18 month old Speech delay

[Sheekshaikh]

Hi all I'm looking for advice/success stories/personal experience.

My DS turned 18 months yesterday. He will clap and give high fives. He usually claps when he does something and look to me and start clapping as if to say (look i did it) He will give high fives when you ask. He does not however point or wave. (he waves but not with intention usually) He has zero words. (no mama no dada) Babbles a tiny bit here and there but not much at all.

He loves people and will hug and cuddle. Can't sleep unless you cuddle with him. Sleeps through the night. We do very little screen time and when we turn it off he'll give me a pout face for a second but then will move on to his toys. His eye contact has never been a concern. Sometimes it feels like he can look into your soul.

He does not have any pretend play, does not stack blocks. He has very little if any receptive language. He will hand lead. He will grunt and just do some humming if he wants something. We are in Early intervention and speech for the past one month. He failed his hearing test twice (5 weeks apart). We went to ENT and he needs bilateral tubes (April 27th was the earliest we could get it)

ENT suggested we eliminate dairy. He has had one ear infection and would have what i thought was this linger cough and congestion. We were suctioning his nose multiple times a day. ENT felt that maybe he is not responding well to dairy. We went plat based for the past 1.5 week and he no longer has the congestion and loud snoring at night ( Still has some snore but not like before)

I know that every child is different and on their own timeline. We have started daycare three times a week (started a month ago) and still no words. They say he's "great" and " a joy to have in class". I worry that he doesn't have a single word at this point. Anyone with ear tube experience at his age? I guess I'm just looking for someone who has been in a similar boat.

We've not had experience of low hearing so can't help you on that one sorry.

It's good that he's having intervention and that going DF is helping.

I don't have any experience of hearing issues but my first child didn't say anything and didn't babble. At 22 months she suddenly out of the blue started talking and at four you would never know she was a rather late talker. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't give up hope, he may completely surprise you yet.

Thank you so much for taking the time in responding. I worry about his lack of receptive language. They say he hears underwater so I can’t tell if it’s because he can’t hear well or he just isn’t comprehending. We were speaking two languages with him but since 15 months of age we have stuck with English

Ah you might want to go bank to the two languages.

DC who are bilingual often speak later but there is nothing wrong with that and he will benefit more from being bilingual

I hope to go back to the two languages as soon as I see some signs of him talking. I think right now my worry and anxiety is at an all time high.

Hi
Please dont worry sick and please stop searching in internet
My son havent spoke a word till his 3rd bday
18 month !!!!!!!! talking? just give your child some time
he seems friendly happy fella ,thats all you need at toddler age
P.S. and God forbid you start searching for those stupid red flags in forums cause its total bs

@artemru Thank you so much for taking the time in responding. It's so so hard not to compare and not to go down to google rabbit hole with worrying. He had another ear infection few days ago. We go see ENT tomorrow for a follow up. He is learning and growing everyday and I pray he just needs time.

He is learning and growing everyday and I pray he just needs time. if he's exposed to two languages it probably is just time. Bilingual children do normally take longer to start talking

My Older Bro said nothing until he was 3.5yrs old. Then they coulsnt shut him up.
At 45 he now works at a prestigious UK school and is a high earner. A total extrovert and social butterfly. Can spark up a conversation with anyone, even a brick wall 😂
My poor Mam was so wprried ahe took him to the Gp who said he is fine and give him time.

I am raising our kids Multilingual 3/4 languages. Snd I have been made aware it can take longer as they know 2/3/4X what a child with one language would know

Thank you so much for responding

@Sheekshaikh I’m also in same situation, but he don’t have hearing problem. Did your son start pointing and waving ?

Hello.
i know we are stupid first time moms to worry more sometimes. But
there are so much things outside that we do worry for every development delay
my 17 month old does not have any word. No pointing. But yes a happy person ,

@ritcha which country are you in? If you're in the UK, have you seen Kent to your HV?

no i am in india.
and medical system is so different here. I am sometimes feel that they are more relaxed and do not notice things that require early intervention