At what age do bilingual children start talking?

[schroedingersdodo]

DS is 19mo and still doesn't say anything. He understands lots of words, mostly in Portuguese (the home language) but also understands English. He follows simple requests, like "where's the ball?." He signs "yes" and "no," "bye," blows kisses, points to things, etc. He babbles a lot, and can make many different sounds. Sometimes he copies sounds, roughly repeating what we say (he's been doing that for many months).

I was very chilled about everything until now, but I'm starting to wonder if I should worry. His development has been absolutely normal in all other areas, he's very sociable, confident, reacts to sounds, etc. I think he just didn't figure out yet how to make words (and since he can communicate very well with gestures, he probably thinks "why bother?").

I've read that bilingual children tend to take longer to speak. BTW, I was talking a lot by 1yo, whereas my FIL didn't start talking until he was 2yo (and has no speech problems whatsoever). Maybe I'm just being anxious because DS is a PFB?

My plan was to wait until 2yo and then think about it. Maybe I should stick to the plan and wait a few more months?

DiddyDragon (DD) spoke at about the same age as everyone else if not a little bit early, just as Cory said, in two languages.

DiddyCakes (DS) is also being raised bilingually but is still only 6 months old, so I'll let you know if I notice any difference between boys & girls.

FWIW my DB & I were also raised bilingually. I spoke early in both languages, he was massively late in both languages. (So much so that my parents had started the process to get him assessed.) Turned out that he was just taking it all in & didn't have anything to say yet. He later went on to win the world school debating championships & gain a PhD...

Yes, boys are ''slow'' in comparison with girls. (like women can multitask but men can't). But what the doctor told you i believe is correct, is somehow common sense if you think about it. Like being with our best friend that we know them for ages, no need for much talk or thorough explanations.

My DD1 was 16 months and could say about 50 words mainly in English, her German only really came on at 2.2 yrs old when we moved here though she has always understood it well she preferred to answer in English.

My middle one is saying a few German words, no English yet but understands loads and is very active, showing us what she wants to do (eat, go outside, etc) She has been taking her first steps at 9 months old. Maybe she will take longer to talk?

DS started talking at around 2, maybe a bit earlier, but despite being bilingual he only managed one language until around 2.6 - then the English came thick and fast, and by 3 he was expert in English as well. But he is quite verbal, though. (I was going to say 'verbally gifted' or something - but what I mean is he's a talker. Non stop. Both languages now!)
I have lots of experience of this, and it is often the case that bilingual children start talking later. But some v. good posts already on this - understanding is v. important.

My daughter is bilingual German/English and whilst some single words started emerging around 16 months (i remember her rocking in her pushchair back and forth going "row row row"), but language only properly exploded towards 20 months - 2nd birthday, and if I've read my Crystal right, that's still well within normal parameters.

Now she's almost 3 and won't shut up in either language

my son is bilingual, Spanish and English, and he was extremely slow to start to talk. He was almost 3 by the time he started being understood by anyone other than us. He could put a few words together, but it was really very basic, in spite of being at an English nursery several hours per day. However, once he started talking, it all came really quickly and by the time he started school, his English was at the same level as all the other kids.

DS was born abroad and at home had English from me, both from his dad and Spanish at nursery (full day care).

He didn't say many words (about 5 at 18 months) and they were in Spanish.

We returned to the UK when he was 22 months and he continued to use his 8-10 Spanish words. Suddenly just after turning 2 he began to talk more and more. Probably because he had one language to deal with.

I was told bi-lingual children do tend to talk later but the advantage is they have 2 languages. Unless there is SN affecting speech then they learn to talk eventually.

Same as most above, takes a while longer. I speak French to both boys but otherwise they are constantly exposed to English and that is clearly the dominant language (I work FT). That said they understand French perfectly even though it's hard to get more than the odd word out of them . I am persisting though!

They were both slow to talk, all their little friends at nursery could put together full (English) sentences while they were still at the individual word stage. But certainly DS1 is now chatting away and there's no noticeable difference. I'd say it wasn't til 2.5 that they really started talking so we're just getting there for DS2 -- the boys are two years apart and I was watching an old video of DS1 at the same age and while a bit further along it was the same pattern.

At this stage I'm not concerned, there is clearly progress. On the contrary to other posters though, I would say for DS2 having DS1 present is slowing him down a bit as his brother talks for him! "Do you want some milk? Mummy he wants some milk." Also DS1 is excellent at interpreting new words when DS2 attempts some new vocabulary and I can't quite figure it out - and sometimes it's the French word which I don't usually expect.

My DD2 started talking a lot earlier than DD1 and DS (maybe because DH is better at speaking Urdu now) but she tries to put together sentences in English the way you would in Urdu. She sounds a little like Yoda.