20 month old not really speaking

[sobeda]

After having had 2 very verbal kids (now 7 & and 5), I am abit worried about the third, now nearly 20 months. He babbles constantly in a way that sounds like it should be English, but just isn't, understands everything we say including 2 step instructions, and says a handful of words (birdy, dog, bye-bye, bus, waffle (!?)). Usually I don't think twice about it, but every now and then I think he should be putting little sentences together by now and have alot more intelligible words. Should I be worried in any way?

I think 20 mo might be a bit young for sentences - don't those start at about 2? DS is 18mo and def at the babbling and odd words stage

www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml

DS1 was only saying the odd word at that age and now at 3 is talking well, similar to his peers. I don't think that you have anything to be worried about.

My DD is ths same age and apart from daddy, mama, teddy and na - says nothing at all. She is constantly babbling too and I've noticed in the last week, she appears to be directing some of this babbling towards us, pointing etc. as though she knows perfectly well what she's saying (though we don't of course). Like your DS, she understands loads and can follow instructions so I'm not particularly worried. She is also being raised bilingually (Welsh & English) though I don't know if this has much bearing on her inability to speak 'properly' yet.

i felt the exact same way as you ....DS turned 2 in october and its only the last couple of months that he has really started stringing words together. If you are really concerned (which you shouldn't be) then get in touch with your health visitor and ask her to do an assesment on him for you....she will tell you if there are any concerns.
everything will be fine x

Walk at one; talk at two. My DS said barely anything till after his second birthday then within two months he was saying loads and putting sentances together. Now he's 2.5 and talking really well.

My 22 month old is even further behind yours. Understands everything, cn make a couple of animal noises e.g. fff for woof, mmm for moo. He can say mum, dad, yes when asked to say them but never does unprompted.
My eldest two (now aged 10 and 8) were the same, didn't do anything until 2 and half years. When they got going they quickly caught up and now have a very good vocab and are too articulate.