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

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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?

It’s not that he is less bright, or that boys are usually ‘behind’ girls, it is because baby girls are treated differently from baby boys by adults playing with them so baby girls focus more on learning communication while baby boys focus more on motor skills.

Younger was no further on with words than yours. He’s predicted 8, possibly 9, for English GCSE. How many words they can say as toddlers is no guarantee of future achievement, so don’t listen if a parent of a more ‘advanced’ baby tries to claim it is..

This isn’t universally the case -I did loads of talking and singing with mine.

Don't worry. It's very common, especially with boys. He will get to two and be speaking in n sentences, he will just have missed out that one word phase.

Nothing is universal, a generalisation is based on majority population.

My daughter was 26 months before she said much. Came out in sentences and like many people say hasn't shut up since. She's now a trainee solicitor so very much no evidence of less intelligence.

One of mine didn't string two words together until she was almost 2. Otherwise she hit her milestones.

She knows has a master's from a RG uni....
Don't panic!

Until he was about 18 months my son literally just said "juice" and until he was 2 really didnt say much at all. Just turned 3 and he has just explained to me why a backhoe loader is a much better vehicle choice for shifting his marble run tubes than a forklift "because it has hydraulics". Honestly, don't worry. They all learn at their own pace - very, very few kids don't end up every being able to speak.

I don't want to worry you but that sounds like gesalt processing, can be a sign of neuro- difference.

https://www.assistiveware.com/blog/gestalt-language-processing-aac#:~:text=Gestalt%20Language%20Processing%20(GLP)%20is,word%20to%20reach%20our%20meaning.

No it’s not a sign that he’s not bright - from my personal experience.

My bright but not exceptionally academic first child babbled constantly from early on. My very academic super bright second child didn’t babble or speak early which was strange after the first one.
Both are now adults with different talents and personalities.
The former babbler can still talk and talk, the other sits back and listens more before she contributes. Just my limited experience.

My son definitely couldn't say much at that age. He's 2.5 now and he talks in sentences. I actually paid for a few sessions with a speech therapist and she told us to use something called descriptive commentary and it really helped. So did Ms Rachel actually, she was great for his speech development

My DS, youngest of 4, could only say one word at age 2. Now an adult and no difference in ability between him and his siblings, even the DD who could talk fluently at that age!

They are all different. “Comparison is the thief of joy” is very applicable here. Dd3 didn’t talk until she was three, came out with a complete sentence, and has never been quiet since. Also managed to get into Oxford, get a decent job, and continue to talk.

I think the main thing to worry about is communication. If they can communicate with you, and understand you there is not too much to worry about. Having said that, with four young children, I really had no time to worry - it was dd2 who pointed out that dd had actually spoken - “mummy did you hear what she said?” If it had beenDD1 failing to talk I would have been very worried, as I had read all the books and knew exactly what she should be doing each month.

Complete nonsense! My BIL was apparently a very late talker, didn't say much at all until he was about 3, then moved onto full sentences very quickly. Knowing my BIL I joke that he just wasn't going to embarrass himself in public by getting anything wrong so waited until he was sure he could get it right! He is a very clever man.

If he gets to the age of two and doesn't have many words or not clear words then Id ask for a referral to speech and language or hv check. Until then I wouldn't worry

I was going to ask this too.
My youngest had glue ear and we didn't realise until that age. His speech was pretty nonexistent and what he did say was unintelligible.

DS1, high achieving young man who spoke only gibberish until he was over 2. Walked early.

DS2, high achieving young man who spoke clear sentences around 18 months. He was like carrying a loaded gun around. ‘Look Mummy, there’s a very fat man.’ He didn’t walk until 17 months.

All normal and all different.

DD didn't said her first proper word at around 16 months. 22 years later she was awarded a 1st Class Honours Degree so don't fret about him not being "bright" because he's not talking yet.

Very normal

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Not at all... my son only said a few words before 3. Swiftly progressed to full sentences. Has always been top of his class/ passed the 11+ etc. Is your son communicating, albeit without words? My health visitor said that was the key thing to look out for by age 2.

Not at all.
My DS didn't say much until he was two and a bit, and he got a university degree.

Don't worry about your son. He'll catch up when he does start talking.

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Much like the other posters, absolutely nothing to worry about at this age. Does he go to nursery? SIL’s son barely said more than “mama” at 20 months. He then started nursery and came on leaps and bounds.

Sounds fine to me, I'm no expert but this is no indication of how intelligent he is/ will be. Keep on talking to him and reading to him and he will pick it up, some children that age don't say many actual words. If he understand instruction to an extent like you say I'm sure he's fine.