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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

Speech Development - 17 months and not really talking - Advice please!

26 replies

santaspregnantlittlehelper · 12/12/2007 12:58

My ds is just coming up on 17 months old. He says daddy and a couple of other words, but mainly sounds and doesn't appear to have the vocab range that he's "supposed" to have by now.

He can understand instructions well - like "swap hands" when he's holding something up, "standing up please" when he decides to have a bit of a crawl, "bring mummy the...." etc. He picks these up very quickly as well so I think he is understanding well, I'm just concerned that he should be saying more.

We have read to him since a few months old, and talk to him a lot, properly and very descriptively.

Is there anything I should / could be doing that I'm just missing???

OP posts:

dingdongmerrilyonFLIER · 12/12/2007 13:07

dd 18months has only just started, in the last couple of weeks, to say some more words, so I would say you're doing all the right things, and stick with it, just try to do a commentary of your day, plenty of talking and your ds will pick it up.

Original poster

santaspregnantlittlehelper · 12/12/2007 13:21

thanks. dh comments that i seem to do a running commentary on everything for ds so at least that's something

OP posts:

dingdongmerrilyonFLIER · 12/12/2007 13:24

I must admit that I was beginning to get worried that my dd wasn't talking enough yet, but now thats sh'es started there seems to be no stopping her, they develop so quickly at this age, although it doesn't feel like it when you think the'yre not developing quickly enough

rosmerta · 12/12/2007 14:03

My ds is 22mo and probably doesn't have as many words as other children his age. But I did speak to the HV about it when he was 18mo and she said that if he has good eye contact, can follow instructions and can say at least a few words then there isn't anything to worry about yet.

He can now say lots more words and has also started copying us a lot more. Keep doing what you're doing and I'm sure he will be fine! If you are still concerned then speak to your HV or GP (if they're helpful!)

hth

BroccoliSpears · 12/12/2007 14:06

I know a few children of that age who don't really speak much or have many words. It's not unusual, is it?

Tiggerish · 12/12/2007 14:08

Neither of my dc were talking at this age. ds didn't even say "Mummy" (although he did very occasionally blurt out a single word - vividly remember "weetabix" and "motorbike"!)

Speech really kicked off for him at about 20 months, and he hasn't shut up since!

dd was probably even later than that when she started, but she then talked in sentences almost straight away.

Try not to worry - he'll get there!!

TheIceQueen · 12/12/2007 14:08

DS1 didn't really "talk" until he was about 22/23 months old. Had a few words by 18 months, but not much. I think that boys (on the whole) are a little "later" that girls at talking, and as long as they're listening to you, and understanding what you're saying, as well as able to make themselves understood somehow (even if it's just a "ugh ffsd gasf" with holding their cup up to you and pointing at the juice) I wouldn't worry too much,

Philomytha · 12/12/2007 16:08

That sounds fine. If he can hear, obviously understands and responds to you, and makes a range of gestures, that's what counts. My son is 24 months, completely non-verbal and probably ASD, and you can see the difference between him and 'normal' late talkers quite easily. If your ds reacts when you call his name, points at things and looks at things you point at, those are all very good signs that he's fine and just a bit slow to get started.

Original poster

santaspregnantlittlehelper · 12/12/2007 17:02

thansk everyone that's really helped! you just read in all the blessed developmental things dc should be saying x number of words by 18 months blah blah blah and can't help but worry! I'm sure with the next one i'll be much more relaxed

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MrsBigD · 12/12/2007 17:38

santaspregnantlittlehelper... don't worry dd didn't speak properly until she started state nursery aged 3! And now I wish she had an off switch!!!

ds just turned 3 and he only started being intelligible aged 2.5y!

Every child develops at a different rate. We have friends who's dd you could hold conversations with at tender age of 15months!!!

rosmerta · 12/12/2007 18:08

tiggyhop · 12/12/2007 18:10

Neither of my boys said anything before two, the younger started talking then stopped and it wasn't till he was nearly three that he was talking properly. Both fine and chatty now. Little girl chatting in full sentences at 18 months. Please don't worry!

ChasingSquirrelsUpTheXmasTree · 12/12/2007 18:15

my nearly 23mo says (in the last couple of weeks) a grant total of four things - his name and his brothers name (and neither are clear, only the first sound), and approximation of again, and no (or nonononono accompanied by a very definate shake of the head).
ds1 was a late talker (although was more vocal than ds2 by this age) and I didn't talk until I was 2.
At 18m I would be more worried if they didn't understand or hear what was being said, or weren't at all vocal (NO sounds, babbling, noises etc).

Original poster

santaspregnantlittlehelper · 12/12/2007 18:56

o'h he's very vocal - chatters away to himself while pacing up and down with his hands behind his back like a little old man! and he most definitely understands a lot.

am feeling a lot better now after hearing all your experiences, thank you

we joke that one day he's going to reply to my constant talking to him with a really grown up sentence and that'll be the first thing he utters

OP posts:

WulfricTheRedNosedReindeer · 12/12/2007 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

maisiemog · 13/12/2007 22:59

was quite concerned about my DS, now 37 months, he didn't say very much at all for ages.
At one point we read that he should be using 50 'words' by two, these included sounds used consistently to describe things, such as 'woo woo' for dog. So we added up all the sounds and he was consistently using at around that age and he did use a good 50. However, other charts would say that he should be constructing three word sentences at this age, it's just nuts.
I would say that he was a late developer in terms of language, but seemed far too busy rushing around to bother sitting down and talking.
In the last few months he has come on remarkably and constructs quite elaborate sentences, using correct pronouns, tenses, prepositions, it's amazing.
Now I'm worried he can't draw a proper circle. When will it end???!!!
PS Wooh'oo Wulfric's Mummy [waves] He sounds gorgeous.

cadeLaideInAManger · 13/12/2007 23:08

ds2 is 17m.
He said "wow" on and off for about a week.....nothing since!
Have to admit i'm not in the least concerned, hadn't even thought about it.

fortyplus · 13/12/2007 23:09

My ds1 was talking in complete sentences at 18 months. My friend's ds1 2 weeks younger than mine hardly said a word until he was past 2 years old.

Guess which one is the genius...

...not mine!

gingerninger · 13/12/2007 23:32

I have experienced children who had little speech until they were four then the whole caboodle, complete sentences! This type of child absorbs everything and processes the knowledge internally, without seeming to need to practise it! How cleaver!
One of the precoursers for speech is muscle control, tongue, lips and pressure.

Make sure they eat lumpy chewy food
Blow bubbles, blow on balloons
Play games with sticking out tongue- Old MacDonald with tongue up down left and right for the eee I eee I oh bit. (you may need a tissue!)

As previous poster have concluded I'm sure this is within the developmental norms for a child this age.

stockings · 13/12/2007 23:57

You sound like you are doing a great job, I have a 2.5 yr old who is just starting to say string small phrases together and didn't say mummy until he was two. My four year old didn't really speak until he was 3 and has remarkable communication skills according to keyworker.

We read a book called How Babies Think which chilled us out and now we just take it as it comes and let them do things in their own time.

Einstein didn't speak until he was 4.

maisiemog · 14/12/2007 00:44

Bloomin' Einstein! He just lay in a pool of his own urine, in complete silence until he was 12.
I have used Einstein's as an example on many occasions, to get competitive mummies to shut up!

Original poster

santaspregnantlittlehelper · 14/12/2007 10:16

thanks again everyone. after hearing dh shouting maximum at the cricket this morning he's been practising mamumum! so i think we'll be ok. I know everyone will say enjoy the peace while it lasts

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santakbaby · 18/12/2007 21:11

Hi,

Ds is 16 months and doesnt say that much either. He calls everyone 'mam' can say moon,woof and oink, ball and boo and thats it. Does point to things while taking in gobbledy gook and repeats it if you ask what he said so he obv thinks he is saying something.
I was a bit worried about him as DD by contrast was speaking over 50 words by now but I guess they will catch up and as long as they understand what your asking then they are fine.

sannie · 19/12/2007 09:22

my 20 month old has only just started to take an interest in speaking and now he happily tries to copy words and like to point at words so we make the sounds for him ....it will come when your child wants it ;)

dippydeedoo · 21/12/2007 21:23

I have 3 sons eldest DID not speak til he was 4 and in reception class i was so worried we were at the doctos every wee as i imagined all sorts of dreadful stuff was stopping his speech as a nursery nurse it made things tricky when we visited my old workplace and its only now we laugh at how i used to talk for him ie "nicholas do u want orange juice or black currant?(nursery assistant) ohhh yes wed like orange wouldnt we nick go on tell claire orange juice please .....no request forthcoming from said child .......claire would say ok nicholas ill get you orange juice in your blue cup that will be nice wont it?
me....oh yes claire thankyou.....now u see why he never spoke he was enjoying the comedy show lol ...anyway by xmas of starting school he never shut up and is now (mummy boast here) talented and gifted taking gcses early......middle son spoke as per text book but with a lisp so noone could understand him except me-he too outgrew his lisp(speech therapy seemd to upset him so we stopped it )by the time baby 3 came along we were so busy he had to talk or else hed never have got anything lol and hes never stopped either all children are different and as long as milestones in other areas are reached generally theres no reason to worry.....my advice? STOP READING TEXT BOOKS LET YA BABY ENJOY BEING A BABY I WISH ID HAVE LEARNT THAT B4 MINE GOT OLDER .....

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