ds barely any words 16 months - should i worry?

[littlebylittle]

I should add that he signs twenty or so signs for the right things but just grunts or screams and points depending on how he's feeling. just so different to dd, I know she was a girl, but makes me feel that maybe I haven't been doing the right stuff with him. Sort of says mummy (mama rather than mummy but not much else.

Hi Little. I wouldn't consider myself an expert on the matter. I have ready a few articles (summaries or reports of but the actualy studies) and have talked to my sister (mother of biligual child and also a teacher). She is quite knowledgable on the subject.

I have definitely heard that it a send language. But probably, as in many things related to development, there are diffent views in the field.

I never really did signing with my kids. I think I bought some cards and thought about it, and then stuck them on a shelf. I think in the long run it is a good idea because it works the braing to develop an language which can be spoke as well as one that can be acted and these are both useful connections to be making in the brain.

Again, I'm no expert... so feel free to chuck what I have said. But, I do know people whose child refused to speak at nursery because she could sign. (much like my neice when she was three used to understand everything I said but refused to reply in English... )

Oh my. Sorry about the terrible typing.

Strix, signing has been proved to 'underpin' language development. It provides an file in the child's brain for them to 'hang' the word on. It doesn't slow down development of language at all. That has been proved and is accepted by speech and language therapists. It is not like spanish or French.

OP, neither of my children had words at 16 months and was fine by 20 months and the other wasn't. I think 20 months is a better yardstick. If your DS has no words at 20 months then a visit to the hv will kick off any necessary assessments. But try not to worry until then.

Casama, I'm going to believe the SALTs rather than the 'weaning' stand at a fair.

well, I have a now nearly 3 year old who didn't say anything until he was 2.5. I though him to sign when he turned 18 months and he couldn't say a single thing back then. He was gettting frustrated as we didn't meet his needs well, we'd give him an apple if he wanted a banana or something like that. I tought him about 10 signs (milk, teddy, juice, banana, etc) and the first words that he actually pronounced were the words that he knew in signs.

Language is a very complex brain development stage and some children don't develop that part of their brain at the same rate/efficiency as others. Sign as in Makaton sign IS NOT a language (as in British Sign Language which is a language). It supports some words that you speak, but you always have to pronounce the word clear and loud as you sign.

DS is almost 3 now and says too many words to count, but not clearly and not in groups, just with us. He is followed up by various specialists, and nobody every told me that signing was the wrong thing to do. That includes behavioural psychologist, speech therapists (who encouraged me to use Makaton signs), peadiatrician, various HV, educational psychologist, and a neurologist.

By the way, I started worrying at about 18 months, that he wasn't even babbling and not a single word. I mentioned it to GP at about 22 months old, and got referred/saw a SALT at 2 years and three months, just about. I am not normally a pushy parent but I was in this case as he still wasn't babbling at 2.5. He started babbling at 2.6 and saying his first words at just about the same time.

BravoJuliet of course you are going to believe SALTs although if you had bothered to read my post correctly you will see that it was actually two SALTs who told me this. It would appear that they can give mixed messages. I have in no way claimed any expertise nor do I vouch for these professionals simply offering up what I have been told as I felt it may help to relieve some of the ops concerns.

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Thanks for all the comments. On balance, I think I shouldn't worry yet, but I see there is a time to worry! I really should trust what I was like as a benchmark, as I said above, not much at two and a half, chatterbox by three, and so it continues! But I like to know all the views and appreciate the contrary ones as much as the ones that basically agree. That's what you get here, debate without people tiptoing round you so carefully that you ignore the blindingly obvious! Strix - like the bit about refusing to speak! ds pretty determined in his quiet way and I think he may continue going his own way until it suits him to do different!