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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

I'm very worried about my 17 month old son's speech

9 replies

BethsBoys · 04/01/2005 15:00

ds2 is 17 months old and says "dada", "mama" and "ba". He understands everything I say to him and points and grunts to indicate what he wants. I label everything for him, but he has no words, or any interest in talking. Is this normal? ds1 had many, many words by 17 months.

OP posts:

clary · 04/01/2005 15:03

if he says dada mama and ba then he has some words, surely. children do vary and my pet theory is that they excel in one area and not in another so much. DS2 has always been fantastic at gross motor, early walker etc, but at 20mo doesn't say that much. But more every week. I'm fairly relaxed, tho like you cannot help comapring to DD, who has always had plenty to say....

flatmouse · 04/01/2005 15:03

DD is the same, also 17 months. Comprehension is incredible and she can make her feelings and requirements well known, but very few words (just developed "No")
Not too bothered. It'll happen when it happens, and i think as 2nd child quite likely to be later in her speech than DS was. After all, why bother talking when we all understand her?

Gobbledigook · 04/01/2005 15:03

VERY normal. Don't worry! Neither of mine said anything more than that at 17 months either. DS2 is 25 months and just putting two or three words together - his vocab really built up between 21 and 24 months I'd say but then he came on really quickly from there.

DS1 is 3yrs 10 months and said coherent words much later than some of his peers but his vocab, diction and articulation are now way ahead of some of them.

Gobbledigook · 04/01/2005 15:05

The key at this stage is can they make themselves understood (ie through pointing) and also if they can follow simple instructions - like 'can you see your shoes', 'where is the book'.

welshmum · 04/01/2005 15:05

I spend a fair bit of time with two lovely little boys who are now around 2 and a half. They seemed quite a way behind my dd with their talking but all of a sudden it's all spilling out. It's like they've been biding their time and now they're confident enough to chatter happily. They both have really good vocabularies too. I'm not an expert by any means but there's an anecdote for what it's worth.

Original poster

BethsBoys · 04/01/2005 15:07

I said to him this morning - 'go and get your shoes and sit on the step so I can put them on for you'. Off he went, got his shoes and sat on the step grinning, holding out his shoes for me. (I didn't point at the step, or his shoes). But no real words....

OP posts:

Blackduck · 04/01/2005 15:09

BB ds is nearly 20 months - he's got mum, dad, Beuys (the dog), nana (banana), duck, 'row row' and a few other words, but not much more, however he clearly understands and can make himself understood - so if you're worried, I should be in a major panic (and I'm not....yet...!)

Gobbledigook · 04/01/2005 15:16

Bethsboys - he's fine! In fact that's brilliant because he's actually moved on a stage and can follow more than one instruction! To both get his shoes and sit on the step is pretty good!!

You've nothing to worry about! Honest!

tortoiseshell · 04/01/2005 15:43

Sounds absolutely fine - understanding and pointing are the keys. Dd is 17 months too, and doesn't have much more than mama, dada, up, nana etc. Like your little boy, she understands pretty well everything that's said to her.

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