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Original poster

Almost 17 month old not talking yet

59 replies

CathyandHeathcliff · 21/02/2020 20:46

I’m a bit concerned as my 17 month old is still not saying words.
He says “Daddy” and “No” when shaking his head. He’s started doing the “ssss” sound for snake as we do it when reading the gruffalo and pointing out the snake.
He understands mostly everything we say to him, he points to his body parts when asked and can follow instructions without a problem.
His spoken vocab is severely lacking and I have to admit it’s starting to worry me.
He does babble an awful lot though and I think he believes he’s talking properly.
Apparently by the time they’re 18 months they should be able to speak more than 10 words.

OP posts:
BlueVeins · 21/02/2020 20:48

Stealth boast that he understands everything? 17 months is FAR too early to worry.

Hellohello2020 · 21/02/2020 20:50

Sounds about right. A few people in my family didn't speak till they were two.

Hellohello2020 · 21/02/2020 20:50

Sorry, meant nearly 3

3luckystars · 21/02/2020 20:51

This would not worry me at all, so long as he is understanding you.

If it bothers you though then you know him best, you could ask the public health nurse. Is he due a developmental check any time soon?

CoodleMoodle · 21/02/2020 20:54

My 19mo doesn't have many words OP. He says Mum/Mama, Dad/Dada and Nan/Nana. He says "buh bye!" but not always in context. He makes a couple of animal sounds, and that's it. He also understands pretty much everything we say, and has done for awhile, but doesn't always respond (usually because he doesn't want to!).

I wouldn't worry too much just yet, OP. My DD was exactly the same and then one day she woke up and just... talked. She's 6 now and talks nonstop! I think as long as he's babbling and understands roughly what you're saying (or is starting to), then he'll be just fine.

stopgap · 21/02/2020 20:56

My youngest didn’t say anything until he was 2.5. He did have speech therapy. He was a gregarious, active little toddler, so was just a bit slower to talk. He’s now 6, a total chatterbox and really smart.

ambereeree · 21/02/2020 20:58

@stopgap I'm glad you posted that. My little boy is nearly 2 and doesn't say much at all.

ethelfleda · 21/02/2020 20:59

Absolutely no need to worry OP. DS was about the same at that age - he suddenly got to 19/20 months and his vocabulary exploded.
He is 2 years 3 months now and his speech is ahead of most others his age (according to his nursery) he is talking in full and complex sentences and sings full songs and can recite some of his favourite books (e.g. gruffalo, room on the broom etc) almost from cover to cover.
I really really wouldn’t worry yet!

BeanTownNancy · 21/02/2020 21:00

My eldest hardly said anything, then randomly started counting to 10 in the bath one day about a week before his second birthday. Hasn't shut up since.

Every kid has different priorities, best not to stress unless you think your kid is actually struggling.

Digitalash · 21/02/2020 21:02

My DD couldn't say hardly anything at 2 and a half and what she could was not at all clear, she is 3 next week and speaks in full sentences and 85% is clear to everyone

Lindy2 · 21/02/2020 21:03

Understanding is the most important thing at that age. Talking will increase in time. Usually between age 2 and 2 and a half you'll notice a big difference.

MustStopSnacking28 · 21/02/2020 21:03

OP I wouldn’t worry at 17 months, it’s still very little IMO. I totally understand it though - I have had an awful day worrying about my little boy (22 months) as one of my friends is a speech and language therapist and said she would expect him to have more words than he has now. I think he can say max 25 words, which is very low for his age apparently. I have made a GP appointment to see if he should be referred early but these comments have made me feel better.

Hellohello2020 · 21/02/2020 21:03

Mine had a vocab explosion at 18 months. Family members.who were two start talking in secnences and were super smart at school.

Mulledwineinajug · 21/02/2020 21:05

Who told you they should have ten words at 18m? I think they look for ten words at the two year check but a word can be a sound that means something, it doesn’t have to be an intelligible word as we would recognise. Ssssss is perfect as an example.

They vary so much. Some does sentences at 18m, some don’t say much til 2.5 or so. Your little boy is absolutely fine in his development from what you have said.

Bluerussian · 21/02/2020 21:06

He sounds alright for his age.

Try teaching him about a helicopter ('copter), you can probably find a little book with illustrations. That will do for starters. Then move on to 'ladybird' but say 'lady ..... bird'. That one will be fun.

Lots of kids don't talk until they are two after which they never stop until puberty at which time they become monosyllabical.

RoomR0613 · 21/02/2020 21:07

I’m a bit concerned as my 17 month old is still not saying words. He says “Daddy” and “No”

Do he does say words then.

He's 17 months old. Worry in a years time if he's still only saying 2 words and hissing at things, until then bin whatever it is you are looking at that's full of utter nonsense.

wesdxc12 · 21/02/2020 21:08

My dc didn't say anything other than mama before two. Then started talking pretty much in sentences, and hasn't stopped since. At 6 they have a reading age of 11. I wouldn't worry if I were you.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 21/02/2020 21:12

Apparently by the time they’re 18 months they should be able to speak more than 10 words.

I don't think that's right - the milestone is that they have some words by 18 months (which your DS does), not specifically more than 10. This NHS guidance, for instance, says 'up to 20': www.nelft.nhs.uk/services-havering-child-adolescent-salt-develop-speech-language/

I would say DS was about the same at 17 months and just two months later he now has loads of words (though mostly very unclearly said) - they're not kidding when they call it a language explosion!

Lemontwist · 21/02/2020 21:15

I wouldnt worry yet, he is still so little. Both my boys hardly spoke until they were nearly three. Lots of babble and good understanding but very few actual words before then.
The fact that my 18 month old DD is now stringing words together has me Shock.

ThatsWotSheSaid · 21/02/2020 21:20

Both of mine were late talkers (18 months or so before having a small range of single words) but both went on to have above average language. I and an SaLT so I was concerned but knew I was downing all the right things. Kids develop at different rates.

Riddleofthesands · 21/02/2020 21:20

Please don’t worry. My DS was 3 1/2 before he got going (age 2 he had a dozen words). Everyone thought there was something wrong with him. I have a file a foot deep of well meaning reports of his speech problems. He is now 16, loves physics and public speaking. Don’t compare and hang in there.

champagneandfromage50 · 21/02/2020 21:21

You again?

Thefaceofboe · 21/02/2020 21:21

Most babies don’t say anything at 16 months?

Embracelife · 21/02/2020 21:21

He is saying words
Daddy
No
Sass for snake

So no need to worry.
Look more at play eg beginning role play feeding a teddy etc

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 21/02/2020 21:22

My MiL told me that a BiL barely uttered until he was 3. She’d been getting decidedly worried, but it then came out in whole, correct sentences. He’d just been taking it all in and biding his time.. incidentally he later won a place at Cambridge.

Please don’t worry - 17 months is still just a baby. Children vary so much - they will do it when they’re ready. If he understands so much and is saying something that’s fine at his age.
My Gdcs’ speech really exploded between 2 and 2 1/2, same as a pp said.

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