19mth old can't say any recognisable words - should I worry?

[newmummy100]

My 19th month old girl isn't saying any words we recognise. She babbles (what sounds like Japanese) quite a lot but it sounds nothing like recognisable English words. She does not even say Mama or Dada. Most of the toddlers she is mixing with have some vocab by now. Should we worry? I'm pointing things out in the pushchair and she understands words (like 'No!' and 'dinner' and 'bathtime' and 'biscuit'!) etc.

Thank you.

Don't worry...she probably doesn't need to say much at the moment! Pointing is getting her what she wants and she is likely to understand everything you are saying to her. Just keep repeating and reinforcing words at very opportunity...especially with picture books.

Absolutely. As the parent of a late-ish talker myself I would urge you not to worry but keep encouraging her to repeat words for you. You could try getting her to ask for what she wants ... we so often anticipate our children's needs that they don't need speech! If she was totally silent, if she didn't seem to understand anything or you suspected she couldn't hear then you'd be concerned. Otherwise.... konichiwa

Don't worry - my godson didn't speak till he was three and he's perfectly fine. I know it's a worry, but as my mum said on Sunday to one of my friends, whose DS is nearly two and not speaking (although perfectly capable of understanding everything that's said to him), Einstein didn't speak till he was four!

Newmummy100,
I kid you not, I could have written your post word for word!!
My ds is also 19 months, also has no words not even mama/dada. He is also fluent in the same "Japanese" that your dd speaks!! Although he mainly prefers to use the universal "ga!"
I have no words of wisdom I'm afraid, just wanted you to know you're not alone in this world seemingly full of chatty articulate toddlers!
It's sooooo frustrating though (for them and us!)

Another 19 month old (DD) with no words. Well she does have one word - "NO". As in "no no no no" mummy doesn't have her glasses on. Or her slippers. Or anything that's just not quite as DD likes it.

Her wee pal says "DD's name" while DD says "Ba!". She does have very cute signs that she has made up herself, so when she's tired she puts her head to the side, or when sh wants to give DH a cuddle she hugs herself. But I can't wait to hear her say 'mummy"...

Sorry but I'm going to say something different. I think at the very least you should make sure that she can hear you properly. I had a 14mth non-talker who was diagnosed with severe hearing issues, only picked up because her speech wasn't developing. She could lip read at 14 mths enough to fool us all. Get her hearing checked then you know its just a matter of time.

Also focus on making her ask for things using her voice (rather than just pointing), if she gets what she wants by you pointing, she doesn't need to speak ?

my ds1 also said nothing at all until he was 2yrs and about 3 months. Then he started using sentences (simple things like "daddy gone work" or "dd sleep cot"). But I agree that it's worth checking hearing - one of cousins had hearing problems much like hatchypom says and didn't speak until late as a consequence.

Would like to say that My D was 2ish when she first spoke Mum or Dad... I was so worried I had tried reading every night to her and to be honest I thought she had a speech problem I even had her ears tested again .... I would like to say that at 3 she stared chatting little words instead of a ga ga words and now in year 2 she is TOP of her class... My advise to you is dont panic or push her just be patient. I found that books with pictures in asking her to say the words which she never did but I always said good girl and by and by she got it.... I know how you feel hope this helps