18 month old not talking enough?

[Neel1411]

DS is 18 months old and he has still not said a complete word ... He says only half words (or only the first two letters of the word). For eg. Ball is "ba", cat is "ca", book is "boo". The only words he does say is "dada", "mama", "nana", "papa", "baba". I read somewhere that he should be saying 20 complete words by now! He says about 50 half words ... Should I be worried?

I wouldn't worry. DD definitely didn't say much at all at 18 months and I don't think DS did either. Between 2 and 3 they started saying much more.

Does he communicate with you (rather than using words?)

Yep he does. He understands what he should do and should not do. He follows simple instructions like "Bring this", "Keep that", "Come here" etc. Responds when we read books and points to objects and says what it is. But he just isnt saying full words yet. He doesnt call me mamma either. He knows I am his mama but calls me "nana" (coz he is with his nana all day long while I work?]

Definitely don't worry then

I think that lists saying what your children should be doing when can be a bit confusing as there is a really wide spectrum of what is fine and yet when you see what they "should" be doing if you are me you tend to worry.

DS is 6.1 and DD is 4.3 now and they both talk a lot

Thats re-assuring NoahAndTheWhale ... though I dont fancy the "talk a lot" phase . Anything to here that first full word though

I meant "hear" :D

I would regard what you call "half words" as words. Any sound which is used consistently to mean the same thing is classed as a word for this age. So 50 words is actually a lot! Also "nana" is probably just how he pronounces "mama"

Thanks Wallace. I was starting to get a bit worried. He says mama when he likes (must say it is lovely when he says that!!) ... but to call anyone (me or his dada) he says nana!

My DS had maybe 6 words at 18months, he would say, mama, daddy, up, that, dog, uh-oh, (maybe a couple more) although mainly just sounds rather than real words

his vocabulary suddenly exploded just before he turned two from this to over 100 words,

and now he is nearly three and this year has amazed me about how much his speech has improved.

please don't worry too much, my family and friends made me feel like he was really behind compared to other children, but now I know that I shouldn't have been worried.

Just spoke to my paed. He had seen my DS earlier today with his nana for a mild cold. He said that though the number of words (full words) he speaks now is not enough ... there is nothing to be concerned about at this stage. He asked me questions about how does he interact etc. I told him that he dances to songs on TV and plays with his 5 yr old cousin etc. So all in all, he has asked me to interact a lot more with him and talk a lot with him. I just hope and pray that DS will start chattering away soon. Just like he never crawled until 11 months and suddenly was running all over the house at 13 months! Fingers crossed.

At 18 months my DD only said mama and dadda. she's now 22 months and has suddenly stated saying loads. they will all do it in their own time and I'm sure that there's nothing for you to worry about - 18 months is still very young.

DD said practically nothing at 18 months, and is now managing simple sentences at 23 months; hold on in there!

My DS2 was the same at 18 months - still hasn't moved massively at 21 months, but there are new words coming. My mother is a speech therapist, and she asked me whether I'd had his hearing checked as he's not finishing words (ba(ll), da(rk), boo(k)) and my mother is concerned that he may not be hearing at the lower registers. I disagree with her as he's had two hearing checks - neo-natal and one at 1 year (my brother is deaf in one ear so it's standard apparently) and he passed both. He also understands fairly complex instructions, adores dancing and is very interactive, although he is just starting to throw things and have monumental tantrums, which I am sure is linked to his lack of speech.

I have two older children who are the chattiest children, both of whom were very verbal extremely early, so I think that part of his problem is that he can't get many words in - my mother has given me lots of exercises to do with him when the older two are at school, and has advised lots of repetition and interaction with him to try and help him along....

I think 18 months is still young though - they develop at such different rates. I'm not going to worry until he's two I've decided!

Those half words eg 'ca' for cat are surely full words pronounced by a baby.All you need to do is say,'Yes thats right ds,cat.'

Having just spent the afternoon with five 18 month olds (including my own!), your DS sounds completely normal to me. One of the toddlers I saw today is basically just babbling nonsense, and one of them can say whole sentences like "Mummy, get down" or "Granny sit now" etc. And my DD is somewhere inbetween.

Having just spent the afternoon with five 18 month olds (including my own!), your DS sounds completely normal to me. One of the toddlers I saw today is basically just babbling nonsense, and one of them can say whole sentences like "Mummy, get down" or "Granny sit now" etc. And my DD is somewhere inbetween.

Our DTs had about 40-50 words around 18 months, quite unclear many of them though. By their second birthday they were speaking in 5 word sentences. Telling us long stories every day. All day. It's sooo lovely
Don't worry, the 'switch' will suddenly be hit and you won't be able to get a word in!

Speech & Language Therapists (SALT) would tell you that any sound that your DS makes consistently which relates to a given thing, counts as a word. Your LO might not pronounce words completely correctly, but if you don't stress or correct him, but model the correct form of the word, e.g. DS (pointing): Ca, you: "That's right darling, a cat", then he'll pick it up.

If there is no improvement of pronunciation in the next 6-12mths, perhaps I would think about getting his hearing tested. It might be that he needs gromits (or however you spell that), for example.

Thanks all for your replies. Its encouraging to know that many children are / were the same. But these milestones can get your head in you know!

I have been talking to DS constantly. And I think I never realized until now ... but he IS trying to say the full words. I told him "puree" today morning and he said "pooee" .... Well .. a ray of hope!! I hope he starts chattering away soon.

Completely normal!! he can say much more than my DS - he is 2.4

My DS will not repeat anything at all. I think he can secretly speak but won't!!

Bet he'll be babbling like mad soon (yours that is not mine lol!)

Why are you worried? He says 50 words!

Why did he see a pead for a mild cold btw?

@amialoneinthisone - Coz I am a paranoid mum ! It's been there for quite some time now and I am travelling tomorrow. Didnt want it to get worse while in flight or vacation. He still has a stuffy nose though. Hoping it clears soon.