When should LO be talking?

[swebb9]

My DD is 15 months on and does not say any words - She can play for an hour without making any noise at all ! I have read lots of things online that says around this age they "should" be able to say muma dada etc I know they all develop at different ages so I don't want to compare her to the "normal" development. She has said a word before but will never repeat it. She does know a couple of animal noises will do it a couple of times and then never repeats it. Anyone else had this / Any advise ?

Thank you

Does she understand what you say? Does she communicate in other ways?

What's her understanding like? Does she mske any noise at all? Even just babbling every now and again.
My sin is 27 months and only has a few words, he can understand everything though so HVs aren't too concerned.

See if you can get hold of a copy of 'Baby Talk' by Dr Sally Ward.
Excellent book, very readable and very helpful.

Has her hearing been checked?

And some stupid questions

• do you talk to her a lot
• do you look at her whilst talking

or

• do you have the TV on a lot
• do you spend more time on MN / phone than interacting

My ds is 21m he has a few words none of which are mama/dada or any variations of the iy

They say walking by 1, talking by 2 as a rough guide. But sometimes they do it later.

If by 3 there were still no words I would be worried, but not at 15 months.

What helped me was a book with loads of pictures in and I said where is the ball? When they point, say "yes that the ball, b-all" etc do this everyday and usually by the next week he will have learnt ball. Then you do another one, a picture book really helped my DS.

DS2 has just been referred to SALT at 2 1/2 as he only has one word, before now I kept getting told I was being paranoid as the older ones were talking for him (they weren't). Can you self refer to speech and language?

My son is almost 15 months, and he doesn't have any words yet either. He makes a few babbling sounds sometimes, and often makes little quiet grunting noises, but really isn't the loudest of children. Our pediatrician said that while ideally she likes to hear a few words at this point, it isn't major cause for concern yet that he isn't speaking at all.

She said she would be worried if he didn't seem to understand anything we said to him and had no apparent desire to communicate at all - but he does.

For example:

If I hold up a banana and ask if he wants some, he'll run over with a smile, hand waving in the air ready to grab his favourite snack. Do the same with a yogurt (which he detests) and he'll ignore me.

Open a picture book and ask him where the cow is, and he'll point to it and look up at me and laugh if I make a funny mooing noise.

Ask him if he would like to go out in the yard to play with his ball, and he'll probably go get his ball.

Tell him to say bye to someone and he will usually stick up a hand and wave.

Does your daughter do things like that? If so, then I really wouldn't worry yet.

My children were late talkers. My DD was 3.5 years before speech. my son 3 years.

Hi, Thank you for all of your comments !

She does understand me when I am speaking to her - e.g. Reading a book - where is the cow, the horse etc she can make the noises if I ask her "what noise does the cow make" sometimes she responds, more often then not she will chose not to answer. If I ask her where is your blanket / juice she will go and look for them. Wave bye and she normally will. She is becoming more independent - she can not walk on her own yet but very much knows where she wants to go and will ask for my hand so that she can walk to where it is she wants to go (normally doing something she shouldn't lol)

She does babble occasionally when we are playing but she is more likely to shout and scream rather then babble.

TeenandTween

• do you talk to her a lot - Constantly talking to her keeping her busy always out walking the dog pointing at the trees swans etc
• do you look at her whilst talking Always looking at her

or

• do you have the TV on a lot - TV is only on in the morning for 15 minutes whilst I get ready for work. Other then that its never on
• do you spend more time on MN / phone than interacting - I don't know where my phone is 9 / 10 times and don't have a pc at home (hence the late reply)

Appreciate the sentiment of the questions however I can assure you my time is dedicated to my LO.

On a weekend we are rarely at home and always out doing things, soft play, dog walking, Swimming etc to introduce her to lots of new things and keep her active.

I said they were stupid questions!

(I don't know what age the little ones are meant to start communicating, my youngest was 2.5 and speech delayed when she arrived).

I will have a look at the book you suggested - I have not heard of it before !

I was told 20 words by the Age of two with my ds, as he was pretty similar to yours and after having a chatterbox of ds1 I found it odd. By two he was speaking in 2 word sentences. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. They develop and change so quickly at this age, but it's always good to keep an eye!

My LO is the same age and the only intelligible thing he's said is "oh shit" so it could be worse.

If you ask the health visitors, they will send you to www.talkingpoint.org.UK where you fill in a progress checker - based on that you can self refer to speech and language therapy.

My son had hearing loss due to glue ear and we when we filled it in at 19 months it did refer us through - he wasn't saying any words, or trying to make animal noises. The therapist we saw wasn't very concerned though as his understanding was good, and at 21 months he is now starting to say individual words. He can say things like tractor, car and no but still not mama or dad :(.