To think this isn’t normal for a fifteen month old?

[Fllorqip]

My baby can only say ‘cat.’ That’s it. He does make other noises like dada but no other words. My niece could say around ten words by 14 months! I have been to the gp and they just dismissed it as him being too young still. I don’t think it’s right?

I'm a SLT.
10 words by 18 months (in addition to mummy/daddy) is the milestone we look for.

When it comes to babies and toddlers you can never be to safe.

As a HCP what wasted my time were grown adults coming to A&E with stubbed toes! Or sprains! And other minor minor issues.
If a parent comes with a baby/toddler it is never ever wasting time as they can not communicate the issue. You don't speak for the Health care professionals deardry.

It doesn't even mean he is less bright. It just means he is developing at a different rate. My son with all A*s and heading for a first a uni didn't speak until he was over 2.

Mine had five words in context at 18 months. Dada, 'baa' for sheep, etc, counts as words.

Like @CadyEastman said, I’d pop
to see HV to see if there are any drop in groups for encouraging talking or any other resources - very likely it will be fine but don’t think you’re unduly panicking to be slightly concerned. But agree with pp that it’s not necessarily related to intelligence

He's now doing 4 A levels

Then @Fllorqip its really ok. He’ll catch up!

My DD didn’t really start to speak until she was 2.

10A* at GCSe
3 A* at A level
A first in Masters Natural Sciences
And just about to qualify as a chartered accountant.

Glad we didn’t write her off at 15months.

My lovely godson was an early walker, got the hang of feeding himself easily, understood what was said to him, but hardly spoke. His mother was so concerned she took him to the doctor's; he reassured her that, as there was no global delay, he was more likely striking up in other directions first. He became more talkative when his cousin's family moved closer and he could chatter with another child more frequently and easily, rather than conveying his needs to adults with meaningful glances and monosyllables!
Time passed, his language caught up, and I remember his DM showing me the itemised phone bill, (as we all received back in the day), commenting ruefully that now that he was a teenager, she wondered why she ever worried about him not talking enough!
He now earns his living as a journalist.....

My older son was nearly two when he started saying much at all. He is and was as bright as a button. (That's not just me being a proud mother either.) He partly just didn't see the point I think. He "caught up" and his vocabulary as an older toddler was really impressive. I'm not saying it's impossible there's an issue but you just can't know yet.

My younger son is 14 and a half months, he doesn't say any words yet! Well, mamma and dad but not counting that. I'm not worried about his intelligence though, his little sense of humour, the way he navigates the world around him and the way he communicates in other ways and makes noises seem plenty intelligent to me. He'll get it when he gets it. My niece is a month older than him, has quite a few words but not walking yet whereas he is toddling around. They don't learn quicker or slower relative to how intelligent they'll be later, they do just genuinely discover the world in different ways and at different rates.

None of mine have said any words before they were 2. My oldest child didn't talk until almost three. My children are all above average academically and my oldest is on track for a 9 (A star) in GCSE English.

Has he had his hearing checked?

They do all develop at different rates though. Mine talked very early but walked very late.

Massive eye roll 🙄

This is normal. I think they say 5-20 words by 18 months? My DC had way over this, siblings' children way below ... now as young teens you wouldn't be able to tell who were the early talkers! Don't compare him to your niece or anyone else.

My eldest only said a handful of words aged 2. My middle one was speaking in 5/6 word sentences at 14 months. Youngest one somewhere in the middle. All parented in the same way. Eldest had a little bit of a speech delay but nothing major and completely indistinguishable from his peers now aged 6. They all speak at their own pace I wouldn’t worry or compare at this age.

Seriously chill out. He's developing at his own rate, please don't label him as 'not so bright'. There will come a day when he'll just explode with words from now where and then he won't be able to shut him up!

He's only 14 months, your GP is right, there is nothing to worry about. If by 24 months he still is not sounding words then contact the health visitor, this is more their line of work rather than the GP.

Wow mine must be really dumb then…. He’s 24 months and only word is mummy.

Don’t really see what learning to speak has to do with brightness? You should chat to Einstein.

@@Fllorqip The GP might have been dismissive as child development is generally looked after by Health Visitors.

It would be better next time to speak to your Health visitor about concerns about your child's development.

This is a completely silly way of thinking. Surely you know that all children develop differently by now?

And in case you're still thinking he's simply "not bright" - Einstein supposedly didn't talk until he was 3 or 4.

I’m guessing you’ll be the parent moaning in the future that he never shuts up

My sister didn't speak until she was three, she ran a national charity and was in senior SW management. My eldest GC was considered a later talker, again around three and she is top of her class. Speech, toilet training, walking early etc isn't a sign of intelligence.

My Son was a late talker, he had a Sister to do his talking for him. He is now 32 and still doesn't have a lot to say bur has a successful life.

I have an 18 month old and I think he says "dis" and "that", a lot of "dadas", but he isn't really talking. His sister was very verbal by this age, and had a lot of words. The doctor has told us that boys are slower than girls. He is babbling, and is progressing, and we have seen the stages of word development from our daughter. He is just 6-9 months behind her. We watch a little of ms rachel on youtube as she focuses on child speech, but I think they just all develop at their own time. Try not to stress about it yet.

Definitely not the case! I've got 3 kids and have found they each seemed to have their own 'priorities' for their development. DD1 was an early walker but hadn't said a word by her 13 month health visitor check. She just wasn't fussed about communication, she wanted to move. By her 2.5 year health visitor check she'd not only caught up in terms of speech, but was exceeding expectations for that age (using long and complex sentences, etc).

OP, there is nothing to worry about - very normal for this age.

I have two DSs- eldest was a significantly earlier talker - and walker, tooth cutter, better sleeper, much easier and advanced baby all round (mostly - colic was worse!)

Younger is predicted significantly better GCSE grades.