how much communication should you expect from a 20 month old?

[JessicaFoster]

I have noticed my son who is 20 months doesn't talk as much as other toddlers his age is it normal? I also introduced the potty to him a few months ago. He hasn't used it yet I can't communicate to him what a poo and a wee means, he won't try to pronounce the words or to what they mean. How do I get him to understand?

20 months is quite young to be starting potty training. My DD is also that age and has loads of words and I won't be starting potty training her for quite a while.

As far as language goes, I wouldn't worry as long as his understanding is ok. I think the average 20 month old only has about 10-20 words. Kids develop at different rates and whilst he might not be speaking a lot now he'll probably start progressing in this aspect shortly.

If you're really concerned then speak to your health visitor.

It really varies...You will always find someone better when you compare...My DS had delayed speech ..He is now 7 and talks night and day no different to the rest.

Have you tried signing instead lots of people find that babies and toddlers can express themselves a lot better through hand signals than verbally. You could watch Something Special on Cbeebies or make up your own/watch youtube videos.

Providing his ears are ok he'll speak in his own time, the only thing you can do is narrate as you go about your daily life introducing as many words as you can, make sure he can see your mouth helps him see how to form the words and read/sing together lots.

I think 20 months is too early to be introducing the potty unless he is showing strong signs of wanting to use it. My ds is 24 months and he has understood what wee and poo are for quite a long time, nappy off time helped to teach him what poo/wee are, he will now tell me when he is having a poo and I'll say "do you want to do it in the potty?" And he says "no, poo on the floor/chair/sofa" he has a nappy on so there is no mess, but he's not ready to use the potty yet.

At 20 months he was very good at communicating but I think he was unusual, he could communicate whatever he wanted with language (he's bilingual so it was a micture of both languages) and sings.

The range seems to be huge, my health visitor told me an average 2 year old will be using 2 word sentances but they are not all doing that.

My 22 month old only uses two words; 'no' and 'dadda' (he even calls me dadda, and we continually correct him, but he's never said mummy, and he says 'neh' when he means yes). The rest of what he says is baby gibberish. I've only recently started to realise that this might not be normal, as I'd assumed all of the others we know his age, had better language skills because they either had older siblings or they were at nursery in the week. My DS is an only child. We go to toddler groups, but other than that he's at home with me.
My DH and I are both quiet people, and we've never been the sort to chat continually all day, but I do of course talk to and explain things to my son. We play, sing, I read to him, we use flash cards etc. Although he has never been interested in being read to, and he is more interested in tearing flash cards up than looking at the pictures. He's had a number of ear infections, but the doctor didn't think he had a hearing problem.
My plan is to wait for the 2yr checks and talk to the HV about my concerns then...

at 20 months I would not even think about potty unless the child tells you that s/he is ready.

I would also not worry about the number of words he says. at that stage, understanding is important. can he follow simple instructions? does he seem to understand what you are saying? does he communicate non verbally? pointing? bringing you stuff to show you?

if that is the case I would not worry at that stage.

DS had a handful of words at 20 months. The most significant being 'DAT!' which was pressed into service for almost anything. He's eight now and never bloody shuts up

If your DS communicates in other ways (pointing, gestures, using the words he has), and seems to understand you (eg will he go fetch his shoes/ coat/ teddy if asked?) then I wouldn't worry.

Mine has good passive vocab (can point to things correctly and fetch things) but active vocab is:
Mum
Dad
Older sister's name but not other one
No no no (bloody monkey puzzle book)
Cat dog bird cow owl bear and their animal noises along with donkey/rooster/lion impressions
Star
Ball
Bread
There

So...14 words in all ....19 months. A speech therapist friend reckoned bilingual were slower and monolingual could do up to 50 but I just don't recall my other two being like that so I'll worry when I need to. One of my other Dc's first sentence was Mummy me no like Daddy when he told her off for something.
As someone wittier than me said We teach them to talk for two years then spend the rest of their childhood begging them to shut up!!