When Do We Get The First Word?

[LouisaJF]

DS is 13 months and does a lot of babbling but still no actual words. He has a reasonable range of sounds and we get Dada quite a lot, but it doesn't have a meaning, it's just a noise.

I read with him and I try to emphasise the words of the things he is around: ball, cat etc.

When should I realistically expect him to start using a few words and is there anything else I can do to help develop this?

Nowish onwards, no rush, both mine were later 14-16 months onwards, not they are 6 and 11 and NEVER are quiet, talk talk talk is all the ever do!

Just little sort bursts of reading and just normal talking to him will be fine, do not worry.

He is in a real copycat phase at the moment so I'm hoping that will rub off on his speech too.

Word of the moment is "ditdaa". He says it for everything. Is it normal to obsess over one word that isn't even a word?

Yes any time now....yes it's usual for them to say a fave sound a lot. To help him you can show him things...birds, dogs, flowers etc...tell him the names of things as he uses them or as you offer them and point new things out.

Discuss stuff with him even if he can't respond yet! It's amusing anyway

Any time now! And when it comes, it can come quickly and develop into strings of words surprisingly fast. I'd echo what the others say: keep chatting and keep reading, as these are the best ways to support language development.

The hv told me that animal noises count as words...

DS has been a bit like that with everything. He has done most big things quite late, but can do them perfectly first time when he eventually does. I'm sure he practises at night when no one is looking and unveils his new skill when he's nailed it. I'll probably find him reciting Shakespeare next week!