Will someone put my mind at rest please.....

[imgoingdowntown]

I'm a first time mum and my DS is 15 months. I'm really worried that he isn't talking as much as he should. I'm also unsure of what his speaking ability should be like at his age. He can understand perfectly...he carries out instructions like "climb the stairs to go to your bath" "give me your dummy" and can equate things like he finds the remote control of I mention fire man sam. It's just that he says very little. Dada, tea and all done. I just worry that I'm listening to other mothers with children of the same age and they're telling all things their DC can say and I'm worried that my DS isn't making progress with speaking. I know I'm probably BU but I don't have any other children and Id just like some reassurance. please.

[Katedotness1963]

My youngest said nothing for so long we took him to have his hearing tested. He was about a year at the time. We kind of got mumumu and dadada but that was about it. I was so scared. We had his hearing tested and it was very strange, the sound came from different speakers but a light went off too. So after they're telling us he's fine and we're still trying to figure out if it was the sound or the light that drew his attention...

Long stort short...when he was about a year and a half he started chatting, sentences, not just a word here or there. And then he talked and talked and talked. He tapped away to anyone and everyone, we got told about it at school. He's 14 now, a clever child, an has got his garrulous nature under control!

[Katedotness1963]

Yapped away, not tapped...

[OddSocksHighHeels]

Mine was the same. She took forever to learn words and probably understood less than your DS at that age. She's now 4 and a little chatter box, pronunciation can be off on some things but she makes herself understood and she understand what you say to her very well. Don't worry, they all learn at different speeds.

[Marue]

Hun chillax. My little brother didn't speak for ages, he went through lots of tests and speech therapy and everything was fine and he's now a gp.

We are all different.

[Francoitalialan]

"Average" is putting together two words at a time by the time they're 2. Ours was "More tottage" (more sausage!) in his second birthday.
Relax.

[Francoitalialan]

Your mistake is the bit where you say "listening to other mothers". Therein lies guaranteed boasty bolleaux!

[OddSocksHighHeels]

I think DD learned to talk properly by watching Peppa Pig actually. She was quite happy to ignore everything I said but was copying Peppa all the time.

[imgoingdowntown]

Aw thanks ladies I'm trying not to be pfb with him but when you don't know what they should be doing it can be hard and sometimes other mums can....over exaggerate their child's abilities so it's never a great gauge.

[zippyswife]

That's still really young. And he understands instructions and does have a clutch of words. Try not to worry they really all develop at different rates.

[Jengnr]

My son took ages to speak. At 2yrs 4 months he had very few words and was assessed by SALT who said he had a slight delay and referred to speech therapy. Between the referral and the appointment he had a word explosion. Virtually overnight and now at 2yrs 10 months he won't shut up. :)

[3of5]

I was in your shoes. My son understood everything, would respond to requests, just wouldn't talk back.

He had hearing tests, health visitors and speech therapists and all of them said he would be fine.. And guess what? They were right!

It took him a while and I think he was at least 2.5 before he started speaking coherently and by the time he joined nursery after he was three he was fine. He's four now and chats away aaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllll the time..(I love it!)

[Jengnr]

Mine could understand perfectly too. And make himself understood by pointing or similar so presumably speech wasn't so pressing.

[imgoingdowntown]

I'm just desperate to hear his wee voice properly too. He says "awwww duuuun" after his dinner in a really
Scottish accent which does make us laugh. This has made me feel so much better. Thank you

[Boredofthinkingofnewnames]

Walking at one, talking at two:)

[CoodleMoodle]

My DD is 19m and only started to say Mum and Dad a few weeks ago! All she could say before that was 'dere' and a few animal sounds. She too understands pretty much everything you say, just doesn't feel the need to respond verbally.

She now has about twenty words, although some of them probably only make sense to us. Like 'boo-ay'. That means blue... And 'booooommmm' for ball.

I know how you feel, though. It can be worrying and extremely frustrating as well. He'll get there!

[OddSocksHighHeels]

Ah it's lovely when you finally get to hear them talking. It's so cute. He will get there though! Glad you're feeling a bit better about it too!

Was he quite quick at moving about? My DD seemed to be ahead of other babies at moving but behind at talking. Her first sentence was "mummy so naughty, no no no!"

[TattyDevine]

My brother said nothing for about 3 years and then just said "oh look mummy, its raining outside".

Daft kid.

[TattyDevine]

He's 40 now and doing pretty well

[d270r0]

He sounds like hes doing really well, carrying out instructions and a couple of words at only 15 months! They all develop at different rates and do things at different times, and thats fine. Many toddlers can't say any words at all yet. Try not to compare him to others, he'll continue to progress.

[thecatsarecrazy]

My eldest son who actually has a hearing problem. (wears 2 hearing aids) picked up words quickly. His younger brother hardly spoke. My dad and mil both picked up on it but all of a sudden it all came together and he wouldn't shut up .

[3littlebadgers]

They are all so different. My dc1 started speaking very early, and dc2 was much later. Like your child, he understood everything that was said to him, I just think it took him that much longer to gainthe strength and coordination in his mouth. It wasn't until he was about 4 that his speech became intelligible to anyone other than close family. I was beside myself with worry, and was talking to an elderly neighbour about it. She told me that her son didn't say anything at all. At the age of five she was on her way back from yet another doctors appointment with him when he suddenly broke into a full conversation about what would be for dinner that evening.

[herethereandeverywhere]

My youngest said almost nothing until she was two. Then acquired language really quickly.

I do have two friends whose kids have speech delay because they had glue ear that wasn't diagnosed for a couple of years so it's worth getting a hearing test as others have advised.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

He's probably fine but keep an eye and if you are still worried in a few months do ask your HV for advice OP. (by 18 months they are looking for 6-10 words)

I had lots of well meaning people reassuring me that ds would no doubt speak in full sentences one day/Einstein not speaking til 4 and other such gems. Actually he had pretty bad glue ear and I so wish we'd had intervention much earlier. Trust your instincts.

(btw he speaks really well now)

[imgoingdowntown]

oddsocks he started walking at 13 months which is pretty average I think? That said, he sat up at six months and did nothing else til he was 10 months, no rolling or crawling and then did the whole lot in three months and was pretty steady on his feet from the word go. He tears about the place now. I'm just a bit confused that he follows instructions but says very little! Everyone's been really reassuring though so thank you again!

[ChilliAndMint]

My sis hardly said 2 words 'till she was 4, she now has a PHD.
Looking back, it seems us siblings " filled in" all the spaces.