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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

How many words does your 19 mo say, please?

28 replies

winnybella · 05/09/2010 20:42

I know, I know, they speak when they are ready etc, etc...

DD is raised in a trilingual environment- by necessity, that's what the family make-up is.

Tonight DP and I counted the words she can say, just for fun.

She can say clearly about 25 words in English and a few in the other 2 languages. She can also say "Where is..." and 'Why no...' (mama, for example, if I'm out of the house). She understands loads in English and my mother tongue, follows complicated commands etc, so I haven't any worries about her development per se.

Anyway, I thought it was pretty good, and then tried googling and all I came across was parents saying that their los were talking in full sentences by 18 months. Seriously.

So is it really common, then? Should I worry?

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Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 20:50

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debka · 05/09/2010 20:52

Am incredibly impressed. DD is nearly 18mo and says absolutely nothing! Points, grunts, sings and understands everything but not a word.
ps double impressed at tri-lingual environment!

historygirls · 05/09/2010 20:53

ds is 20 months and in a bilingual environment. He can't say anything. Not even mamma or bye. Ds1 was a latish talker and it hasn't held him back at all. He is in a primary where they are in groups for literacy and numeracy and he is in the top group in both (so in the top 5-6 out of his class of 30). He isn't G&T or abnormally bright but he is doing well and has a good vocab etc.

I think early talking is a sign that they are probably not going to struggle academically but they are not necessarially bright and late talking doeesn't indicate anything.

pinkthechaffinch · 05/09/2010 20:57

DD just turned 19 months and I actually wote down last week how many words she says regualrly, and it was 31.

She is learning new words incredibly fast at the moment though-around 10 words a week I'd say. most aren't that clear tho and only intelligible to those close to her.

'Why' is very good tho, my dd hasn't got that one yet, although she is good at directional things, up, down, look and so forth.

I love this age, they are changing so quickly.

undercovamutha · 05/09/2010 20:57

I think it really varies. Iirc, my DD was speaking in sentences by 19mo, and certainly was saying an awful lot of words. She is 4 now and talks INCESSANTLY! She also speaks some basic words/sentences in another language (started at about 2yo), but is by no means bilingual.

However, DS (nearly 18mo) says about 7 or 8 words in total, and nods and shakes his head for most communication!!!

pinkthechaffinch · 05/09/2010 20:58

Agree with historygirls, early talking does not necessarily mean brilliance.

DS was a markedly early talker and at 8.9 years is average across the board.

pinkthechaffinch · 05/09/2010 20:59

he's a wonderful lad and I'm very proud of him, but my goodness, I boast a lot less with dd than I did with my PFB

Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 20:59

debka- irrc DD started talking more only around a month ago, so I'm sure your DD will too!

Ok, then, I thought that most kids say not that much at this age.

I'm not worried, really, I was just shocked by all these people saying their children were speaking in 5, 6 words sentences.

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Lynli · 05/09/2010 21:00

DD1 spoke in full sentences at 18 months, learned to read early, way ahead in reception, levelled out by years 3.

DS didn't say more than 5 words at 18 months. Sats score of 5 at end of year 3. He is academically far more gifted than her.

I just think they are all different and it doesn't have any bearing on anything longterm.

lindsell · 05/09/2010 21:00

Hope my ds is doing that much by 19mo!! He's 17mo and says hello and bye bye and that's it, just has a range of interesting grunts for everything else!

Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 21:01

x-post with all of you!

So it seems it can vary greatly, then.

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DilysPrice · 05/09/2010 21:03

What To Expect ..The Toddler Years has
"should be able to" use 3 words clearly and
"may even be able to" use 50 words - so 25 words is obviously on the high side of average, and particularly good for a tri-lingual child.

herbgarden · 05/09/2010 21:03

DD is 20 months and picks up new words every day - her brother is a complete chatterbox and in the back of the car he'll ask her to repeat words (he finds it funny when she repeats back something funny the meany) but I reckon she's on about 50 plus words now....simple one syllable ones. There are no sentences. Ds was very similar. I have friends with kids the same age and the things they can say are all similar so she seems average amongst the kids I see....

Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 21:10

It's funny the way their speech developes...well, DD can say towel, apple,banana etc, but will NOT say 'nos", which is 'nose' in my language.

Very simple word and she knows what it is but doesn't matter how many times I repeat it, she will not attempt even a 'os' or similar.

Then she will say 'towel'. How is towel easier than nos? Hmm. Well, that's just me being a bit miffed that she refuses to speak much in MY mother tongue.

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IsItMeOr · 05/09/2010 21:17

DS is 18mo this week, and I think said his first word today. Wait for it...

"Baa"

Because I had just made a playdoh sheep. He looked so pleased with himself.

But he's very mobile, so I figure he has been putting all his effort into that.

I really don't think you should worry at all. Your DD sounds really advanced compared to the ones I know. My understanding was that children in a multi-lingual environment tended to pick up language more slowly, so I think she is doubly impressive.

undercovamutha · 05/09/2010 21:21

My DS will say 'that' 'dada' 'mama' 'cat', but will not entertain saying 'yes' or 'no'. He much prefers to nod or shake his head in a very definite fashion.

I have to say its very effective. I'm sure if I was to say 'will you eat some more dinner' and he said 'no' I would probably nag him some more. However, a definite shaking of head, along with a solemn expression, stops me in my tracks!!!

Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 21:22

That's so cute, IsItMeOr

Yes, I'm not sure how does it work, I read different theories here on MN regarding multilingual children-some say they pick up the language at the same rate as monolingual kids, and some say they tend to take more time

Thank you all!

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Original poster

winnybella · 05/09/2010 21:23

@ undercovamutha

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pozzled · 05/09/2010 21:24

At 18 months my DD had about 30 clear words. She's now 2.1 and in the last month or so has started to use full sentences.

I do know a couple of children who were using full sentences by 18 months- I'm fairly sure they're in the minority, but of course their proud parents want to share their achievements.

Mousieme · 06/09/2010 07:14

DS is 21 months says around 50 words probably only half of those other's may understand...leaves the end and beginning off alot of them. He signs around 60 words so we've adopted a rule
Say it or sign it...don't whine it!
PS this is mainly for the 6 year old :o

Maria2007loveshersleep · 06/09/2010 07:19

It really varies hugely, and anyway for a bilingual child language development is very different, compared to a child who grows up with one language only.

My DS just turned 2, is bilingual & is now starting (tentatively) to build up simple sentences. Other children that he meets (not bilingual ones) speak in whole sentences at 20 months, while others (again not bilingual) speak less than him. It really doesn't serve any purpose to compare (unless it's blatantly 'abnormal' cases, ie not talking at all at 3), your DD sounds perfectly normal to me :)

marenmj · 06/09/2010 07:27

lol, my DD @ 20 months can say millions of words....

I can identify possibly three of them

The worst is when she walks up to me, says a mouthful that is clearly very serious and very important, points to something, looks at me expectantly, and I can't understand any of it.

pranma · 06/09/2010 21:39

Dgs is just over 18 months now and can say many single words but no sentences.His elder brother spoke in sentences by 18 months but his motor development was slower.Dgs seems to have favourite words for a while so first it was 'tractor' then 'door' now it is 'mine!' and 'No!'He is obsessed with opening doors on toy cars etc and trying to fit playmobil people into them so it's 'Door-open-man in'[cries when man wont fit].Then 'fix it' when said door comes off and the whole thing starts again.This week he said 'grandma' for the first time.
This all sounds great but a lot of the time I havent a clue what he means when he asks for something.

CharlieBoo · 07/09/2010 07:13

My dd is 15 months and says 'oh yeah' and 'there' and 'what's that'. Bit of nana and buba too. My ds said much more than this though and at 19 months was saying 'fireman Sam go up the ladder to put the fire out'. He was a very early talker, my dd is nowhere near this, they are all different.

greenbananas · 07/09/2010 09:36

My DS was maybe on the late side but he didn't seem to say anything at 19 months - hardly even babbled. He could say "no" and "mamma" and "diddah" but that was pretty much it. I googled speech development and nearly got worried but then decided that everyone develops differently and there was no need to worry just yet. At nearly 2, he suddenly got interested in language and now he rarely shuts up. I think he's too lazy to articulate properly (e.g. why bother saying "train" clearly when "cheh" will do and mummy understands it just fine?)

DS's 'best friend' (3 months older) is quite extraordinarily advanced language-wise and has been using quite complex sentences for ages, but when I watch them playing together, it seems that their actual understanding is much the same and she is just much, much more vocal. Different chldren are good at different things.

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