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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

16 months and still does not talk is this normal help and advice needed!

15 replies

Dreams · 22/01/2004 16:02

My son is 16 months old and will not talk. He has always been able to say mumma and dadda from an early age he sat up early walked early but has not yet got the hang of talking. All my friends babys can say words like ...bus,bye bye,peoples names and things but my son just won't do it! If i ask him to say bye bye he just starts waving ! He knows what words are but wont say this i just wondered if this was normal at 16 months as i am beginning to get a bit worried as many people are picking up on this! getting me down a bit i suppose! any advice or help?

OP posts:

musica · 22/01/2004 16:06

Perfectly normal. Some kids walk early, some talk early. If he's understanding words, and if he seems to make progress then that is fine. 16 months is very young for talking! You could talk to your health visitor if you're really worried, but he sounds fine to me.

dot1 · 22/01/2004 16:09

sounds normal to me! Our ds didn't say a word (including mummy) until he was 17 months old, and then suddenly came out with "fish"! He's just over 2 now and although not a brilliant talker - he still mostly says single words or puts 2 together - has about 200 words - although there was quite a gap between "fish" and anything else - another month or so. Try not to worry - it sounds like he's communicating and understands stuff - we've just got strong silent ds's!!

Original poster

Dreams · 22/01/2004 16:15

Thanks for all the info. He does understand many things i can ask him to do something and he will do it! He does talk but its like jibble jabble language i thought it was normal but was getting concerned from my friends and there babys talking and mine not! I feel more at ease now! I am thinking of going to speak to the health vistor just to put my mind at rest !

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Mo2 · 22/01/2004 16:25

I really wouldn't worry - if he's understanding you and responding with actions like waving, then he's probably just storing up all the information and one day it will just start flooding out...

Our DS1 was an early talker and certainly our friends often used to comment on it. DS2 is now 17 months and I would say has only just started expanding his vocab beyond half a dozen words in the last couple of weeks or so, even though we've done exactly the same sorts of things (reading, songs, talking to him etc).

All the babbling is preparing him.... Enjoy it, in another 3 years time you'll be posting "My 4 year old never stops talking - is this normal?"

Epigirl · 22/01/2004 16:39

dd didn't say much at all at 15 months, now 25 months and won't shut up... Your ds sounds normal to me!

Stargazer · 22/01/2004 16:49

Hi Dreams

I'd say it's normal. Children talk when they're ready, from as early as 12 months to 36 months. My DD is now 28 months old and she's only now really getting the hang of talking. She's always understood what we've said to her and been able to follow instructions, but she's taken her time in talking. We still don't have complete sentences - they're sure to come soon - but DD is more than capable of making herself understood. It's not a good idea to compare your DS with other people's children - they are all so individual and develop at different rates. I'm sure that once he does get going - you'll wish for a bit of peace - at least that's what I keep getting told

Browbeaten · 22/01/2004 17:11

Hi Dreams, my sister's ds was like this at 16 mths. He has now turned 2 and is saying quite a lot of single words. His comprehension is good but has to be encouraged to say the words - he will point at an apple for instance but won't ask for one. He is coming on quite fast now though.

zebra · 22/01/2004 17:53

Your child says "mamma" and "dadda"? Wow, my children didn't say those things until almost 2yo! They walked early too, few kids both walk and talk early. In fact, DD wasn't saying anything vaguely recognisable until 16 months, come to think of it. She's a bit over 2 & on 4-word sentences now. DS didn't say more than one word until 19 months, and sentences came well after 2.5 yo; can't stop chattering now (4yo), of course.

Don't worry, Dreams!!! It'd be boring if tots were all the same.

zippy539 · 22/01/2004 19:10

If I was you I'd I'd change my friends pronto - their children sound far too precocious. Your ds sounds like he's doing just fine .

justtheone · 22/01/2004 19:48

Hi Dreams, I know how worrying it can be when other people's children seem to be doing things earlier, especially if it is your first child and you are trying to understand what is normal and what you should query.

I had similar worries about my DS. He was definitely saying nothing at 22 months but could understand enough to point to the correct object when I said a particular word. He did not really start talking until 28 months and now at 32 months rarely draws breath.

When I was worrying I was told that children concentrate on different parts of their development at different stages. So while they are putting extra special effort into learning to climb, run and tumble, they will not necessarily concentrate on speech.

Please do not unduely worry and miss the joy of noticing all the exciting things that he must be doing each day.

bloss · 22/01/2004 21:56

Message withdrawn

MancMum · 23/01/2004 11:07

my ds did not speak a word until 24 months - he had a huge understanding of words but just did not speak - I think he was taking after his father who only talks annually - if I ever want anything doing round the house, I offer him the choice between that and a conversation and off he scurries!!

DS is now 4 and quite honestly never shuts up - when he did start talking he went from no words to almost proper conversations overnight - it was amazing - he was grammatically correct with verbs etc from the start! He has recently seen a HV who says his vocab/use of language is way ahead of his age (and his father!!)

CountessDracula · 23/01/2004 11:11

My dd is 16 months too, she talks but out of my post natal group of about 8 there are 3 or non talkers, 2 non walkers and a couple of non eaters!!! Don't worry about it, they do all develop different skills at different ages.

debster · 23/01/2004 11:38

My 16 month dd isn't talking or walking yet! She babbles constantly and seems to understand some things we say to her. I'm not worried yet but I am keeping an eye on the situation.

Original poster

Dreams · 23/01/2004 12:46

I feel so much more better for hearing all of this from all of you thanks ever so much for all your help and advice!
He started walking before my friends children and also got his first tooth before them like you say all kids are different! He started walking a week before his first birthday ! We were on holiday at the time!! i was so proud !:0

I do believe he is a bit shy and has always been.
He does exactly what you said your sisters child does browbeaten he points at everything when he wants it and says ( Eh Eh Eh) until i answer. he does babble on and on in face his babbling does not stop much!

He is my first so i was not sure what age they were meant to start talking thats why i came on here as its ever so useful!

I am not worried at all now after hearing about all your kids its made my mind at ease i am sure he will get the hang of it soon and then like someone said i will never hear the end of it!!!!

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