Hello!
I’ve been a munsnet hoverer for a long time and it’s helped me in so many ways but this is my first post in the hope of some more direct/targeted reassurance!
my daughter is 20 months old and has about 30 words.
some of these are noises for animals or the names of the dogs/her doll and these are used correctly but most of it is social queues and phrases (hiya, bye, all done, see you soon, high five, night night, cheers, cheese 📸 etc .. often with actions)
she’s good at pointing, raising her arms to be picked up. Comes running arms open when you ask for a cuddle. Gives a kiss when you ask for one. Can bring a ball or a book when asked or will put the balls back in the ball pool when asked. Will sit down when asked.
asks the dog for his paw and tells him to sit. Says no when she doesn’t want something or when she’s telling someone off 😅 says yuk when she doesn’t like something and ‘mm nice” when she does or when she wants something. Ow when she hurts herself. Points to her nose and says nose. Calls her doll poppy.
eye contact is great, very social and seeks out the company of others. Will read a book to her doll (in her own language) but prefers to play with someone.
responds to her name.
babbles endlessly and really does seem to be telling quite dramatic stories but in her own language 😂
she was very early at walking.
my neice is 8 months older and was much slower to walk but has always been ahead with her words etc. it’s hard not to compare the two even though I know the age difference is massive. I find myself trawling videos trying to see where my neice was at the same age.
im a highly anxious person and I can spin out about things. I contacted some speech therapists in the hope that I might put my mind at rest (doctor wasn’t concerned but she did have to check the milestones on her computer because she didn’t know and said bring her back if she doesn’t join words by 24 months).
.. soo the speech therapists haven’t put my mind at rest really. And say she should have 50 words at this point. One has really worried me by saying that a lot of her language seems like learned phrases. The social phrases she uses more out of routine .. like knowing when someone leaves you say bye but not actually knowing what it means. And that this is a learning style some children have which I have of course googled and it can be a sign of autism which I had ruled out up until now to be honest!
she hasn’t seen her in real life as she’s not in the area (I had hoped this would mean impartial advice/not pushing for an appointment) there is a speech therapist near by I am considering an appointment with after an initial phone consultation but I’m scared of being there for an hour and my daughter saying NOTHING and me ending up even more worried!
I am now feeling even worse than before as 60% of the things she said which I clung on to now seem like more of a negative sign.
she doesn’t say things to communicate a need like “more” or “up” but she does use gestures for these. She walked at 11 months so maybe never had to ask as much?
am I being crazy!? I can’t help myself and I’m making myself sick and see myself looking for clues confirming the worst. I just want to fast forward a couple of months to a point where she’s hopefully clearly communicating 🫣
I know a lot of it is an issue with me and my worrying but I just can’t help but spiral and am feeling pretty ill from all of this.
any help or advice or similar scenarios would be amazing.. or just another mum to talk to.
my family and friends all think I’m mad