What could your DC say at 12 months old?

[BambinolovesBeccie]

I'm trying desperately hard not to worry (and not google), but I am a little concerned about DS' speech development. He has never really said any clear consonants such as mamama, dadada and I'm starting to wonder if he ever will. He kind of babbles things like ga-ya-ah and makes - mainly incoherent - chains of noises to himself (especially when eating or in his cot in the morning). He'll also look at us and say "aaah" in a tone of a question IYSWIM, so he is vocal but not in the traditional sense.

I'm sure his hearing is fine as he will turn and look when we call his name and if I ask where daddy is, for example, he will look for him. If I say "give to mummy please", he'll hand me what he is holding so I'm sure he can hear me.

He's just turned 12 months and is a lovely happy giggly boy (with the odd tantrum as to be expected)and does, on the whole, make a lot of noise (squealing, laughing), just no words or anything leading up to one. I'm just wondering if this is unusual and when I really should start to worry.

Many thanks

Absolutely not yet. DS2 turned 1 at the weekend. He can "say" aaaa, eeee, aaaaba type things but nothing recognisable as a word. 12 months very young and I'm pretty sure DS1 wasn't saying anything by then either. All the communication you are describing sounds great.

Think you're meant to get it checked if they can't say a few words by 2, and even then sure you'll hear stories from other MNers who had DC's with no words at 2 and everything turned out fine.

Sounds perfectly normal to me. DD1 was considered VERY advanced as she had 2 words at 12 months. Don't worry, he'll get there!

The great majority of kids don't say anything coherent at 12 months. He understand you and uses intonation. Sounds about right to me.

Stop worrying and enjoy him

very little! ds was pretty much as you describe, he had nothing that was really a proper word. starting kicking in a couple of months later. he's now 2.8 and doesn't shut up, has vocab well beyond the average no of words. don't worry!! your ds sounds completely normal.

How about animal impressions? I still remember the hv laughing at dd1's 12 month check when I said the only animal noise she could do was a fish! She didn't have any words by then either. But she was still a pretty early talker and sentence maker, and you can't shut her up now. I do try.

No words at 12 months. At all. Animal noises slightly later. Did signing at about 14mo (pig, mostly)

Didn't utter proper words until 20mo, not nearly 26mo and won't stop.

Enjoy this peaceful time where they don't say 'cake! cake! one more cake! pleeeeeeease????'

seriously though, don't worry x

12 months? Nothing, at all, either of them.

Thank you so much.

Stirling, my DS was 1 on Sunday, and he says "eeee" too. Well, he's not said it for a week or so but used to say it every morning with a big grin

Hmmm. I think I am expecting to hear the ma, ba and da, and because I'm not, could be seeing a problem where there isn't one.

My 14 mth old says 'Mama' 'Dada' and 'Bye'. She understands loads, though, I think. Don't worry. My DS didn't utter a word at that age.

Not a damn thing DD is 15 months old and the only word she can say clearly is 'car' and that is very recent, she only said it a few days ago. Otherwise DD is exactly as you describe your DS. I don't think you need to worry at all

My DS will be 1 next week and so far says 'bleurrrruu' and blows raspberries. I wouldn't worry.

He doesn't do animal noises just yet, but if I smack my lips together, he'll copy me. I feel quite relieved now. Thank you.

If it makes you feel better, DS didn't say anything until he was nearly 2, although he could clearly understand us. His first word was 'Helicopter' and he hasn't looked back since!

DS2 is 16 months and doesn't really say any proper words - and we know his hearing is okay because we've had it tested twice in the last 6 months because of ear infections.

Nothing at all.

Neither of mine really started talking until they were almost 2yo.

Don't worry, he sounds very normal (and charming)

who told you that 12mo can talk?

What could my dd say at 12m? Nothing at all.

Now she's 4 and she won't bloody shut up.

I am so glad I started this thread as am so relieved, I must have been worrying more than I thought! Great to hear that DS is like many of your DCs at that age.

My exceptionally early talker could say a hadful of words at 12 months (started at 9 months with "dar" for star) was talking in clear long & complicated sentence by 18 months.

I then had 3 normal children none of whom said much before 18 months!

Milk, Book and Mummy.

But none of them sounded anything like what they are meant to sound, more like Maaaahl, Bah and Mimmy. And actually, she was considered rather a genius for having three words at that age. Sadly, the genius trait seems to have vanished and she is now a perfectly normal three year old.

Just to add to the general opinion, DS2 is 14 months old and says 'dada' and that has only started in the last couple of weeks.

DS1 also didn't have his first word till he was 14 months and very few until he was 2 - and then, seemingly overnight, his vocab exploded (personally I think it was because he moved into the big room at nursery at that time)

PureAsColdDrivenSnow, funny enough, it's my mum that is making me wonder. She looks after my niece - who is a month older than DS - and all she goes on about is how much DN can say. She reckons she said mama at 11 months. She may well have done, but I wish she'd stop telling me all the time, then saying, "DGS is such a thinker"

LadyinThe Radiator, yes, I was worried. I'm sorry, PFB and all that.

Pure I know 2 children who were talking at one, siblings

sibling 1 first word :sausage

sibling 2 (on his first birthday) first word: balloon

Very unusual and quite odd actually to have a tinie saying more milk please