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Original poster

does your 20 month old talk?

30 replies

OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 22:33

as in more than a few words?

ds can say

mem- mum
dada- daddy
dada- granda
buppa- puppy
buppa- cat (i think he thinks dogs and cats are the same)
buh buh- burn burn
buuuh buuuh - broom broom
shoose- shoes

ds1 at this age could talk in sentences. ds2 also didn't walk til 17 months whereas ds1 walked at 13. could there be a connection to the time taken to talk?

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llareggub · 02/02/2011 22:37

My DS is 21 months and his first word was Peppa (apart from the usual mama and dada) and he has now added Pippin and Bob to his collection.

He does say car, tractor, cat, milk, more and bu (biscuit) and that is about it. He does chatter on excitedly about various things to his brother but we have no idea what any of it means. He started walking at 17 months too.

Em3978 · 02/02/2011 22:38

My ds barely said a word til 22 months, then someone found the switch!!! :o
(he did sign before that, but that didn't slow his speech- he still signed when he spoke for a while after). Sentences happened within a matter of weeks though. He's obviously just been storing it all up til he worked it out!!
He walked at 14months. Not sure if it has any connection...

He has always been one to think about something for a long time before he just does it perfectly, this worked for walking, talking and potty training. It all just clicked suddenly.

MerryMarigold · 02/02/2011 22:42

My ds1 didn't say a lot till around 27 months, but in 4 months he could recognise all numbers, sing most of the TV theme songs, hold long conversations etc.

My younger 2, twins, were talking a lot earlier. I wouldn't worry, he's still very young. I think if he was only saying those things by around 24 months, then maybe a hearing test (sometimes just a bit of water in the ear can make all the difference). But he's still a few months off that...

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 22:42

oh this makes me feel much better. i was starting to worry. i dont know why but i had in my head that 18 months was a point to start to worry if he wasn't really talking.

ds witters on constantly making his own wee noises and he is very good at letting me know what he wants, but it is always with a "eh" sound. maybe i should not respond to the "eh" and let him try and say things? or would that just be extremely frustrating for him?

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MerryMarigold · 02/02/2011 22:44

PS. They walked at similar ages. Both boys at 14 months and my girl at 12 months, so not sure of any correlation.

MerryMarigold · 02/02/2011 22:45

I'd just repeat back. If the 'eh' is for a drink then you can say, "Oh, you'd like a drink" and even add, can you say, "drink" sometimes? But I'm not an expert!

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 22:52

yes i do that soemtimes. will just keep doing it. as you say he is still too young to be concerned about it. thank you all. it has really reassured me. Smile

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Pumpster · 02/02/2011 22:55

I love this age, dd is also 20 months and says quite a few words but most is gibberish Grin
She does a lot of uh uh uh when she wants something.

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 22:58

it is a very cute age isn't it? wish i could freeze it sometimes and keep them both as they are.

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silverfrog · 02/02/2011 23:00

Boo, what is his joint attention like?

does he point? share toys with you? look to see that you are looking at what he is pointing at?

all more important than actual speech at this age.

duchesse · 02/02/2011 23:02

At 20 months my boy had 3 words. By 22 months he was talking in sentences.

Assuming no hearing problems your DS may just be saving himself!

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 23:09

yes he points and shows me toys, if we are reading a book he will point things out, make a sound like he knows exactly what it is, and turn round to see that i am looking. he will point to where he wants to go. if he doesn't point but is making the "eh" noise, i tell him "show me" and he will point. that is how he gets whatever he wants, he will point if he wants food or into the kitchen etc. as far as i can tell his hearing is fine.

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silverfrog · 02/02/2011 23:16

how is his understanding?

does he understand more than the words you have listed? eg looking at a book, can you get him to show you age-appropriate list of things (some different animals, familiar objects etc)

also, canhe make the right shapes with his mouth? can he make animal noises, for eg? can he drink form a straw? purse lips for a kiss? blow thorugh his lips?

no tongue tie?

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 23:21

yes he understands a hell of a lot which is why i was concerned that he couldn't say things yet he knew what they are when said to him.

when you say sounds for animals, no he doesn't really do them the way i would expect him to. for MOO he does OOOH. for quack quack he just does ahah.

he can blow through his lips and use a straw. he doesn't do kissing, he offers his forehead rather than his lips for kissing, everytime, no matter how much i try to show him Grin

not sure about tongue tie, what should i be looking for? i have never seen one.

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onlyjuststillme · 02/02/2011 23:22

I had worried about 21 month old dd but within the last couple of weeks she has started saying things. Her first real words involved her counting! And now she sings rhymes ~ but can only work out which ones by the actions and the odd word.

It was like a switch went on and now she comes out with the odd word, but never when you want to show her off lol.

I am still slightly concerned that she never really "wants" anything. She has never pointed at things she wants (she will pick up a toy or a box and move it to where she wants too to stand on it to get to things though). But she doesnt ask for anything like a drink, or food, or toys etc. Is that really weird?????

silverfrog · 02/02/2011 23:24

can he stick his tongue out fully? ie past his lips? lick his lips etc?

if he can, is htere a "dent" in the middle of it, where the centre crease is? that might indicate a slight tongue tie

silverfrog · 02/02/2011 23:25

also, does your ds1 talk a lot Grin

he may just be used ot everyone understanding him, and doing stuff for him?

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 23:26

he pushes it out through his lips when he gets a hair or something in his mouth. i haven't noticed a dent but i will look tomorrow, he knows what to do when i say stick your tongue out so it shouldn't be hard to get him to do it.

thank you.

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Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 23:27

yes we all rabbit on all the time, maybe the poor soul just cant keep up with us so doesn't try Grin

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silverfrog · 02/02/2011 23:30

no worries Smile

my dd1 was late to talk, but really, really late. and not much babbling - does your ds2 babble ok? kind of imitating the rhythm of speech, but with nonsense jumble of sounds?

singing?

dd2 was an early talker, but has a slight tongue tie which held her back a little. doesn't ever stop now, though Grin

as well as sticing otngue out, get him waggling it about a lot - blowign raspberries, burbling (can't describe it, but you know, flapping tongue over lips with a "buh" sound) etc. all good practice for speech eventually Smile

Original poster
OhForBoonessSake · 02/02/2011 23:34

yes he babbles and changes his pitch as if he is being two people having a chat Grin

he can sing as in he can do the tunes but not the sounds if that makes sense? he can sing the wheels on teh bus and knows to change note in the right place but doesn't do the right sounds just like a "ahh" sound throughout.

he does lots of sticking his tongue out and blowing making spit go everywhere! will keep him at it.

thank you for all this.

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madaboutcows · 14/02/2011 08:59

OhForBoonessSake - I was also really worried about my DS (22 months) until I read your thread! Thank you!
His only words are Mumumumum (er, Mum) and car. Although 'car' can also apply to buses, shopping trolleys, birds, shoes and cats... Grin He points at everything and seems to understand a hell of a lot, but gibbers on without real words. He didn't walk until very late either. I'll stop worrying now and just enjoy this lovely age :) All the best.

emlu67 · 14/02/2011 17:33

My DS had less than five words at his 2 year check and was still not speaking much at 2 1/2. Once he started pre-school a couple of months later he suddenly started talking in sentences so it was obvious he had been taking in words all along although not actually speaking them!

So don't worry - the main thing is that he is understanding what you say and they are all different and have to do it in their own time. Try not to compare to others (I know it is difficult as my eldest was a very early talker).

My DS has just turned 4 now and has a better vocabulary than many of his peers!

CharlieBoo · 14/02/2011 19:41

My dd is 20 months old and also has a big brother. She has a very big vocab, but the sentences we are still waiting for...She can string a few words together for e.g
'what's that?' 'there it is'. 'Me out' (pushchair lol)

In my son's baby book at 19 months he could say 'Fireman Sam go up the ladder and put fire out.' There is a big difference and its hard not to worry and compare, but it will come with time. They are learning a language and some pick it up quicker than others.

mumsgonemad123 · 14/02/2011 21:37

my twin boys are almost 19 months and really dont say much at all, but it is starting to come. The only words they say every day are mama, dada, gone and more. They say a handful of other words at times, which are bizarrly 'cheeeeese!' 'moon' 'am' (ham) ba 'ball' da 'dog' baby, and thats about it.