About my 16 months old speech? DH thinks I am....

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I’m worried about my son’s speech as he seems to be behind when compared to other infants his age...

He can say:

(the words in brackets are how he pronounces them if he says them different to how the word correctly sounds)

Mama
Dada
Quack quack
Bath (bah)
Cat (cah)
Ball
Book
Teeth
Shoes
Bye
Bear (beh)
Bird (burr)
Car (darr)

And that’s about it.

He hums/sounds along to songs that he recognises and to theme tunes to recognises of cartoon programmes my 4 year old watches.

His understanding is good, I have no concerns with that.

He babbles all the time, he is never quiet but I’m worried that he should be saying more? Shouldn’t he be saying basic words like hello or milk etc? He doesn’t even attempt to say his brother’s name.

He is also a picky eater and someone told me that fussy eating and poor speech can be signs of lip ties but also signs of autism?!

I’m now worrying about it even more than I was and thinking about contacting HV/GP/Dentist etc whereas my husband thinks I’m completely overreacting.

Would you be worried?

Not in the slightest.

That sounds good at 16 months to me! Absolutely nothing to worry about from the information you have given.

Sounds pretty normal to me. My ds was saying similar words to yours at his age. At 2yo he was talking in sentences and now he's 3 he just doesn't stop talking and singing!

Blimey, that sounds fine for this age!

Doesn’t sound behind, his speech sounds average for his age! He will probably start picking up at a faster rate once he hits 18 months+ but I wouldn’t particularly be worried as yet

Eh? Sounds completely normal for his age. Keep encouraging him with books/conversation/ rhymes and games. If you are still worried in a few months then contact your HV.

Speak to the HV if you're concerned, but speech develops at different rates for different children. He says quite a lot, more than some his age. Does he go to nursery, or socialize with other toddlers? I'm sure he's ahead in some things and behind in others, and it'll all balance out.

Sounds totally normal, I wouldn’t worry. Everyone develops differently, you’ll probably find he’s ‘ahead’ in other things.

My DS is 16months and doesn't say anything yet he babbles loads and has some understanding of names of things ie he will sometimes get a cup of I ask him to.

I really wouldn't worry,

Sounds completely normal for that age, even slightly ahead of many.

Relax, I bet he'll be a complete chatterbox by 2. My DS was very into animal noises at that age. Maybe try lots of songs/stories to encourage him.

One of mine said nothing till she was 2 - then she spoke in sentences!

Ditto reading - she was way way behind her peers; then I found her reading the Wind in the Willows when she was 5 - can you really read that? - of course I can! I think she was waiting to find something worth reading and Janet and John simply did not cut it!

They all develop at different rates. Ask HV if you are really worried - but I would not be.

Dd, who has excellent verbal skills, had about the same with loads of “birdie squeaks” and an alarm call at 21 months and proper conversation at 22 months.

Your ds seems to be doing well. At this point, words are best described as as standard sound attached to a regular “thing”, if that makes sense.

Sounds absolutely normal to me.

My son barely talked at all until he was almost 2. Then he randomly counted to 10 one day and it turned out he knew about 50 words but hadn't felt the inclination to talk before. I wouldn't worry.

My daughter was quite far ahead with her speech when she was 2 ish but I made a list of her vocabulary at 18 months and it was less than your ds. In my experience at around 20 months their speech of improves dramatically, learning a new word a day sometimes. Your ds sounds like he is doing great.

He is saying more words than my 18 month old and I’m not in the slightest bit worried about him

That sounds great! My DS is 2 1/2 and I'd be over the moon if he said all that as he doesn't talk at all yet. Please don't worry.

Stay away from google - that’s your worst enemy when you’re already feeling anxious. To me your son sounds normal - I wouldn’t worry but if you are, speak to a midwife maybe?

I am a speech Pathologist and this is what I would expect in a typically developing child

I wouldn't worry at all. Your son has more words than mine did at age 2!

Good eaters use their tongue more so tend to have clearer speech.

With parenting, there's a Sod's law effect where it seems like everyone else's child is ahead and you can't see which areas your child excels in. Say you go out and your child has a tantrum. It seems like everybody else's child is brilliantly behaved but it's Sod's Law that you don't see the other kids tantrums.

He's 16 mo. I think you are being a little selective in your comparisons if you think he's being left behind speech-wise.

Ds2 had about 4 words at 16 mo and over 200 by 2 years (we were part of a speech and language study which is how I know). You may find he has a speech "explosion" in the next few months.

Wouldn't be at all worried. DS didn't say much till he was 18 months, didn't say Mama till he was 20 or so months.

Is now just 2 and speaks wonderfully, full sentences, repeats EVERYTHING, sings whole songs loudly and with gusto!

Your DS has more words than my 19month old! I’m not worried at all as that’s similar to other children of the same age that we know. Children develop different skills at different times.

My DD couldn't say anything at 16 months. That sounds brilliant!

Sounds jolly normal!