DD 20 months still not talking, any advice?

[jbells]

hi everyone

my DD has just turned 20 months and is still not saying any words regularly, i have heard her say things like ball, bubbles, quick, brush, peppa, mum, dad, and various other stuff but none of them r sed on a regular basis and never when we ask her to or try to encourage her to copy, she is very active likes to run about, kick a ball, plays with other kids well and will laugh and smile at them, she likes sitting down and doing puzzles and puts them all in the place without help, will build towers of blocks unaided, plays with toys appropriately, she just seems very behind in developing her communication, she was a late pointer only started pointing at 17 months and will now point to things she wants and grunt or make babbling noises, she has recently started shouting alot, im guessing with frustration, i have had her hearing tested and i know its not that, and she is also at nursery 2 days a week.

is there anymore i can be doing to help her communication, its really worrying me now especially when i see other kids her age chatting away :(

Don't worry, mine was the same and has made a bit of a leap in the last couple of weeks (now 22 months). Just remember children walk at different ages - they also talk at different ages. Just keep chatting normally to her and it will come.

thanks wannabe- think the main thing that concerns me is shes not even interested in trying to copy me, it just seems like talking is not high on her list of priorities, i can see the frustration building tho if i dont get what shes trying to tell me.

I totally understand. I offered water to my daughter yesterday thinking that was what she wanted and she got very cross. She wanted toast! Her words for both sound the same at the moment - bizarre hey.

I was translating for my son till he was about 4 I think. He's now a VERY articulate 8 year old. The teachers marvel at his vocab.

:)

My daughter didn't really make any effort to start talking until she was 2yrs, now she's never quiet! A friend of mine at the time said it was a sign of intelligence - my daughter is now a year a head of herself and top of the class (proud Mummy!)

thanks midnight munchies thats reassuring to hear, i know shes either ahead off all the other milestones or on time, its just talking she seems way behind other children with

Ds2 also didn't talk until 2 yo. He's 3 now and doesn't stop... Don't worry about it. She's probably storing up all the words and will surprise you one day.

thanks shodun, this is all very reassuring especially as theres so many words thrown around like autsim and verbal dyspraxia when your child is a late talker, hopefully i will be moaning that she doesnt stop talking soon enuf :)

My DD is also 18 months OP and doesn't even say as many words as yours! She's not walking on her own yet either (but will confidently walk with her pushalong toys or holding onto one of our hands).

However, she can do jigsaw puzzles in seconds and will sit for hours going through her books pointing out animals. Her CM said that she's never known a child so bright and that she only has to show her a game once and then she does it herself. So I'm going with it being a sign of intelligence too!

My DS took a long time to talk and an even longer time to talk clearly. He just turned 4 and is now saying things like " there are many kinds of sprouts; bean sprouts, little plants, brussel sprouts"

Don't worry.

thanks for your replies maybetomoro and anonymosity- at nursery they always tell me how well she plays and that she really concentrates on doing tasks, so they dont seem worried, more than anything it is very reasurring to know that other children her age have been the same

maybe- those words r not regularly used she has only sed all of the a few times or when she can be bothered lol

concentration is key. often the bright ones can be quiet and doing a LOT of listening... She will start asking you lots and lots of questions at some point!

thanks anonymosity- i have googled it lots befor now and there are so many parents asking about there children not talking at this age, i always wonder how long after they wrote it there child started chatting away

Hi. There's a great book written by a speech and language therapist called baby talk by Sally ward. One of the things it says is NEVER test your child or ask them to copy words, it can actually impede language skills. It's a great book generally about how to talk to babies/toddlers to encourage them.
Your dd sounds fine by the way

nosnowplease- i have that book, and do try to say the words to the objects she is taking interest in and it says to take half an hour everyday to play quietly in a room with them woth different toys which i have been trying to do not as often as i shud tho, it also says that it is cause for concern tho if they are not saying any words regularly by the age of 18 months, probone of the reasons i started worrying was reading all the milestones, guidelines etc, hey ho hoping ill be more realxed when no2 comes along :)

But she is saying words! So stop testing and enjoy :)

thanks nosnow, i am tyring to relax more first time mum paranoia lol

I was reading the same threads at the same (age 2+) time because of the same worries. That's the best thing about Mnet - you are reassured that something is normal just by finding others discussing it.

I really rate the BabyTalk book.

There are a few main points:

Play for half an hour a day with no distractions (TV, phone, small kids can't drown out background noise) with some toys. Do not clock watch or draw her attention to anything. Let her direct the play. As she plays you describe what the object is, and then use that word in a variety of settings. "Ah, a ball" "the ball is blue" "look at how the blue ball falls" etc. Keep sentences natural but short.

Never ask or pressure a child to say something. "Say hello, xxx" . It totally inhibits them.

Avoid 'what's this?" questions.

Don't ever correct. Just repeat the word in a natural sentence

Throughout the day continue to talk, talk, talk about what you are doing and seeing.

Read lots of books.

Nursery rhymes and singing.

Everything child-led and no pressure.

I would also mention it to your HV or paed as they may have suggestions.

Good luck.

thanks everyone, this morning she has randomly come out with peppa and ball i guess shes just taking her time and only talking when she feels like saying something

i have mentioned it to HV got a speech referral but there is a 4 month waiting list

jbells - I posted on here recently cus I was concerned mygrandson wasn't walking at 16.5 months (nor talking as it happens!) and I got loads of reassurance. The fact that your daughter does puzzles and loves books etc means there is nothing lacking in her intellectual capacity. My cousin's daughter didn't talk till she was 2.5 years (only the odd words, and my cousin's MIL kept going on and on about it) The girl is now at uni doing a degree in human biology, so she did talk eventually! So will your little girl.

Have you ever heard of the expression "we spend the first 2 years teaching them to walk and talk and the next 10, telling them to sit down and shut up!

nananina- yes lol and im sure when i start eventually moaning about her non stop talking there will be a lot of people reminding me about how anxious i was for her to start talking :)