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13 month old's speech

4 replies

LeonardoAcropolis · 08/01/2013 12:20

Hello, just after some advice.

I am a bit concerned about DS2. He is 13 months old and hasn't said any distinct words yet and his babbling is very vowel-based, and limited. He will babble ba-ba, mamamamama (but not 'mama' as a word), arararararararara and the nearest we have to a word is 'hello', pronounced 'arrow', with hand next to ear as if he is holding a telephone.

He doesn't seem to have any trouble hearing - he responds to his name, understands 'no' and plays peekaboo. When asked 'where's ds2?' he will cover his eyes with his hands. He can wave and clap, dances to music. Just this last week or so he has started to point at things and will say 'uuh'.

Is it too early to be concerned about speech? I do talk to him but should I really step it up? I try to look at books with him but he likes to grab them from my hand and throw them!

He is walking, walked from just after his birthday. He is very good with his hands and will put lids on things, build a tower, tries to put a hat on a doll and put things in containers. Could it be that he is so preoccupied with playing that he doesn't feel the need to speak more? Is there any truth in the saying 'walker or talker'?

DS1 said 'bird' at 10 months (although only had 50 words at 2!) and I cannot remember how well he babbled, or when he said 'mama or dada'. He is now a great chatterbox and wonder if DS2 can't get a word in, when he is around.

Should I really be concerned at this stage?

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chocoluvva · 08/01/2013 13:28

I'm not an expert, but I'm sure it's too early to have any concerns :)

Sometimes children seem to toddle along at the same stage for what seems like a long time then very suddenly jump on to the next stage. (Eg my DD had surprisingly few words when she was 18-20/21mths but suddenly seemed to start chattering away in sentences.)

amazingmumof6 · 08/01/2013 13:29

no no and no, he's fine! my 5 boys all started speaking at different ages and with different intensity.

my youngest son had his 27 months check up last summer and his only words were : mum, dad,baba,what and fat!
he was reluctant to say any other words, not even "yes" or "no"!!!!
he was babbling and singing in fluent gobbledygook, hearing fine, understood simple commands and acted as asked, identify objects etc, but nothing apart from those 5 words!
it was a very annoying game trying to guess what he wanted, though hilarious when brothers joined in.

then something clicked in him and the words just flooded out of him! he's 3 in May, speaks in long sentences and uses words such as "obey" and "get it?" you can't shut him up........he has long conversations with baby sister - I already wonder if she'll every speak with 5 brothers looking after her and possibly doing things for her...

so don't worry, but you can ask your health visitor for a guideline of developmental stages and some advice on what to do to encourage speech development.
pointing at everyday objects, animals (in real life or books) while sounding out the words is all you really need to do, he'll start to repeat them when ready. obviously chat and sing to him/with him, read little stories - children learn by copying, so just keep going, he'll get it one day.

(and you'll be thinking oh dear, a moment of quiet would be lovely...)

JollyToddles · 08/01/2013 13:33

He sounds absolutely normal :)

LeonardoAcropolis · 08/01/2013 16:30

Thanks for your reassurance everyone! I'm sure he's fine. I will make sure I speak and sing to him as much as I can.

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