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Original poster

Speech - should I be concerned??

11 replies

poppyseed · 10/10/2004 20:48

OK, DS (17 months) has good understanding - can go to the bottom of the stairs when you say bath time, put things in the bin when you ask him to and wave bye bye along with doing basic animal sounds when you ask him but doesn't actually say much on his own. He is a bit of a, well...grunter .
I never shut up talking to him (poor lad ), as I'm sure that was the key indicator for DD talking so much!! I am also trying very hard not to give him what he's grunting at and encouraging him to say the word and echoing it to him again and again - just like I did with DD but am starting to wonder whether he's taking the mick tbh!!
He says 'more' and 'mamma' and 'dadda' along with wuff wuff, moo, roars like a lion, clip clops like a horse, and similar...
He was a lazy walker (15 1/2/months) and I wonder if his speech is a similar thing or if it's just a boy thing!?
Should I be worried? or is he doing things in the 'right' order? Mumsnet help and hopefully reassurance needed please!!
Thanks

OP posts:
musica · 10/10/2004 20:50

Boys are slower than girls in general when it comes to talking - at 17 months, ds had quite a few 'single' words, but his cousin was speaking in long fluent sentences. So they all vary. If he seems to have good understanding, then I wouldn't worry too much. Incidentally, dh didn't say anthing at all till he was over 2, and then came out with a full sentence!

Amfs · 10/10/2004 20:50

In answer to your question .. NO you shouldn't be concerned

he's only 17 months old poppyseed

if it helps my nephew started by talking backwards ...I don't know how to explain this .. but take a deep breath in and whilst you're breathing in form words .. that's how he began talking when a toddler ... sounded like Satch'mo (Louis Armstrong) .. really made us laugh

of course it all righted itself

just remember kids are strange .. and you don't need to worry about everything

Original poster
poppyseed · 10/10/2004 20:51

thanks - this is what I'm hoping!!

OP posts:
Original poster
poppyseed · 10/10/2004 20:52

Amfs - got a gold medal in worrying and hate it when friends compare

OP posts:
Fran1 · 10/10/2004 20:53

I think its a younger sibling thing isn't it? I know of two families whose eldest child talked all day long and one of them in particular could have really complex conversations about weird things he'd remember from weeks ago. And then the younger siblings both worried there parents as they were so opposite to their older children. But believe me, once they got going (i think about 2 1/2) they talked just as much!

I think theres a theory that the older siblings do a lot of the talking for their younger brother/sister and therefore the younger one doesn't need the language so much so urgently.

Sorry for waffling hope you can make sense of that!!

tammybear · 10/10/2004 20:53

ur ds is doing a lot more than my dd was when she was 17months. she's now 22 months, and can say about 5 words regularly, and assosiates quack with duck and woo woo with cars (my mistake, i should have said broom rather than woo!) The other day at dd's 21 month check up she just came out with car and plane when she was holding onto a toy car and plane and she's never said those before. he sounds fine to me

musica · 10/10/2004 20:54

poppyseed - know what you mean about the comparing! My father said something along the lines of ds being 'exceptionally backward in his talking' just because he'd heard some little girl talking nineteen to the dozen. But now ds is the biggest chatterbox you could imagine.

Original poster
poppyseed · 10/10/2004 21:01

Fran1 - totally understand the waffle!!
I too have heard that it's a sibling thing, although DS gets 1:1 time with me the same as his sister did really as she's now at school..... I have to admit though when she's around there's no getting in edgeways Just like her mother!!!
I know he's only 17 months but you do compare yourself don't you - it's only human

OP posts:
Jimjams · 10/10/2004 21:54

Don't withold stuff from him- grunting and pointing is communication- he'll speak when he's ready. You want to encourage communication- not speech. The main thing you need to worry about at his age is pointing- should be fully developed by 18 months. When he starts to speak you can watch the order the sounds come in (if you want to!).

Original poster
poppyseed · 11/10/2004 16:38

Thanks Jim Jams

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motherinferior · 11/10/2004 16:52

Think my dd2 is the same. Although I have to admit in some ways it's a relief. God knows what their dad will do when we're all at it

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