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Behaviour/development

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

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Original poster

Is every one else's 14 month old talking or are parents talking crap?!

44 replies

bohemianbint · 23/10/2007 06:47

Just wondering - a message board I used to go on has tales of babies of around 14 months saying up to 20 words!

Hmmmmm. My wee chap says many things, but nothing I would (even in my proudest moments) call a word. He understands a surprising amount of what I say to him - if I tell him to brush his hair or teeth, or pick up his blanket, he will, but he certainly isn't telling me what he wants for tea or passing comment on the weather.

I try not to worry about stuff like this - but are other kids really reciting the Gettysburg address? Really?

OP posts:

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sunshineonarainyday · 23/10/2007 07:15

Hmmm, I would be a little sceptical of this. My DD (3) could say a few 'words' at 14 months but mostly only things we could understand. My DS is now almot 16 months and is saying nowhere near as many words as she was at the same age. He says Mama and Dada and tries hard to say his sister's name and that's about it! Oh and he said Moo yesterday when he saw a cow.

Like your DS though he does understand an awful lot.

I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Olihan · 23/10/2007 07:29

My ds1 could say at least 20 words by 14 months, most of which were intelligable to anyone. Dd, otoh, had less than 10 words at 19 months and only we could understand her. Like every developmental milestone there's a huge range in what is 'normal' so it's feasible that they may be doing that but there is absolutely nothing wrong with your ds if he isn't, especially if his understanding is so good.

starshaker · 23/10/2007 07:32

my dd is 2.5 and she dosnt really say that much otoh my mum says i was speaking from 9 months and ive never stopped lol

Wallace · 23/10/2007 07:43

my 14 month old can say at least 20 words. Some of them ver clear and could be understood by anyone, but some not. A word at this age btw is defined as any sound that is used consistently to mean something, so your ds could say "ffffgibblewob" to mean "bath" and it is still a word

It is amazing how much they understand, isn't it?

kerala · 23/10/2007 07:50

Says and understands a few words. Read her a story yesterday and when we came to "bumped his head" she rubbed her head without prompting. Points out birds etc

Wont walk though...

Eddas · 23/10/2007 08:04

well some kids this age do but not that many I wouldn't haevthought and many parents count those 'words' that only they understand.

I would think my dd was saying this many words at that age. Can't remember TBH but she has spoken for a long time and now at 3 is talking non-stop [rolls eyes]

I really hate the competitive my dc can do xyz, can't yours. Really not helpful. They do dfiferent things at different times as they concentrate on one thing at a time but that could be walking/talking anything really. Just try to carry on not worrying

lucyellensmum · 23/10/2007 09:05

bohemianbint (great name) - the development charts say 20 words by 18 m - i would personally like to burn the development charts!!

My DD only had about five words up until she was two. She did have some speech therapy, and it didnt really make any difference, she seems to be doing OK now - 2.4 and using three word phrases [proud]. I used to be upset when i heard two year olds speaking in full sentences, but ive learnt that there is a wide RANGE of language development, and 99% of the lo's do it at their own pace.

The thing is, mums like to boast their lo's milestones, i am tempted to open a thread to boast because DD can draw pictures of her daddy (well at least that is who she says it is!!) but it does make the rest of us a bit insecure about things.

I would just enjoy your DS, he sounds fine to me. You can encourage speech by talking to him lots (i bet you do that anyway ) and offering choices - "juice or water" that sort of thing really helped with DD. But it really doesnt sound like DS has a problem tbh.

Blandmum · 23/10/2007 09:09

It waries so much from child to child.

dd at 14 months had far more than a 20 word vocabilary and at 18 months was using 7-8 word sentences.

ds was very slow and was only picking up the odd word at 14 months

colditz · 23/10/2007 09:12

My 18 month old says NOTHING understandable to anyone else - his words to me are various combinations and alterations to "Worr!" and "Nung!"

omeN666 · 23/10/2007 09:15

some can at that age,,dd1 could say about 2/3words, ds didnt say anything until he turned 2 and would swear dd2 is trying to talk at 9mths.
There is a mner on here whose just 2yr old talks completely clearly and has done for quite a while,makes me think dd1 is behind even though she isnt.

muppetgirl · 23/10/2007 09:19

My son didn't say much at all until he was 2 ish, then within a few months he was coming out with complete sentences and hasn't stopped since. He's now 3.7 and very very articulate.

The health visitor att wanted to refer him due to his 'delayed' speech.

My ds too understood everything said to him but he did spend a lot of time just observing what other people did -does yours do this? They are still taking things in even if they aren't saying much back.

WriggleJiggle · 23/10/2007 09:22

dd did have quite a lot of words that were understandable to strangersat that age. However, she was 'late' with other things. Don't worry about it, they all do different things at different times.

Original poster

bohemianbint · 23/10/2007 09:37

Ha - he isn't qute walking yet either! Although any day by the looks of it.

I heard a story about Einstein not speaking til he was 3 because up until that point "everything had been in order". Perhaps it's because I'm trying to make him learn Mandarin and advanced calculus all at the same time?

Cheers for all the feedback, it's fascinating how different they all are...

OP posts:

muppetgirl · 23/10/2007 09:39

That's true wj
My friends son can ride his bike without stabilzers at 3.9, can write his name adn is fantastic at colouring in BUT he is very emotionally immature in that he tantrums for England, hits his friends and parents.

My son is articulate, emotional very mature (OOOOOO he's manipulative!!!) fantastic climber, sociable BUT he's bloody minded.

They are all different adn let's face it
-we love them for it

colditz · 23/10/2007 16:45

My 4.5 year old sounds like a three year old (although good vocab), has the social graces of a 3 year old sometimes, can assemble K'nex like a nine year old, and is going somewhere with his learning to read.

They all learn in fits and starts.

TheMadScaryHouse · 23/10/2007 16:49

Oh first time parents, they really need a t-shirt of something to warn you about them. I remeber worrying about every development stage with DS1.

with DS2 just going with the flow - I think it is swings and roundabouts to be honoust - he is 16 months and only started walking last week, however, is a real chatterbox whos favoraite word is cuddle - he even goes up to other mums at toddlers and asks for one

minouminou · 23/10/2007 17:18

As long as he's acquiring language - and that means listening and understanding as well - then he sounds alreet to me.
I was a noticeably late talker, but am now a renown gobs*e who absolutely revels in language, so don't worry.
your son's taking it all in and, like other posters have said - once he starts - he won't ever shut up!
for the record, my 12 month old ds has been saying "bye" for about a month, but that seems to be it for now, although he knows people's names etc, and i expect he won't add to his repertoire for a few weeks yet
don't fret - and don't listen to anyone else - especially if they make you feel bad!

sammysam · 23/10/2007 17:21

my dd (15 months today) says nothing (except if you count barking when she sees a dog.....or cat for that matter!) but have just come from friends house whos dd (3 days older) can say 20 words and 2 word sentances-in some in english and some in dutch.

my dd undersatnds a lot of words but has a short attention span-you can ask her to point at things/parts of body and she does but only when she wants but friends dd will go through way more without even tiring-just 2 very different little girls!

Roseylea · 23/10/2007 17:24

(sorry to sound awful, but...) My dd was talking a lot by 14 months. I remember her doing funny voices by the time she was 18 months old (when ds was born) and knowing it was funny because it was different to her normal speech. I remember her strutting around in my shoes, carrying my handbag, 18 months old saying "I am a lay-deeeeeeeee" in a haughty, posh voice!

Ds was much more average in his speech development.

Blu · 23/10/2007 17:29

Bohemianbint - the ones with garrulous 14 month olds are enjoying saying so, so are turning out in force. Most 14 month-olds will be needing an interpreter to be understood by anyone but adoring parents. It isn't 'expected' that children talk at 14m.

imo.

dontwanttogetoutofbed · 23/10/2007 17:30

my daughter is 13 months and she talks and talks and talks - in her own special language that only she understands! she does not say anything that we understand. she did say dummy once and cookie once and otherwise she doesn't even say mummy or daddy....

RustyBear · 23/10/2007 17:36

I have a video of DS at 13 months. He had learned to press the button on the remote to turn the TV on & off, but we blocked the infra red reciever thing. On the video he tries to turn the TV on, fails, and very distinctly says 'Bugger' That was actualy the first word he'd said that we thought we recognised...

DD on the other hand had several very recognisable words at that age - the downside of that is that she's never stopped talking since...

chipo · 23/10/2007 19:31

DD is nearly 16mo and says daaaad for (you guessed it) dad, mumumumum for mum and dooh (a la homer simpson) for no. She understands alot which I think is just as important. So don't worry about it too much. I'm sure he will get there soon enough.

harleyweendemon · 23/10/2007 19:39

my little guy is nearly 14months and says mama, dada his brothers name, his own name (cant manage the 2 girls names though), dog, bird, car, nan for banana, cup very clearly
and a variety of other words that i can understand but nobody else would.
all of mine spoke early though.
i dont think its that big a deal really as by the time they're 2ish they all are on the same level anyhow

pigletmaker · 23/10/2007 19:46

mine sometimes says a word once, and never again like

window
cooker
chair

and then he says things frequently like "yes" "dada" and "I did it"

I thought I heard him say this morning on his way up the stairs in the dark with his dad

"I can't see anything" but I've been assured he did not...

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