16 month old understanding of speech

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Hello, just after some advice.

My DS2 is her16.5 months and has no clear words yet. He does understand some language, but I am not sure if it's enough his age. He claps on command, cuddles me and DH on command, does actions to some songs and plays peekaboo. He doesn't point out an object, won't go looking if I say, for example, where's teddy. He will point out things that interest him but won't always follow my point. He seems to hear well.

Is he normal or should I instigate hearing test or speech therapy? I really can't remember what DS1 was like!

Many thanks.

Similar situation with us. My DS2 is 15 months old and although I may be looking back with rose tinted glasses, I am pretty convinced DS1 was more able to point out objects to me. He had a fair few words now too whereas DS2 has about 4 words, none of which are clear. Does your DS point at all? My DS2 will point at things he's interested in or that he wants but if I say 'where's teddy' or 'where's your cup?' he just looks at me and makes no effort to point. When I say 'let's go get in the pushchair' he makes no effort to go towards it, he waits for me to lift him and take him there. I am almost certain DS1 understood simple commands by now.

I know they are all different but it has been playing on my mind a bit lately too. My DS seems to hear well, always responds to his name, blows kisses and claps on demand, also will start rocking and clapping when I sing etc but I have no idea how much he actually understands. My DS1 definitely seemed more of a toddler by this age rather than a baby.

He sounds very similar to my DS2 at the same age. I has concerns re his speech and understanding (although non-verbal communication was good). He was miles behind DS1 at the same age. We saw HV who referred us for a hearing test. This turned out to be fine, but there was enough to warrant a referral and the test was easy to do. DS2 is now 23 months and while his speech is not that clear (DS1 spoke in crystal clear sentences by this age) he has lots and lots of words (all acquired post 18 months), can put 2 or 3 words together, and I think is probably within normal limits speech wise. He has also gone from appearing to understand v little at 16 months (when we were referred) to clearly understanding almost everything. DS2 is a very physical child so I think was just focusing on that side of things.

Hello, thank you both for your replies, very helpful.

Glad to hear that your son caught up, equilateral. Did you use any special techniques to help his speech or did it come naturally?

Maybe it is normal. I'm not sure so will speak to HV tomorrow.

Anyone else have any experiences?

Ds is 18mo and has about 2-3 words, but only in the last month or so. However, he does seem to understand almost all of what we say to him. He will follow 1-2 step commands (go and get your shoes and bring them to mummy for eg), points waves and claps on command, points out animals/objects when named, goes into the appropriate room for what he wants (kitchen for Jaffa cakes!), oh and doesn't like hearing no so def understands that one!

I'm not too worried about his expressive language yet - I didn't talk until I was 2 apparently - and his receptive is so good. If his receptive wasn't coming along then I probably would seek advice by 18mo.

HTH

I didn't really do anything special, although I made a bit more effort to read to him (I'd always read to him a bit, but he wasn't that keen on books so I'd stopped trying so hard, and more often than not I'd choose something DS1 liked - e.g. a Julia Donaldson - which was too advanced to engage DS2, and he'd just wander off). He likes really simple books - Pip and Posy, Peepo, Spot books etc. I encouraged him to point things out in the books, and showed him myself what they were, and eventually he started doing it himself. But that;s all I really did, he just seemed to catch up in his own time. There was a big "leap" at around 21 months in his understanding and speech.