Speech at 2.2 years

[SpanielFace]

I may be being over anxious here, apologies if so, DS is my first and I have nothing to compare with!

DS is 2 years and 2 months. He has a lot of words, well over 200 I would guess, and several new ones every day at the moment (today we have had "rocket" and "llama"! Both toys, we don't see many actual llamas around here !). He understands a lot more than he can say, and can follow fairly complex 3 or 4 part instructions, can point to lots of body parts when asked, and knows some of his colours. I have no worries about his understanding.

But, he has never put 2 words together. He will pick one word and repeat it "Mummy. Ball. Ball. Ball. Ball" until I say "yes DS, it's a ball isn't it". Then he will say the next word "Red" or "Gone" or whatever. I talk to him all the time, read to him, and he is quite good at getting across what he wants to say, if a bit slowly! But all my friends toddlers seem to be speaking in sentences, even simple ones, and I'm starting to feel a bit anxious that he's not progressing. Does this sound normal to you at his age?

Compared to my 23 month old he sounds advanced

She has 50+ words, can't really follow many instructions, we're getting there though. The only words she puts together are "I go". For example "I go ing (swing)" and "I go car." She also says what she wants followed by "eeeese".

She's been accepted for speech therapy based on the above but my health visitor told me that although most two year olds have good speech, some are closer to three.

Thanks, that's reassuring, although DS had a lot less words than that at 23 months - I wonder if I should have seen HV? Or if I still should? He's just been eating a yoghurt, and giving me a running commentary, like this: "yoghurt yoghurt yoghurt yoghurt yoghurt. Lick lick lick. Yummy! Spoon spoon spoon spoon mummy spoon spoon spoon" etc! Obviously I know what he's trying to say, but I don't know whether we ought to be seeking advice on how to encourage him to make proper sentences? Or whether he'll just get there in his own time, and I should stop worrying? Our 2 year HV check isn't going to be until 2.5 years as there is a backlog locally.

My twins have just turned 2. Dtd is putting 2 words together but DTS isn't so much (other than things like all gone etc). I always try to expand on what they say. So if they say "ball", I say "yes, a red ball" or "kick the ball" etc.

From what you've said, I wouldn't worry I don't think. At this age, there's a huge range of ability in speech development :).

I think he sounds absolutely fine, however if it would put your mind at ease I would say make an appointment with your health visitor and see what she says. They're all so different at this age.

I wouldn't worry; these things come in big cognitive leaps, it will happen. With that kind of vocab, it may well happen soon

Just keep encouraging word grouping and sentences with you response.

No I wouldn't worry. He is saying a lot (my nephew is saying far less and less articulate).

My dd is 23 months and doesn't really say anything.
I'm sure he's fine.

He sounds fine.

My 2.2 year old DD has 10 words and has been accepted for speech therapy starting before Christmas.

You sound a bit anxious about him, but honestly he seems perfectly within the normal range. Don't press for an earlier HV appt, as 2.5 years will come soon enough.

You can't 'make' him talk more, he'll do it in his own time. He already has ability to say the words, so the linking them together will follow.

My DC1 is now school age, but when he was 2.2 he was talking in long sentences and I felt so smug. As I mentioned earlier, my DC2 has serious struggles. Both are individuals, not much to do with my parenting.

Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better! I try not to compare with other children, but it's hard when you don't have your own experience to compare with. It sounds like he's within the normal range, anyway. I'll see what he's like at 2 and a half when we see the HV. Thanks for the advice.

surely 'ball gone' is putting 2 words together? What do you expect woman? 'mummy, please may I have the ball? '

And people talk such nonsense about this .. saying 'cup of tea' isn't talking in sentences its just copying a phrase

If you read my post, he doesn't say "ball gone". He says "Ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball ball" until I say "yes DS, ball, where is the ball?" He then says "gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone gone" until I say "yes, it's gone". Etc.

Anyway, I've had some nice reassuring messages so am not concerned. I was never seriously worried, just a little anxious and wondering if it was a normal stage. I feel a lot happier now.

Op, sorry I can't do links as I'm on my phone, but go to the Talking Points site. They give clear advice on 'ages and stages' and expected speech at each stage.

Actually I can do links. Here it is for the Talking Point site I just mentioned.

Read this site

i was reading at 2, my sister wasnt talking at all at the same age.

she went on to be the academic one so dont worry.

they say singing can help bring language on if you fancied upping your nursery rhyme quota but i wouldnt stress about it at all

sorry didn't mean to cause offence . he's still linking the words isn't he? I know dd2 for ages was 'talking in sentences' when the only word she ever linked to others was 'gone'. dd2 seemed to go straight onto longer sentences (but did so later) he's way past pointing and saying what something is.

and so many people have wishful thinking over this honestly that's the point I was trying to make. ....

He WILL get there in his own time.

My Grandson is 2.5 yrs old, very bright, very intelligent, he understands everything you say or ask him to do,.... and he says 'Daddy car' - and nothing else very clearly at all.! He doesn't even say Mummy.