Any SALTs about? 18 mo seems muddled in language - any clues what’s going on?

[Oversizedhoodie]

Tinges of guilt here as for large parts of lockdown dh and I had far too little time with the kids because of work / no childcare so wondering whether over dependence on the CBeebies square au pair a factor and please say if sounds like overthinking!!!

Dd is 18 months and has about 30 words - I think the normal enough range of toys, animal noises, up, bye etc. She just seems quite muddled with lots of it in a way I’ve not seen in other kids or older DC.

For example she will wave bye bye but often after people have gone, or for no obvious reason just walking round the garden rather than consistently to people leaving and never said hi. She sings her version of wind the bobbin up on loop, but especially in response to anyone singing any song mixed up with an occasional “argh” from the “if you see a crocodile” bit of row row without any obvious awareness she’s singing a different song or tune to others. She says no when it transpires she means yes despite having the word yes and has a few words we can’t really work out that seem multi purpose for look at that, come here etc. She points at things she’s interested in or wants but also just randomly for no obvious reason or at anything I can really identify.

I’m not worried as such because she doesn’t seem frustrated, can get her point across and is a happy and easy going little person who seems to be meeting all other milestones. I’ve wondered about hearing but she responds to her name and sounds consistently so seems unlikely. She’s back in nursery now since lockdown and seems to be getting more words each week and it might well be something that works out just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences or suggestions on if this was something to keep an eye on? Thank you!

I’m not a SALT but I don’t think that sounds that unusual for the earlier stages of taking? My LO is 22 months and is a pretty good talker but he’s only just started saying ‘hi’. I also remember that he it took him forever to actually say ‘goodbye’ to the person, rather than after they were long gone. I think the singing thing is probably just her trying to join in as she knows it’s a song but just sort of assumes they’re all the same at this point so any words go!

Ah thanks I appreciate that. I think it’s just with lockdown we’ve not seen any other babes her age for so long and at drop off the other day a baby months younger said hiya as we came in... forgotten how much variation there can be at different ages... I’m a teacher and spent all lockdown desperately trying to make sure all my classes and year groups were ok and just feel like I’ve been a bit neglectful... and the wind the bobbin up thing really does feel constant and a bit mad and the random waving bye bye for no clear reason but am sure is one of her phases as she works it all out!

SLT here. Yikes, you have quite high expectations of your wee one for 18 months! 30 words at that stage is very good. Remember they're learning language but also playing with it so might try out words that "feel nice" or have a good ring to them, or break into a random jolly tune.
Keep chatting to her with simple sentences and words and she'll likely sort out when to use things in the right context.
When she uses a made up word for e.g. "look", just model the correct word to her ("look!") and then respond to her to show her you have understood.
Warning signs would be if she's not interested in interacting with you at all.

Oh thank you - that’s really kind I appreciate it. Think combo of lockdown and residual anxiety from when she was really little (was in hospital for a week w meningitis at 4 months and they discharged us from its advice to “keep an eye”) sent me bit nuts as don't remember anything about how first born spoke or when or worrying about or even noticing much at all. She’s swapped the singing for walking round saying shush with her fingers to her lips or turning away then quickly back and saying boo so yeah, think it is all experimenting. She interacts all the time, she’s a chatty little smiley thing I just had a sense of missing something. Anyway, thank you!!

Noooooo don't be daft! This all sounds like perfectly normal playing with language and imagination totally in keeping with her age. My 27MO still does half this stuff. She didn't even attempt to sing songs until age 2 and even now she rarely bothers to sing any properly the whole way through. Honestly don't worry. She sounds right on track. Some kids aren't even attempting to talk at 18MO

Thanks everyone this is so helpful. There’s only a few “words” where I think I know what she’s saying, most of the time it’s an almost constant stream of babble and I don’t know if she even means anything by it, just string of different sounds and inflections. She uses yes and no with me and mama and bye bye and starts games with “boo”, and dropping things to say “uh oh” but most of the other words are for animals or toys she sees, so it’s not like she’s using all her words every day or anything just ones she has over a week or so. Anyway - think am over thinking, really helpful tips and will keep on playing with her and using short sentences - thank you!