Toddler using signs and gestures but very few words at 21 months

[Baloo592]

DS is 21 months, 19 months adjusted. Has only 4/5 words which are used in context but rarely, a few more animal noises. Doesn’t babble and doesn’t copy sounds. But communicates very well non-verbally - points, nods head, will sign “more”, “thank you” (on request…), and will generally pick up signs very quickly. We haven’t made a concerted effort to teach him sign language but if we do a gesture for “rain” with our hands, he will pick it up very quickly and repeat it. So in that sense he seems bright and engaged but it is odd to me that his default is almost always non verbal communication and I would say he is very quiet overall. I’m conscious that when we stop adjusting for prematurity at 2yo, he will seem very off the mark communication wise unless something drastically changes.

He has a hearing test coming up so I know it’s silly to speculate but my mind is wandering … anyone recognise this profile in their toddler and was it a hearing issue or something else or nothing?

What is his understanding like? Can he follow instructions? If so, I wouldn’t worry.

My daughter had no words at his age. At 2, I started recording on a calendar the words she could speak that month. Within 6 months I had stopped recording and she was speaking in full sentences. She hasn’t stopped since!

That’s good to know. I’d say his understanding is good overall. He will follow instructions but if I’m sat reading a book with him on my knee (not facing me) and I ask him to point to something, he’s become quite haphazard whereas he used to generally be accurate. I suppose that’s part of what’s got me thinking about hearing as instructions I’m generally giving face to face.

Back in the day (mine is studying for A levels now) the 2 year check was 10 words. DS failed that check.

About 28 months he just started speaking in sentences and hasn't shut up since

Id say, if the understanding is there, he is doing just fine. The hearing check is a good idea, as is keeping an eye on it, but I wouldn't be worrying if everything else is looking good.

It's great that you have a hearing test. It could be glue ear. What words is he using, and how clear are they?

My son had about 5 words when he was 2. I didn't really notice because his understanding was so good. HV recommended speech therapy. The therapist said after one session that she didn't think it was a long term problem, and that he was "just delayed in his speech". Turns out she was spot on.

IIRC, the elder Gdcs’ speech went through a major ‘explosion’ phase at shortly after 2.

Dd was a very early talker, so I had been beginning to wonder, but needn’t have worried! They were soon chattering non-stop.

FWIW Mil once told me that eldest BiL barely uttered at all until he was 3. But once he started, it came out in whole sentences. He’d just been taking it all in and biding his time.
He later went on to win a scholarship to Cambridge.

He says uh oh (most frequently), no, bye, his sister’s name and daddy / dada (although probably only 10% of the time he sees his dad so it’s not regularly used in context). Had never said mama which I feel a bit sad about, the closest he gets is “ba” or “baba” if I ask him to say it. Seems to really struggle with the M sound. Then he will sometimes say “buh” for book and “bah” for bag. Seems most comfortable with B sounds.

At 18 months, we want to see five words, which he has, and the animal noises count as words too. His understanding is really important at this stage as a predictor of future language and it sounds like he’s doing great there. There is a long way to go between 19mo and 24mo (26mo real). It sounds like he’s doing well!