22 months and doesn't say very much

Debsbabe · 2004-08-28T23:33:18+00:00

Hi all my son Callum is 22 months and he says very little his vocabally consists of Mum, Dad, Nan, Gone, Hello, Yeah, Who is it and whats that? He doesn't say too much more than that in any language that we understand anyway! He waffles in what i call Callum language. Should i be worried about this? He seems to do everything else fine just is a quiet boy. Love Debbie xxx

Avalon · 29/08/2004 00:38

There was a thread on this a little while ago - something like 2 year old not talking.

He sounds fine to me and he's certainly saying a lot more than my dd1 did at that age!

happymumxxx · 29/08/2004 10:24

dont you worry D.ebsbabe(although i know its hard not too)our ds 21mnth and like yourself weve been worried as our ds language consists of much the same as callums .its not that clear but we can understand her.weve always done everything by the book and shes a bright little girl,just a little later than other children with language development.they all develop at different stages and we put areselves through all this worry.i read the last thread on this like Avalon suggested and i felt much more at ease.

Original poster

Debsbabe · 29/08/2004 17:04

Thanks It is so hard not to worry our daughter was fluently chatting by this age but then Callum seems so bright in other areas know what and how to do almost everything just has a tendancy to drag us up and over to what he wants rather than ask!

Love Debbie xxxx

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 29/08/2004 17:12

DS1 spoke early, clearly and constantly from around 1yr. DS2 barely uttered an intelligible word until he started nursery at 2 and his vocab exploded. Within about 3 months he was using sentences so I guess all the understanding was there, he simply couldn't be bothered/hadn't needed to speak before then.

TBH, we were relieved he didn't start as early as DS1!!

Chinchilla · 29/08/2004 21:01

God yes, make the most of it. We spent the first 2.5 years of ds' life saying, 'Why doesn't he talk?', and now we say, 'For Goodness Sake, be quiet for a minute', whilst developing a nervous tic! Seriously though, ds has had speech therapy appointments, but his follow up last month (when he was exactly 3) showed him to actually be AHEAD in some of his letter sounds. They all come on at their own time. I'm sure that your ds will be chattering away, and driving you mad soon enough

blossomhill · 29/08/2004 23:08

Debsbabe - Sounds fine to me too. If I remember correctly the HV told me at the 2 year check that a child should have around 6 words (on average)

earlygirl · 30/08/2004 11:08

debs i have the same problem with my ds 23 months
he is bright(knows basic colours- some numbers) understands everything said to him but doesent talk a lot- his vocab is similar to callums

this week is the first time he has started to say things on que,when asked. i was also worried cause i have heard him say about 20 other words spontaneously - but hes only ever said these once-like, slide,red,dog, and ive never heard them again

was callum and early walker?my ds was walking at 10 months and running around on his first birthday -i am ppresuming that the saying'early walker- late talker' is true

Pagan · 30/08/2004 13:31

I think everyone is different. MY DH never spoke properly until he went to school aged 5. His teacher was about to put him in remedial classes when a junior teacher intervened. She said thare was nothing wrong with him. He comes from a large family and he never had reason TO speak because everything was just automatically handed to him, or done for him. He was put into normal classes and was fine. He went to elocution lessons for a very short time but started gabbling away as soon as he was in class because he had to to make himself understood.

twick · 30/08/2004 20:50

Your ds sounds fine, Debs. My friend's little boy said even less by the time he was over 2 but then by 2.5 he was speaking amazingly well and now at 3.5 he talks like a 5 year old. My dd's 22 months and talks all the time and has a good vocabulary but then she can't climb steps or jump or lots of the other things my friend's ds could do at her age. So I guess she'll catch up with what he could do just as he caught up with what she can.

If that makes sense? :).

BooMama · 01/09/2004 10:56

My goodness, your ds sounds more than fine. I am now starting to worry about my dd! She is almost 19 months and says 'mummy' and 'herego'... and that's all!
My ds was quite a late developer with talking and it looks like she is going to be the same. He had speech therapy on and off for a while and he has another appointment on Monday as the HV thought he could do with going back as some of his speech is unclear (I was quite surprised as I find him comprehensible most of the time...) - he is 4 btw.
I think I'll take my dd along and see what she thinks about her speech - it wasn't something I had really worried about before. I'm sure it'll all come along with time, most things seem to!

OldieMum · 01/09/2004 11:01

The child development literature suggests that late talkers do a huge amount of catching up in their third year and have similar language skills to earlier talkers by the time they start school. So don't worry.

throckenholt · 01/09/2004 11:15

I think it is fairly typical for a boy of that age (girls are usually further ahead). My DS1 really didn't say very much until a month or two past 2 - now at just over 3 he is very fluent and has very involved conversations.

Original poster

Debsbabe · 02/09/2004 00:31

My DH really did annoy me last night going on about Callums speach to the point he was moaning at callum for singing bubbubbub.... kept saying he was speaking like a baby but he isnt much more than a baby! i feel much more reasured that he isnt alone and there are lots of tots in the same boat.

Love Debbie xxxx

OP posts:

eyelash · 02/09/2004 05:07

Debsbabe - My ds2 is 2 years 2 months. At 22 months he didn't even say what your ds is now saying but all of a sudden in the last 2 months since he turned two we have noticed a vast improvement in that he copies everything, and can now use basic sentences. I was not worried about his speech at all as he was able to communicate with us non-verbally by taking us to what he wanted, pointing, making faces etc. And it was obvious to us that he understood everything. I really don't think you have anything to worry about as your ds seems to have a pretty good vocabulary already.

BTW ds2 was an early crawler (5 months) and walker (10 months) as well so maybe there is something in the theory.

Gingerbear · 02/09/2004 06:07

DD is 2.3 and since starting nursery 1 day a week her language skills have increased enormously. Also her social skills have come on too. She is no longer shy when interacting with other children.
I am convinced toddlers talking with other toddlers helps.

She is also amusing us by repeating phrases adults in the family say frequently:

'Never mind, doesn't matter'
'Oh wow!'
and we have told grandad to stop saying 'Hell Fire'

kimi · 02/09/2004 22:25

hello debsbabe, i am new to MN so i hope you dont mind my input.
My DS2 said very little until he was 3 and a half.
DS1 did most of the talking for him and when DS1 was at school DS2 pointed to what he wanthd and screamed till i worked out what it was he wanted.
I went to my G.P and got sent to a speech center who said he was just a slow talked (DS1 was talking non stop by 18 months)
All of a sudden DS2 started to talk to us, he still says things that only i or DS1 understand such as mygot for yogurt (when i tryed to tell him it was yogurt he said no its my got not yours!!!!!!) He will get very upset if he has to keep repeating something and even DH cant understand him sometimes but on the whole he is getting there in his own time.
If you are really worried talk to your G.P or health visitor. Try not to worry too much (enjoy the peace) it will come when he is ready.

kimi · 02/09/2004 22:25

hello debsbabe, i am new to MN so i hope you dont mind my input.
My DS2 said very little until he was 3 and a half.
DS1 did most of the talking for him and when DS1 was at school DS2 pointed to what he wanthd and screamed till i worked out what it was he wanted.
I went to my G.P and got sent to a speech center who said he was just a slow talked (DS1 was talking non stop by 18 months)
All of a sudden DS2 started to talk to us, he still says things that only i or DS1 understand such as mygot for yogurt (when i tryed to tell him it was yogurt he said no its my got not yours!!!!!!) He will get very upset if he has to keep repeating something and even DH cant understand him sometimes but on the whole he is getting there in his own time.
If you are really worried talk to your G.P or health visitor. Try not to worry too much (enjoy the peace) it will come when he is ready.

Piffleoffagus · 02/09/2004 23:28

he sounds like he is going in the right direction, if you feel he understands more than he can say then he is just taking his time, for all we know he may be a perfectionist and prefer not to say anything until he can say it just right!
Emmy until recently had a very limited vocab, but in the last 3 weeks she has come on a treat and is happy to attempt words and syllables even if the all sound to the average joe like duh duh, towel, toilet and dinner are all duh duh!
I love it!