Is speech development linked to IQ?

[tryingtobemarypoppins2]

Friend told me today her son is obviosuly VERY bright as his speech is so adult and they have full flowing conversations backwards and forwards. He is 2:9 years old.

My DS often totally ignores me if I ask a question! His speech is coming on but its a bit slow, although his receptive langauge is very good.

So is DS doomed to not be as bright as his pal??

Nope. Ds1 is his class's high flyer but he didn't speak until he was 3. Receptive language was ok.

Also my Ds2 spoke much earlier than ds1 had, and to be honest seems a little closer to average than Ds1 at his age.

Lovely chatty child though!

No, at no point are they linked. It's unfortunate that the term 'bright' favours those who are verbally fluent and scintillating - it excludes some with saoring IQs who are not.

You'll probably find your son can do things that hers can't. DS was slow to start talking but was very good at puzzles and working things out. Obviously I think my child's a little genius so she must be wrong

Not IME, DS was an extremely early and clear speaker and is resolutely average in everything now, except writing which is atrocious (aged 6). DD is 2.6 and much later speaking, still nowhere near a gramatically correct sentence, but noticably better than DS was at things like spatial awareness and manual dexterity.

Stop conparing, it's not worth it. As long as your DC is responding to your instructions then no problem.

Einstein didnt say a word until he was 3,neither did I !

I don't think so but I don't know for sure. My son had a severe speech delay, but he is mildly autistic. However, having had various assessments over the years I know that his IQ is a good average.

ps, my acquaintance's dd was a week younger than my son. I remember when she started speaking. She wasn't saying anything clever. "I'm going to take off my shoe, put my shoe on, take off my shoe, how many shoes i have? i have two shoes. these my shoes. My shoes off now." and on and on and on and on. Made me glad my child didn't verbalise every single thought!

Even tho the mum clearly thought her dd was a genius, i held my tongue obviously, now my son has completely caught up imo.

Thinking your toddler is really clever is a sign of being a bit thick yourself.

My DD is 2.4 and very verbal. It makes her seem sophisticated in comparison to her less talkative peers but in fact a lot of what she says is just playing around with language and I don't think her comprehension is more advanced than, say, her almost mute cousin of around the same age.

Maybe her son will turn out to be clever (let's hope so, he'll need to be with a dumbass mother like that) maybe he won't.

IME all toddlers are bright - they way the engage with the world is fascinating. You just see more of the process happening with a child who is telling you all about it than with one who isn't.

Friend of mine didn't speak until he was almost 4. He now works for the Bank of England. He was a major high flyer at Uni and is minted (and irritatingly, a lovely person too!)

So no, I wouldn't worry. The race is a long one

Well DH didn't speak until he was 2.5 and he's pretty bright.

Still not the chattiest of people though

Vali that sounds familiar!

DD goes on like that sometimes, especially when we have company or to people she meets at the park.

"I'm just standing over here... or something."

She spends a fair bit of time with my CM's 11yo DD whom she idolises, so she uses all these hilarious older kid phrases.

Nope. My nephew didn't really talk until he was 3.5. He's just graduated with a 1st in PPE. so I think not. Just different development rates, that's all.

DD1 spoke freakishly early- full articulate sentences by 18 months. Health visitor said she only saw 2 or 3 children per year (out of about 700) with speech as advanced as hers at the 22 month check and stated she must be exceptionally bright.

She is now 14 and although above average academically by no means especially bright.

DD2 ( now 11) also spoke very early language structure wqas very advanced but not quite so articulate- she is academically brighter than her sister and is going to grammar school but still not super bright.

Apparently there is a gene for early language and if the mother spoke early (as I did according to my mum) then their offspring may well do the same.

Out of interest I have a niece who had alot of speech problems until she was about 8 (had lots of speech therapy between the ages of 4 and 7)who is very bright (achieving level 4s at the end of year 3) so poor early speech doesn't necessarily mean the child is low ability.

Thanks all. Her DS may be bright but he isn't always the kindest of little people! I'll stop comparing now!! ;)

Oh and on the subject of IQ my DH was a late talker and his IQ is 145!

No, DS2 started talking in sentences at 12 months, he is academically average.

DS1 has lots of single words early, but didn't talk in sentences until he was 2. He's genious I'm told he's quite bright.

No. But saying the sorts of things your friend is to other parents is linked to being a tosser so I would keep out of her way until she comes to her senses.

He'll learn kindness. That's the hardest thing for 2yos to learn I think. And the most important IMO.

No. Definitely not.

So is it normal to take time to learn to answer questions instead of talking about other things!!

This is the crap you get at two that those of us with late crawlers/walkers got at one.

"oh, walking at 11 months, he's going to be a brain surgeon!"

Well, DD was an early talker and DS was a very later talk (and still needs ST). Both are, of course, incredibly bright. So from my extensive experience - it is impossible to tell how clever a child is from the month they start talking. It would be like assuming that an early walker would go on to be an olympic athlete. Unless, of course, your friends DC is telling the her how to stop hunger/poverty/global warming. And that would be a sign of a bright spark.

My dad was one of the most intelligent people I've ever known and by all accounts he didn't speak at all until he was 4, and then it was in full sentences.