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Original poster

19mo not really talking

18 replies

MumTumAndBum · 31/12/2010 13:57

Hi
I just stopped by for some advice because I've been getting myself increasingly worried about my little boys speech. He is 19 months old and only has a handful of words and he only uses those when he feels like it. Car, cat, goh (dog), gone, juice, deee (dad) and koo (poo). He understands all of what we say 'put that in the washing machine' 'go and sit at the table' 'go and get your shoes etc' and otherwise appears to be developing normally. I do everything I can to help, use flash cards, read to him, take him to baby groups, swimming etc to mix with other kids, point things out, talk to him ALL the time and explain things. I am wondering if he would benefit from some kind of speech therapy or if I am worrying unnessecarily. I am one of those neurotic google-happy first time mums (!) and have found loads of conflicting information, some saying kids have started in speech therapy at 15/16 months old and some saying not to worry and his speech will come. I know I shouldn't compare but some of his peers are leaps and bounds ahead of him speech-wise.
Has anyone else had the same problem? Or is it even a problem?!
Thanks!!

OP posts:
Lynli · 31/12/2010 14:00

I don't think it is a problem at all, many DCs have little speech at such a young age. Two of my three barely said a word at that age.

Your DS understands you and says some words, that sounds perfectly normal to me.

SilveryMoon · 31/12/2010 14:03

I don't think you need to worry, sounds perfectly normal.
My ds2 is 23 months and although he has lots of words now, it's only the beginning of the words so hand are has and head is hea and face is fay and so on.
They all develop differently but yours sounds perfectly normal and on track

CatIsSleepy · 31/12/2010 14:14

he sounds pretty normal! I'd ease up on the flash cards

language development is great fun, don't stress, try and enjoy the process, it was my favourite time with my 2 girls and they didn't really start to talk til 17 or 18 months. It started pretty slowly with both of them then came on faster and faster.

fluffyguineapigs · 31/12/2010 14:36

Hey, from what you are saying your son sounds pretty normal and much like his peer group. I know some 19 months who talk in sentances and are potty training, but most sound like your son.

Unfortunately my 19 mth ds is not 'normal' and has never spoken any words or tried to copy sounds so we have a referral to SALT.

If you are concerned speak to your Hv as they can refer to SALT before two; but they don't do so this early unless your child is really waay beyond the normal spectrum - and a handful of words is ok at this stage.

Original poster
MumTumAndBum · 31/12/2010 15:54

Thanks for your responses everyone, I feel a bit better now.
fluffyguineapigs, good luck with your little one x

OP posts:
jinglebellssantasmells · 31/12/2010 16:03

mumtum- i am exactly like u my DD is 20 months and sounds exactly the same as your DS has a handful of words ball, bubbles, bye, mama, dada, pop, and a few others that i have only heard once or twice and agen the same will never say them when u ask only when SHE decides she wants to say them, i have also been xtremely worried and been stupidly google crazy got autism into my head at one point as it kept popping up on google, and was driving myself nuts, i have now calmed down a bit lol and i have noticed that there are a lot of toddlers that dont speak much b4 the age of 2, i think we just notice the ones who are chatting away more, oh i also bought flash cards books a learn to talk dvd and have done just about everything, i think i will have to resign myself to the fact she will talk when she is ready

hope this makes u feel slightly less alone, i know i always find it very reassuring to here my DD is not the only one who is hardly saying anything

APixieInMyMulledWine · 31/12/2010 16:08

My ds1 is 21 months and say's one word of his own accord and that is Raran (Arran, his brother)

He can say mama and dada but only when asked and even then not all the time.

He understands everything we say though, all the simple instructions like your ds.

I actually put a thread up a while back about being worried but the lovely MN'ers stopped me from worrying. I'm just going to go with the flow now.

AllSheepareWhite · 31/12/2010 16:12

Shouldn't be a problem, he is probably just absorbing it all and will all of a sudden take you by suprise when he does decide he wants to start talking more. I found DD talked under her breath a lot before she then started using new words, as if she was practising them first. Have you tried Oxbridge Baby - Learn To Talk? The exercises the actress does are good for developing facial muscles to help them create the new sounds needed for speech. Also tongue clicking seemed to help my DD when she first started speaking and it was like a game to her so easily done.

MegBusset · 31/12/2010 16:15

DS2 is 20 months and says "yes" (well, "sss" meaning yes) and "ta", that's it. It's well within the spectrum of normal although my friend's DD was talking in whole sentences by this age!

ThatllDoPig · 31/12/2010 16:17

Your ds says loads! Don't worry about it!

ninani · 31/12/2010 18:41

I think that it's quite common that when children reach 1/1.5 years people start asking "oh, does he talk" and eveyone then panics. I've seen mums asking "my 11m.o. doesn't talk, is that normal?". Don't believe everything you hear :)

twinterror · 31/12/2010 19:01

Mine started talking at around 19 months, now they are 3 they don't stop. Your child sounds absolutely fine but if you want advice do talk to HV it maybe poss to get a hearing test

tholeon · 31/12/2010 19:38

hi mine is 18 months and sounds really similar to yours! Quite a few words but they are almost all approximations and unintellegable to anyone outside the family. He has recently started doing a deep groan for big and a high pitched squeek for small! So to describe a 'big dog' he does a deep groan followed by 'ff ff' - his way of saying 'woof woof'....

ilovesprouts · 31/12/2010 20:33

my ds is four and hes never spoke just bmakes babble noises

Herecomesthesciencebint · 31/12/2010 20:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheVisitor · 31/12/2010 20:45

Normal range of speech for an 18 month old is 6-20 words. He sounds switched on and absolutely fine. My eldest son didn't speak in understandable words until he was nearly 3, then became articulate very quickly.

mumsgonemad123 · 01/01/2011 23:11

just wanted to add my twin boys are 17 months and say only dada, mama, 'oof' for dog, 'ba' for ball, 'ga' for gone and maybe 2 or 3 other attempts at words. i wouldn't worry, he is saying quite a lot and if he understands you that is the main thing.

i WAS driving myself nuts just 2 months ago about speech and was spending hours googling it, lol, but now i think i have had enough reassurances that i am no longer concerned. And that says a lot for me because i am normally a big worrier

Original poster
MumTumAndBum · 05/01/2011 15:12

Thanks for your comments everyone, will try not to worry.
We have a speech and labguage drop in session near us in a couple of weeks so might just pop along for extra reassurance.
:)

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