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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

Language at 21 months

40 replies

Learningtodraw · 08/05/2017 21:29

Hi mnetters. Please give me some advice/reassurance please.
My 21 month old is not talking. He does plenty of animal sounds and he signs a fair bit. But there is very little spoken words.
If promoted he can repeat words - cat, lady, car, ball but he very rarely spontaneously comes put with words. He's done that maybe 5 times.
His signing is spontaneous and is a conversation. E.g. i showed him beach one day then the next day he just signed it and keeps asking to go to the beach every day now..!! He also just cane out with milk and owl one day. He understands pretty much everything and he has started signing sentences - pointing at something then at himself to say he owns it. We have basic signed conversations too.
But there is no recogniseable words, lots of babbling and lots of playing around with sounds and conversational like tones in his chatting. He has no problem telling us what he wants tho.

I know signs and animal sounds count as words but I'm naturally anxious and i want to be told if his language is ok or if i need him checked out. Every other child his age i meet (friends kids) is talking.

OP posts:

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Kissisforpirate · 21/07/2017 19:20

Update- hearing test was fine. No problems there. I'm now not worried as he's saying lots of random words and it doesn't feel like anything is wrong.
Thanks all for their views.

tessiebear4 · 06/07/2017 17:03

I agree with Pansies. I've got 3 kids so have known lots of toddlers over the years. I known quite a few who weren't joining words at 2. I think it's a rough guide. Understanding and having some words is good.

Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds · 06/07/2017 12:22

I mean, a hearing test can't do any harm, nor can SALT, but a kid with good receptive language, fourteen words and 20 signs at 2 sounds like they're just a bit slow to talk and will catch up.

Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds · 06/07/2017 12:19

It is 50 at 2, but animal noises and I think signs count as words.

Learningtodraw · 06/07/2017 12:15

He is 24 months next week. He was a few days shy of 22 months when i started the topic.

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tessiebear4 · 06/07/2017 09:10

50 words at 24 months. Is he 22 months or 24 months?

Learningtodraw · 05/07/2017 19:45

@tessie - well if 50 words is what is expected and we only have 14 with no attempt to join 2 words together then I would have thought that counts as a delay. No?

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tessiebear4 · 04/07/2017 11:34

Is 12-14 words genuinely delayed at this age? I've always been told 50 words by 2, starting to join words then. There can be a huge amount of change over the course of two months.

Learningtodraw · 03/07/2017 18:39

Hi all. Just an update and looking for knowledgeable advice.
We have a hearing test booked for next week. At 22 months he started talking and now has about 12-14 words he says regularly. Has a good 20ish signs tho. I'm aware this is below normal so i think he's properly delayed but I don't know the reason why.
He doesn't really have a name for me. In the last few days he may have called me mum mum twice. Is this indicative of a problem? He says Daddy regularly.

I haven't seen a SALT yet but will do if the hearing test comes back clear.

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Learningtodraw · 19/05/2017 20:09

There's a list of drop ins on the website, tge problen is in fitting them in around working hours. I think I'm going to have to get a bus to the next town.

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ToDuk · 19/05/2017 19:57

That's great. Can you call the salt back and ask for a list of drop ins?

Learningtodraw · 19/05/2017 18:37

Update.
Gp is referring for a hearing test. Spoke to a salt on the phone today and they advised me to go to a salt drop in. So now trying to work out where to go and how to get there.

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Learningtodraw · 16/05/2017 12:40

Good point.ishall keep friday's gp appointment.

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user1491572121 · 16/05/2017 12:22

OP if you have ANY doubts about him, get it checked now. It could be nothing...but if he does have any issues, then the faster it's sorted out, the better the outcome.

Learningtodraw · 16/05/2017 08:29

Update - he started saying bye bye on the weekend. It's got clearer over the few days. He is also saying turtur for tortoise when he wants to play with it, and is doing passable attempts at hello.
Those of you sayingi should get his hearing checked out, do i still need to?

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Learningtodraw · 10/05/2017 15:36

Magpie - he doesn't say mummy or doggy though. He has said daddy spontaneously maybe 5 times in 3 months. He says turtle when prompted but it's more durdle. It hasn't improved since he started saying it.

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mistermagpie · 10/05/2017 09:15

My DS is the same age and doesn't have loads of words. He does a lot of animal sounds and mummy, daddy, pappy, doggy etc, but not a great deal more than yours. Signing is great (we did it from birth but he gradually stopped) but it might be his preferred way of communicating now so, for him, he doesn't need to come out with new words vocally when he can sign them. When we learned to sign our teacher explained that signing can result in a slight delay in verbal language and that is why it's essential to say the words as you sign them. I'm sure you're doing that, but I think this might be what your HV is getting at, she's just got it a bit wrong.

I really wouldn't worry. It's a scale and your son sounds like he is within the normal range to me.

FrayedHem · 10/05/2017 08:56

It's also worth self-referring to Speech and Language Therapy. Some areas have drop-in clinics, others you contact directly for a referral.

ItsNiceItsDifferentItsUnusual · 10/05/2017 08:41

Also totally disagree with your HV re. hearing test not being needed yet. My HV offered one when ds was 12 months and not really babbling. I was pleasantly surprised at how pro-active she was.

BertieBotts · 10/05/2017 07:14

I find it absolutely maddening when people in a position of trust like HVs give out advice on topics they clearly know nothing about. Stop signing? it's such a crock of shit based on a knee jerk feeling and yet some people would trust that because it comes from a professional.

ToDuk · 10/05/2017 07:08

User it is really sensible to look at the hearing when there are any concerns about speech. It's a really obvious thing that can easily be ruled out. The newborn hearing test is just a first check. It's a wonderful thing and helps lots of children get early intervention. However many children pass it and go on to be diagnosed with a hearing loss after.

Learningtodraw · 10/05/2017 06:42

User61 - he had a hearing test at birth but that's it.

User21 - my previous hv was great. Knowledgable and trustworthy and i had a really good relationship with her.

I've made a gp appointment for next week. I have no problem if he is just late talking, i just want to rule out any issues just in case.

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user1491572121 · 10/05/2017 04:20

User it's normal to rule out hearing issues before looking for another reason for a speech delay. No words at almost 2 years old isn't within the normal range either.

user1493022461 · 09/05/2017 23:27

I have no idea why everyone is focused on the hearing test. Surely he's already ahd more than one anyway?

He sounds like he's entirely in the normal range for speaking, tbh.

ToDuk · 09/05/2017 23:24

Your HV is giving really dumb advice. Well done for ignoring it. There's loads of evidence to support the use of signing in the development of language in young children whether they're hearing or not. And as for saying not to get a hearing test now well i wonder at what point she thinks hearing matters!

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