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Original poster

To think a 13 month old cannot say 106 words?

699 replies

TinyChatterbox · 01/02/2021 08:07

Just over a year ago I had my first child and like many did an antenatal group. As lockdown commenced several of us managed to track each other down on Facebook and we started a group chat. There are now 5 of us who were in the original antenatal group in this chat and its been lovely to catch up albeit virtually every now and again.

All 5 of us are first time parents and one of the group boastfully posted yesterday evening that her daughter (who is 13 and 1/2 months) can now say 106 words. Now I'm not disputing she may think her child says that many words but she's talking utter bullshit isn't she. There is absolutely no way her 14 month old actually says 106 words which could be understood by anyone.

It's really pissed me off and I'd love some clarification because one of the mums in the group, who is quite a young mother, has responded in a blind panic that her child who is also 13 months only says 8 words. She's understandably completely freaking out and has messaged the health visitor as there is clearly something wrong with her daughter. Sad

YANBU - The mum is deluded to think her child says 106 words.

YABu - It's perfectly possible a 13 month old can say 106 words.

OP posts:
GuppytheCat · 01/02/2021 08:25

I was nearly 2 before I said anything at all, apparently, OP. Can’t say it’s held me back.

nimbuscloud · 01/02/2021 08:25

DH’s nephew had very clear articulate speech at that age and had a lot of words. It’s not impossible.

Chemenger · 01/02/2021 08:26

Dd2 was a very early talker, I remember nursery staff commenting on her speaking in full sentences very early (it’s nearly 20 years ago so I have no idea of actual word counts). It didn’t mean she was a genius, but she is studying languages at university so maybe it was a sign of skill in language in general.

Camomila · 01/02/2021 08:26

It's probably possible but the baby sounds very ahead of the norm.

I had to take DS1 to A&E when he was around 18m and the peadiatrician asked me how many words DS1 could day and was impressed with his 15ish.

DS2 is 12m and says "mamma" consistantly and occasionally "dada" or "nonna"

PowerslidePanda · 01/02/2021 08:27

I think there's some major exaggeration going on here! I've got 3 kids and whilst learning to talk, they all parroted some words back as soon as they heard them. Full words, coherent to an adult, etc - but that doesn't mean they had a clue what they were saying. Nor could they say them again - it was literally mimicking the noise they'd just heard. And if someone is the sort of parent who counts how many words their child has, they're the sort of parent who is going to include a word that was uttered once and never again!

As for your worried friend - everyone does it at their own pace. My eldest didn't say a single word until she was 14 months. She got referred for hearing tests and everything. But by her 2 year health visitor check, she'd not only caught up but was exceeding the expectations for her age! Someone who's quick to start won't necessarily maintain that pace and someone who's slower could easily make up for it later.

LynetteScavo · 01/02/2021 08:28

It's possible, but the fact that the mother must be making notes is beyond odd.

I stopped bothering to count after 20 words with my PFB.

Sewsosew · 01/02/2021 08:28

I find people who find the need to show off about these things aren’t telling the truth.

I had someone at playgroup who told me her daughter was full potty trained at 14 months. She took her to the bathroom every 5 minutes to see is she needed to go on (this went on for a year or something). She never asked to go.

Hilarias · 01/02/2021 08:30

It’s possible I suppose. I do remember being out with some friends who had babies the same age as my DS and who listed all the words they could say already. I thought blimey, DS is lagging behind. But then I heard their babies’ words and to me they were just grunts and random sounds. I felt really guilty that DH and I had only been ‘counting’ DS’s words when they were properly intelligible and from then on started listening much closer and realised DS could say way more than we gave him credit for.

I have another friend whose DD could read the alphabet by 16 months and full books by 2.5 years (friend never boasted as she wasn’t the type and her DD has an autism diagnosis now as friend suspected, so it’s never all roses on one side). It’s possible your friend’s kid is an outlier like this. Comparison is the thief of joy though. It’s unlikely this kid will be super fast at running, jumping, potty training, all the rest of the milestones that seem so important at the time but don’t really matter that much at all.

handsforfeet · 01/02/2021 08:30

Does she have a list? And every time she thinks baby says another word, cross references her notes? Do a lot of the words sound the same?

So many questions. Probably to detract from the fact I can't remember what or when mine started speaking.

PegasusReturns · 01/02/2021 08:30

One of the babies from my antenatal group was talking really well at that age.

We left the area when the DC were 15mths and she could talk in sentences at that point. So must have had a 100+ words at 13mths. Conversely she couldn’t walk where as my DD, who barely said a word until she was 18mths, was walking at 9mths.

They’re both late teens now. I don’t think my friends DC is a particularly talented linguist these days, nor is mine any sort of athlete Grin

sqirrelfriends · 01/02/2021 08:31

It's unlikely but not impossible. My DS could say a lot of words at about 13 or 14 months, I didn't count them but I'm was quite surprised at the time by how many he knew. He could only say mummy, dada and cat at a year old.

It's hard not to brag when you're kid is doing well, it's annoying as hell for everyone else though.

Original poster
TinyChatterbox · 01/02/2021 08:31

I think there's some major exaggeration going on here

I have to say I'm absolutely amazed so many people have said this is possible and their own children or children they knew could say so many words.

I'm inclined to think there is some traction to your theory that these words are not actually in context e.g seeing a ball and staying ball is different in my mind to being shown a ball, an adult saying ball and the child repeating the word.

OP posts:
KatyClaire · 01/02/2021 08:33

It is possible, though it would be unusual. For a gifted child though it is within the realms of possibility.

GuppytheCat · 01/02/2021 08:34

I’m pondering this one some more.

DS was definitely not talking at 15 months, as he fell and broke his leg at that point, and we had a routine social services call for an ‘A&E by nonverbal child’.

DD on the other hand was definitely talking well at 15 months, as she fell and broke her arm (I know...), and was able to explain at repetitive length to the hospital staff that she ‘falled over, and it hurted my arm, and can I have a teddy now?’

It’s made no difference to their later fluency.

BeyondMyWits · 01/02/2021 08:35

My eldest talked early... didn't walk til nearly 2, just talked and talked... still does. My youngest started talking at 2... probably couldn't get a word in edgeways til she could form sentences :)

whoamongstus · 01/02/2021 08:35

I could talk in full sentences at a creepily young age (my mum said it really freaked people out) so I can believe it.

She didn't bother bragging about it though because I didn't walk properly til I was 2 - kids develop at their own pace, I think people who keep a tally of these things so they can lord it over other parents need to get a grip.

Original poster
TinyChatterbox · 01/02/2021 08:36

Does she have a list? And every time she thinks baby says another word, cross references her notes? Do a lot of the words sound the same?

I'm assuming she has a list just because 106 is such an odd number. I honestly have no idea or desire to ask although she is probably desperate to send it to us.

Her child can also walk and has been able to since she was about 7 months. We have video evidence of that so perhaps I should ask for a video of her daughters amazing speech?

OP posts:
Lia29 · 01/02/2021 08:36

My son didn’t say his first word until 3 + He’s now 10 and wouldn’t ever think it.

Comparison is a thief of joy. It’s best not to compare your child to others. I’m not sure if that many words is normal (I would say that baby is in the minority tbh, I don’t know many 13 month olds that say many words). Your little one might be focusing on other skills - physical skills etc!

This is why I didn’t bother with toddler groups after going just once or twice. Both my children were late developers. Dd didn’t walk until 2 + (there is a reason for that we’ve learnt since) and other mothers would be like oh she’s not walking yet? I’m not sure if they were generally interested or just assholes. It would be disheartening seeing children more advanced than me own but you really couldn’t tell they were late developers now they are older.

Each and every child is different. There is no point comparing.

PinkyParrot · 01/02/2021 08:36

Poor child

CecilyP · 01/02/2021 08:37

Not that I’ve met a huge number of babies, but can’t say I’ve never known one who can do that or anything like it. If it is true, the baby is at the extreme right of the bell curve. I would prod a little more but I’m wicked like that! Can you not arrange a meeting outside?

You’re own DC must also be quite advanced if they are already say more words than you can keep count of. The baby with 8 words is much more normal - I don’t think DS had any recognisable words at that age.

maddening · 01/02/2021 08:38

Has she actually implied that everyone else's baby is slow? Or. Just.posted about her own baby and. You have taken that as implication that she has? What has she said to imply that?

Waging a war against her by posting here and sending to members of the group secretly will possibly kill the group, it is quite an unpleasant move Imo. She may be boasting or just telling the truth. The other mother is also overly sensitive and over reacted imo.

ArosAdraDrosDolig · 01/02/2021 08:39

One of mine asked for things in full sentences at her first birthday party. ‘Please habba pink cupcake Mummy’
I think it possible but I didn’t count up to 106 words!! Boasting and comparing is a bit daft and causing anxiety to others. You’d never know which one of mine was the early talker now.

Another one of mine only had a handful of words at two.

Worth noting that when the health visitor counts their words at their developmental checks, they don’t have to be clear or understood outside the family. So ‘boon’ for spoon would count, ‘nuh-nuh’ for banana. If it’s consistent and a meaningful noise.

Mumofsend · 01/02/2021 08:39

I remember going to a 1st birthday party of a boy who could repeat anything back at you, it was quite impressive. Meanwhile my 6 year old still can't speak clearly

babyyodaxmas · 01/02/2021 08:39

DS was a bit like this. He had all his colours by 18m, also used pronouns correctly very early (certainly by 2). I didn't count but wouldn't have surprised me if he had 100 words by 14m. Definately knew the names of 20 people by then, common nouns like ball,car, bike, buggy, book, some animals. So doesn't seem outlandish.

Lia29 · 01/02/2021 08:40

To add I don’t think how early a child talks predicts this future abilities. Obviously if a child is speech delayed (a child at 13 months is not speech delayed, I’m talking 2+ years here). I didn’t talk until 3.5 and I’m of an average intelligence I guess and did quite well in school. My sibling could speak really early and her speech seemed really advanced from a very young age but she really struggled academically at school and didn’t do great at school. My own son didn’t speak until 3+ and you wouldn’t think it now.

Children speak when they are ready!