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18 month son, is there a delay or is it normal?

8 replies

MMA21 · 06/04/2021 00:13

Hello!

My son, who is my second seems to not be saying anything other than mama & baba. When he wants something he’ll bring it to me/ put it in my hands and either say mmmmmama or if he doesn’t get his way will cry. So he’s able to communicate to me what he wants.

However when I ask him for something he doesn’t seem to follow my instruction and doesn’t like to sit still for me to be able to teach him anything - I’m not sure if he doesn’t understand me or is ignoring me (which I notice he does with his name). He knows when I’m ‘telling him off’ from his body language and his facial experiences. He also doesn’t seem to sit still, he’s constantly on the move, climbing running etc unless it’s TV time or food time (even then sometimes I have to feed him on the go). He also isn’t a great sleeper.
All other milestones he’s smashed and surpassed.

So is there something for me to be worried about? How can I help him (given that he won’t sit still for me to go through a book pointing at flowers and the sun). He’s not interested in speaking or using words as much as I try.

He does babble though!

Help please!

OP posts:
Woodpecker22 · 06/04/2021 07:58

How is his joint attention? Does he point and look in the direction of your point? If he is not interested in sitting still can you engage him more with active play? I wouldn't worry too much about a short attention span and lack of talking at 18 months providing he is engaging with you in other ways.

AnnaSW1 · 06/04/2021 08:18

I don't think he needs teaching. Just keep talking to him. Narrate your day. He's not even 2. He's not behind.

Hellocatshome · 06/04/2021 08:21

Has he had his hearing tested?

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Toottootdrivers · 06/04/2021 08:31

My DS is the same age and doesn't really respond to being "taught" either, if by taught you mean flashcards and books.

If he is on the move a lot will he respond to things like "Where's your ball?" "Let's get your shoes"?

Constance11 · 06/04/2021 08:48

My son didn't start talking really until he was 2. He's four now and follows me around chatting all day. I think it's too early to know if your son has a speech delay, but there is no harm mentioning it to your GP if it is worrying you.

MMA21 · 06/04/2021 09:49

Probably taught wasn’t the right word— how about being shown? He won’t give me the chance to say look flower hmmm smells nice, to pick up on this is a flower.

Most of the time he doesn’t follow where I point...

If I had the ball in my hand and said let’s kick the ball he’ll do so, but rather because he’s seen the ball and not because he’s following an instruction. He wouldn’t go and get the ball, unless he wanted to without my asking.

OP posts:
Woodpecker22 · 06/04/2021 11:43

I would try to slow him down. Try to engage him with the things he is already most interested in. You could do things like putting favourite toys out of reach and encouraging him to point or request them. Offer him choices and try to encourage him to pick an option either verbally or by pointing. I found this book excellent with my older son who had a developmental delay. It is about encouraging imitation. To talk toddlers first learn to imitate actions before they imitate speech and it has strategies for encouraging this.
teachmetotalk.com/2012/04/05/building-verbal-imitation-in-toddlers/

Vittoria123 · 02/08/2024 07:33

MMA21 · 06/04/2021 09:49

Probably taught wasn’t the right word— how about being shown? He won’t give me the chance to say look flower hmmm smells nice, to pick up on this is a flower.

Most of the time he doesn’t follow where I point...

If I had the ball in my hand and said let’s kick the ball he’ll do so, but rather because he’s seen the ball and not because he’s following an instruction. He wouldn’t go and get the ball, unless he wanted to without my asking.

Hi how’s your son doing now ? ☺️

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