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Original poster

Should I be worried? DS is not talking much at 22 months....

19 replies

ODearMe · 10/12/2012 16:03

Well, he has a few random words such as purple, car, moon, ball, pear and mumma and makes various animal sounds. He does point and wave so that is a good sign and he seems to understand exactly what I am saying. He can also point out all letters in the alphabet and numbers. The health visitor won't do anything until he is 2 years old, although she has offered a hearing test, which I have declined as he had one at 8 months which was fine and he really is not hard of hearing.
I just wondered if any of you had late talkers? Is this normal?
Thanks

OP posts:
Moknicker · 10/12/2012 16:11

I had the same problem with DD. A two year old is supposed to have a 50 word vocabulary and i was resorting to counting bye-bye and ma-ma as two words :). She was certainly not saying purple at 22 months.

I was told that if DD did not put two words together by the time she was 24 months it was worth getting it checked. At 23 months and two weeks she put two words together.

Now shes 3.4 and I long for the silence :)

I can understand the anxiety but hold on for a bit and past two if its still a worry, do get it checked.

Original poster
ODearMe · 10/12/2012 16:14

Thank you so much. It is reassuring to know someone had a similar issue and it turned out well.

OP posts:
lljkk · 10/12/2012 16:15

I've had late talkers. They came good in the end but some needed speech therapy (no big deal).

If you get a 24 month check in your area the HV should be able to reassure you or help start you on process for further assessments and advice to help speed up his development.

If he can recognise numbers & alphabet letters he is far advanced compared to mine at that age.

joolsb95 · 10/12/2012 19:34

hi my son is nearly 7 now and he was a late talker , did not talk til 3 now he never shuts up, worried my self loads and now he is fine.

Original poster
ODearMe · 10/12/2012 20:14

I guess I won't really stop worrying until he speaks more. All my friends are right when they say children do things at their own pace but their children were speaking from a year old so it doesn't help to reassure. It is good to know there are late talkers and it comes good in the end.

OP posts:
Julezboo · 10/12/2012 20:18

My youngest is similar. He will be 23 months next week (2 on 14th Jan) he has failed many hearing tests though and finally had it confirmed last week that he is deaf in his right ear.

He has only JUST said Ma Ma. Doesnt say nothing else. I think your 22 month old is doing well :) But might be worth getting his hearing checked x

Indith · 10/12/2012 20:21

He sounds fine, he has a range of sounds, some words, good understanding. He isn't quite 2 yet!

Not that it is conclusive evidence but my ds1 had about 5 words at 2 but because he was babbling well with a range of sounds the HV was not bothered at all and didn't even suggest hearing tests. He was of course absolutely fine.

Original poster
ODearMe · 10/12/2012 20:40

Thanks Indith. I think I am worrying more because he is quite a sensitive, shy little boy who cries easily and prefers his own company. I have been looking at symptoms of autism.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 10/12/2012 20:47

My son was a late talker but I think some of it was laziness as he went from saying next to nothing to speaking complete sentences at about 2.7 . I would get his hearing checked though as our son passed all his baby hearing tests but was found to be bilaterally 45-50% deaf at age 6 after a routine check by the school nurse. He was fine academically and there were no outward signs . To our shame he had even taught himself to lip read . He was also a shy ,sensitive child .

MincePiesAndBaileys · 10/12/2012 20:56

My ds is 30 months and still doesn't talk properly. He understands everything, says quite a few words and occasionally will put a couple of words together but doesn't talk clearly and this is now getting a little frustrating for both us as parents and him as he cannot express himself Sad

He has had a health visitor check recently and she has decided to give us until March (when he will be 2.9) to see if he improves before we go down the speech therapy route.

He sings and gabbles along in his own 'language' but if you listen you can hear the odd word eg round and round from the 'wheels on the bus'. It is getting frustrating now as I want him to be able to communicate and I think it is holding him back in developing further. If anyone has any suggestions as to what I can do it would be great. He goes to nursery and the staff there don't seem to be to concerned yet.

Sigh.

MincePiesAndBaileys · 10/12/2012 20:56

Sorry for hijack op!

Original poster
ODearMe · 10/12/2012 20:58

That's ok mince pies, it might be us in 8 months time so I would be interested to hear the replies!

OP posts:
lingle · 10/12/2012 21:30

Oh Dear Me,

Two late talkers here.

I strongly recommend you buy "It Takes Two to Talk" published by Hanen, available cheaper from Winslow publications online. Expensive for a book, but very much worth it, not least because it will not freak you out (unlike some of your research, if I may hazard a guess). Do an advanced mumsnet search for extensive testimony about Hanen and its work.

But you should accept the hearing test also for the simple reason that on the off-chance his language doesn't explode shortly the first thing you'll be expected to do in 6 months' time is.... have a hearing test. Get it ticked off now.

ClareMarriott · 11/12/2012 16:12

When I was small, one of my sisters spoke for me sometimes as I only spoke when I felt it was necessary. I was'nt deaf and I have since grown up to have a monstrously huge vocabulary ( and my sister has been glad of the break for many years ! )

hatchypom · 27/12/2012 21:11

Get hearing checked the 8 month test won't pick up progressive or unilateral issue

Original poster
ODearMe · 27/12/2012 21:42

I asked for another hearing test and the HV said to wait for 2 year check.

OP posts:
Wallace · 27/12/2012 21:42

Ds was 2 in November and has only recently started his language explosion and putting 2 words together.

He is dc4 and the others were talking much more by his age. However I haven't been at all worried as he understands everything and can make his needs known :)

ReshapeWhileDashingThroTheSnow · 28/12/2012 10:02

I would definitely push for another hearing test, because the earlier ones may not have picked up a subtle hearing problem. Having said that, it doesn't sound as if there's a significant worry. He points, has a few words, and you say he understands you (does he follow instructions?). I have a DS who just turned 2 and has maybe 2 or 3 words which he does not use consistently or even frequently. He doesn't really respond to his name, doesn't follow instructions (though I can tell he does have some understanding of what is said), and has never pointed, followed a point, or brought me something he's interested in. Sad That said, he is affectionate, responds well to people he knows and makes lots of eye contact, and is very slowly moving forward in development. I am pretty sure he has ASD, and we are about to get onto the merry-go-round of getting him assessed, and helped. HV was very supportive and got us a SALT ref at his 2 yr check last week. GP digging his heels in a bit more. Sorry, OP, hijack! Just wanted to show the contrast between a 2 yr old who understands, points and demonstrates understanding, and one who doesn't. Speech delay isn't always a big red flag, though you're certainly right to have concerns.

hatchypom · 31/12/2012 11:52

Then ask your gp, audiology is not usually a HV's strong point

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