She seems older for her age

[Justsawagecko]

My toddler Dd. She’s almost 3 but has crazy vocabulary..using words like ‘Absolutely’ ‘Broadcasting’ ‘Besides’ etc. She hears something and it just seems to stick in her mind, she knows what it means too. Ever since she was around 1.5, her language just took off and we’ve had normal conversations ever since. She crawled & walked fairly late, but just seems so attuned to things and like an older child in a toddlers body in many ways. It worries me for the future, is this normal?

[godmum56]

[quote Justsawagecko]@HopeValley Thank you, that helps. I teach primary, so am not 100% confident in my experience of really little ones, I’m just comparing to friends at this stage and what my parents and sister say really.[/quote]
Rule 1 don'rt compare children
Rule 2 see rule 1

[GoWalkabout]

She sounds like she will go far. You could make sure that you teach her how to calm herself, manage her emotions *, rules and skills for getting on with others (including street smarts as she gets older) all the stuff we all need to learn.
*my dd had very strong emotions and reactions at that age but gradually learnt to take herself aside and calm down away from others (we used time outs followed by apologies and forgive and forget and move on and she just learned to regulate herself in this way).

[Bananasinpyjamas21]

No @Psychonabike READING fluently without the comprehension can be. Hyperlexia is a very particular trait and it is the fluency of recognising words on paper - but a marked inability to comprehend for their age group. So it is not speaking and using those words in their appropriate context.

It is not hearing words, understanding and using them.

Hyperlexia is lacking comprehension (the opposite of what OP has described) - but being able to read a word out loud. Often having no idea of what it means.

[DroopyClematis]

She might be hyperlexic, ie, an ability to decode sounds. If she genuinely understands the words that she has decided then embrace it and encourage her.

[Bluntness100]

Gosh op she’s still only two, calm down, she’s just a little chatter box. Y daughter was the same. The dancing is usual she just wanted the comfort of know you’re there.

[Aria2015]

@Justsawagecko my ds was the same. He's still very articulate now (he's 5), but where the language difference between him and his peers was big at 3, it's definitely less so now. The gap closes as they get older for both language and the physical side.

[Mymapuddlington]

DS2’s GCSE English teacher told me she’d done an advanced A level course to make sure she was up to the job of teaching him, as he’s better than she is at English

Congratulations, that has to be the most epic lie I have ever seen!

[Justsawagecko]

Thanks for all the positive and kind feedback. My worry wasn’t she was going to be a genius and I wasn’t thinking that way in the slightest. It was rather that her language, coupled with a few other behaviours I’ve been observing, just made me ponder (well, worry a bit tbh)
She also isn’t keen on loud sounds and although gets on well with her toddler peers, often seems confused by them. Just different behaviours I’ve noticed really…at play dates/friends houses/parties, she’s always the only child who wanders off all over the place, the others don’t seem to do that, she just sort of does her own thing, but is massively sociable, so it’s a bit confusing.

To a previous poster, I am an older mum too 🤣

[MajorNeville]

My 19yo DS was like that, very articulate, he still is a very good and confident verbal communicator. He wasn't great at school as he was always bloody talking.

[Piglet89]

I was really slow to walk but, like much of Mumsnet (I imagine) pretty early to talk. Academically excellent throughout school and beyond and still have a passion for language and its efficient and imaginative use.

My son will be two in August and is just about to string words together. Physically very strong and courageous (whereas I wasn’t and still am not!) and he has energy to burn. I thought I’d be discussing Proust with him by now.

Every child is different.

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

@Justsawagecko

Thanks for all the positive and kind feedback. My worry wasn’t she was going to be a genius and I wasn’t thinking that way in the slightest. It was rather that her language, coupled with a few other behaviours I’ve been observing, just made me ponder (well, worry a bit tbh)
She also isn’t keen on loud sounds and although gets on well with her toddler peers, often seems confused by them. Just different behaviours I’ve noticed really…at play dates/friends houses/parties, she’s always the only child who wanders off all over the place, the others don’t seem to do that, she just sort of does her own thing, but is massively sociable, so it’s a bit confusing.

To a previous poster, I am an older mum too 🤣

But OP, you didnt say ANY of this in your opening post. It might have been helpful.

[Dixiechickonhols]

It could be her personality or down to being an only. My DD is a teen and an only. She spoke well from an early age and we always spoke to her normally not babyfied. She was a voracious reader too which helps vocabulary. She also comes across older and had a more adult sense of humour from a young age I recall yr 2 teacher remarking on it. If she’s tuned to sounds maybe look into via music as a hobby.

[Psychonabike]

@Bananasinpyjamas21

I know what hyperlexia is. You seem to have a very textbook and black/white understanding of how it can present.

[Musmerian]

@Singlebutmarried - that baby gibberish is actually a vital part of language development in the early stages.

[Whyemseeaye]

My son is like this, he’s also three. An broad vocabulary of words that seem to come from nowhere and he’s so interested in numbers. Will play for hours if it’s anything to do with adding or multiplying. Not sure where he gets it from, certainly not me!

[Musmerian]

@Mymapuddlington

DS2’s GCSE English teacher told me she’d done an advanced A level course to make sure she was up to the job of teaching him, as he’s better than she is at English

Congratulations, that has to be the most epic lie I have ever seen!

There is no such thing as advanced A level. If they were an English teacher they would already have A level English and most likely an English degree.

[GrandDuchessRomanov]

My DS is 16 and totally non verbal.

Never even said the word "Mum"

Have a think about that then come back to me about "worry".

[Justcurious93]

I was the same. Academically gifted. Quite shy as a child with others (just chatty!). As an adult got a good job and nice friends. Always preferred being around adults as child. Try not to worry OP 🙂

[DroopyClematis]

You should have included your latest post in your OP.
Maybe talk to your Health Visitor.

[Mymapuddlington]

@Musmerian

I just love the idea of the teacher going to the head in a panic because she has to teach the gcse curriculum but one child is strangely doing something else entirely so she needs an ‘advanced a level’ 😂

[Rebootheplanet]

She could be g&t in language . Is she able to play with her peers or does she prefer to be around adults or older children? I think it can be hard for some children to play with their peers if their language/comprehension is very much ahead. They might want to play police for example, but suggest cordoning off the crime scene, taking fingerprints and bagging up evidence then arrest the suspect using the correct terminology, which as well baffle their mates (I have seen some kids play in this very in-depth way using things they’ve remembered from books, tv programmes etc) . The other children often just abandoned the game and went off to do something else as they were happy shouting STOP ROBBER and pretending to slap handcuffs on them and cart them off to the cop shop).

Is your DD happy? Does she sleep/eat ok? I think unless your instinct is telling you something really needs checking out, if she’s basically content, can hang out and play happily with kids her age, then I’d just relax and encourage her ability to use language.

[BrownEyedGirl80]

My ds 7 has been like this from a young age.Im thinking of sending him to Oxbridge instead of year 3 in September

[Mymapuddlington]

I feel like you’re drip feeding to get people to tell you it’s asd to be honest

[Justsawagecko]

@Letsallscreamatthesistene Yes I probably should have, but didn’t initially want to go into it all, sorry.

[Justsawagecko]

@Mymapuddlington What? why would I, ffs, why attacking like this, why do you feel the need to do that?