have any discernible words beyond Mama and Dada (and tbh, I'm not sure he knows what they mean - sometimes he refers to us by them, but he's just as likely to get the names wrong as right!).

I had thought that this was OK, but today I met up with some lovely friends, all of whose babies of the same age are talking like little parrots. They can point at things and say 'dog', 'tree', etc., and DS is just nowhere near that.

Should I be worried? Is he behind? We read to him all the time and talk and sing to him a lot. Please tell me if I'm being neurotic!

My DD was exactly the same, then had a massive speech explosion at 2 yrs and hasn't stopped talking since!!!

He s 14 months.
Is he waving clapping and understands when you say ball and milk?
Then he is doing fine
Teach him some Makaton

DS was late to talk so we saw the HV about it and did get referred through. The threshold for being referred is not saying any words by 18 months, so if you still aren't sure he's saying proper words that's when it's time to go to the HV.

To reassure you, DS's delay was linked to glue ear. Age 2 years 3 months at his 2 year health check, for one question we had to write down how many words he could say to check it was over 30. However, the glue ear cleared and he's caught up and by age 4 you couldn't tell anymore that he was a late talker.

He is 14m, please relax.

My DC3 is disabled, has global development delay and has been under a SLT since birth (feeding issues early on and now communication) and even she didn't get any referrals before she was 2yo.

Some babies talk/walk/whatever earlier than others. I wouldn't get concerned unless it goes much beyond 18 months.

My DD was similar at that age. She's 3 now and has not stopped talking since just after she turned 2. She makes up stories with wonderful detail, and I'm amazed every day at her language. I often feel like I'm talking to a 7 year old!

Please don't worry, he is still tiny.

• Speech therapy referrals.

18m is still young @Duckchick and in my area wouldn't get you on the books. It would be picked up at 2y check though.

I have two completely different kids. One who talked very early and still doesn't stop talking now! My youngest was late to speak. He was selective mute aged 2-3, would only talk around family and friends. He is five now and still very quiet in school and public speaking. He has gone onto develop a stammer and stutter. It comes and goes, and has all but disappeared while being at home in lockdown.

It was hard to work out what was normal though because I was always told my eldest was ahead with his speech when he was little. By two, we knew DS2 needed help so we went through the HV and got him referred to speech therapy.

DS is 2 and 3 months and isn't much further along than yours. His vocab is max 15 words. He understands almost perfectly though so not worried! He starts nursery in September and I expect it will all come flooding in then

Mine didn't start until 3 (prem) now i can't shut them up!

Too early to be concerned. Most babies I know are babbling with the odd word at that age.

I was concerned my dd had a speech delay as only a handful of words at 2nd birthday the 3 months later she was really talking. Now age 10 and no issues at all.

Is your dc more active/agile? Some people told me they tend to focus more on one thing at a time so your baby may be more interested in moving than speaking. Not sure there is any truth in it though.

Thank you so much for all the reassuring advice. Really kind responses

About the understanding ... I don't know how much he understands. Sometimes if you say 'where's Daddy?' (or the cat, or whatever), he'll look at DH, but not consistently; same if you ask him to give you something or pass a toy. He'll do it if he feels like it, but it's not at all clear to me that he understands any of the words. To use your examples, @Embracelife, I don't think he knows either ball or milk.

@Sally872, he is very active. He can walk on his own, though he often falls, and crawls and climbs on everything. He does seem a lot more interested in moving than in words.

I'm not competitive, truly! (I realise it may not sound like it ...!) I just don't want to miss red flags because he seems fine to me, but is that just because I don't know many other babies his age?

My brother didn't talk at all until he was over two. My mum was really worried. He's still on the quiet side, but has managed to develop into a fully verbal adult with a senior corporate job.

DS is 13 months and I’ve spent the last year panicking about things his peers do that he doesn’t. Nothing about what you described sounds worrying to me (based on experience with friends kids / nieces / nephews).

All depends. My oldest could speak early but didn't walk unaided till 14/15 months, my sister's last didn't utter a word not even discernibly ' mama' till 12 /14 months but could walk run climb and even a bit of pedalling on a pedal cycle as well as swim a bit before 1. (But they are a fit active family). Both went through silent sullen teenager and now articulate clever adults. Interestingly mine is more physically active than hers now (sporty), and hers is more into words (training to be speech therapist)

You could try dialogue, speak to him and give pauses for a reply from him, tell him what you are doing and ask if he would like to do something eg if you are washing up tell him you are washing up the dirty dishes and the washing up liquid has made lots of bubbles and ask would he like some bubbles to play with, also offering choices : do you want a plain biscuit or a chocolate one ? (with no visual clues) and see if that works to get a response perhaps?
But at that age could just be he's not into anything beyond moving about!

DS has just turned 3 and is about 6 months behind with speech and has a speech therapy referral. At 14 months he had no words and didn't call me anything. At 18 months a word or two. He joined two words up and at 2.5 years and now at finally at 3 he'll ask questions, has a good vocabulary and can talk in sentences but there are still issues with his speech and the range of sounds he can make.
I'd carry on with the reading/singing/etc, I was also advised to expose ds to environmental sounds. There are in normal circumstances speech therapy drop ins once a term at sure start centres.
I sent him to preschool at 2 because they talk more notice of the childcare staff than they do of parents (in fact I only got a referral for him after my mother spoke to the HV and they admitted grandparents opinions count for more!).
Don't worry though about the longterm effects I had speech therapy at infant school age, so quite late by todays standards, and have a good degree from a Russell group uni and have had a good professional career in my 20s. By choice I'm now doing other things.

3 dc all different walking talking personality toilet training eating sleeping (especially sleeping or not!)
do not compare
do not compare
do NOT compare
enjoy your baby
you can check develop websites & health visitor etc but these are guides - ask your dm & dmil what you both & siblings did (if they can remember!) because that is more relevant

Please don't worry!

I had DC at the opposite ends of the spectrum...

One was talking in 14 word clear sentences at 17 months and had lots of understanding y a year, first word at 9 months....

Then 2 with speech delay, one was "severe".

All fine and caught up by the age of 6.