To worry about my 16m old DD doesn't speak yet?

[Aneley]

We are raising her bilingual but she gets much more in English than in my native language, simply because DH and I communicate with each other in English. She seems to understand words and instructions in both languages (come, give me, food, water, dog, cat...) but she just doesn't say even Mama or Daddy. She babbles and she imitates our dog's barking, she keeps bringing us books and we spend a lot of time reading and singing to her, showing her pictures and naming objects but nothing. I heard that bilingual children can be a bit late to start speaking but then I also found a study that claims that the research does not support that... so I am starting to get really worried. Should we take her to a specialist? She now walks, quite confidently and is generally happy. She will come and offer a cheek when we say 'kiss' in either language, etc. but she won't say a single word.

YABU.

Very common in bilingual children.

Ds1 didn’t really speak until he was over 2, then started and hasn’t stopped since. Now a teen.

It's nothing to worry about. She might just not have anything she wants to say yet! Give it time and you'll soon be longingly looking back on the time when she wasn't chattering all the time!

Quite normal not to speak at this age but she will be listening and taking it all in.

It's pretty common for children at 16 months not to talk even if they are only learning 1 language so of course its absolutely fine that she cannot talk yet whilst absorbing 2 languages. She understands what you're saying and that's all she really needs to be doing at the moment.

My 17mo doesn't speak - just makes lots of noise!

She understands us though and knows exactly how to get what she wants so we aren't concerned.

Mines almost 2 and same issue.

Contact your HV if you’re concerned. I did.

My second didn't speak until he was 2 but understood everything. Also raised bilingually. Suddenly started talking at 24mths. Now 7 and doesn't stop talking!

Mine doesn't but she communicates with pointing and her own little babbling and understands us well enough. I'm not worried.

I think the fact she understands is probably key and I’d not be too concerned at this stage. No words by 2 then I’d see the doctor.

Thanks everyone for quick and kind responses. I guess I'm probably projecting since both my sister and I spoke really early and MIL told me DH and BIL spoke a few words by this age too.

Is there anything else we could be doing to help her along?

Just keep talking to her, she'll get there, then you'll wish for peace and quiet

Thanks everyone for quick and kind responses. I guess I'm probably projecting since both my sister and I spoke really early and MIL told me DH and BIL spoke a few words by this age too.

Often parents remember through rose-tinted spectacles so I wouldn't read too much into it. It is common for them not to really say anything recognisable till 18 months and then progress can be quite slow till nearly 2. The norm is 50 words by 2 and it is quite usual for those words to come thick and fast around that time. So, no, she does not need a specialist!

My daughter wasn’t speaking at all at 16m, and had only about 4 words at 18m. Suddenly about 22m it just exploded and now at 2 she has probably over 100 words!! I raised it with the HV from about 18m and she said they never worry til 2. Friends mentioned it at 2 and she said they don’t really worry til 2.5!

We aren’t bilingual, but just wanted to say in my experience your daughter is normal and don’t worry!

My daughter isn't bilingual but she hardly spoke really at all until she was 2. Now she is 4 and has an amazing vocabulary and doesn't stop talking

My DS is over 2 years old and says Daddy and Ma and can make some animal noises. But the rest of it is just babble. Excellent understanding though.

He's not bilingual. It can take some children a bit longer. 16 months is nothing.

I know I'm not alone in this , my DS2 didn't speak until 3 and then the first time he some he said can I have drink please mummy. It's rare but normal if you get what I mean.

Very normal, and even more to be expected because she’s bilingual. I know it’s normal to worry but you really needn’t at this stage.

In my experience (my own DCs and lots of nieces and nephews) some children seem to put all their energy into getting good at walking and some are more interested in learning to talk. Either way it all evens out in the end. So I'd say don't worry

Mine is bilingual and a littler slower than his peers, his first "words" were animal noises.

My dd is also 16 months and doesn’t say a word - she has an all purpose “Eugh” noise which she combines with pointing to get what she wants. She/ we only speak English.

I’m not worried for 2 reasons - firstly that she can definitely understand (eg go and get your cup from the table, give this to Daddy etc), makes eye contact and laughs and silly things in books, so seems to be developing fairly normally otherwise, and secondly she is dd2 and although her sister spoke much earlier (c.12 months) i witnessed the huge range amongst kids we met and they are all fine now at 5. It’s just a matter of waiting until she has something to say

I used to work in a nursery and we never really worried about kids not speaking until the child reached 2.
And with bilingual kids they tend to lag behind a little bit and then shoot ahead. It’s normal, just keep doing what you’re doing.

Well the developmental milestones will tell you she should have around 10 words by now but many don’t and there’s no problem as they do it in their own time. If she understands and follows instructions then I’m sure she’ll just start when she is ready.

On the other hand, children that don’t understand or cannot hear (or don’t seem to be hearing) should have their hearing checked to ensure there’s no hearing issue.

Hi op I work in a nursery with your dd's age group and it's perfectly normal for children of this age to just babble you say she understands what you are saying to her and that sounds right on point to me, so please don't worry.