How Many Words Should a 17-month-old Say?

[FardadFaravid]

I'm curious about the typical language development for a 17-month-old. How many words should my toddler be saying at this stage, and what are the key milestones I can expect in their language acquisition journey? I want to ensure that my child is progressing appropriately and am interested in understanding the range of normal speech development for a toddler of this age. Additionally, are there any activities or strategies I can employ to encourage and support my child's language skills at this stage? I'm eager to foster a healthy language environment for my little one and appreciate any insights or advice you can provide.

My grandson is 16 months and doesn't say any recognisable words yet.

https://speechandlanguage.org.uk/talking-point/parents/ages-and-stages/

about 20

I believe at 18 months they think around 5-20. But all children are different. My DD was a very early advanced talker and had many, many more than that. Others I knew barely had one or two at the same age. Once they're in school, and especially now they're teens, it's irrelevant, so try not to get too hung up on numbers. Just chat to them loads and give them pauses to respond, even if it's just babble!

My dc1's vocab was huge by 18 months. Chattering away about anything and parroted back anything said to them impeccably.

Dc2 was grunting "charrrrrrge!!" And running up walls at the same age with far less language but lots of energy!

My son barely spoke until he was 3 then started speaking in complete sentences.

My eldest had maybe one or two words at that age.

Believe me, you can't shut him up now, so I wouldn't be concerned yet!

He was living with 4 adults at the time, who were engaging and talking to him constantly, so I almost think that it's because his every need was met so he didn't really need to strive to communicate.

Communication is more important than words. Are they looking, pointing making appropriate babble. They could be learning and storing it up to surprise you.

My eldest was apparently advanced but she never struck me as such. Went on to gain a first class honours degree in Language and Linguistics so I guess the health visitor was right 😂. She went to a school that taught the deaf children in mainstream. Everyone got to learn sign language from early on hearing impaired or not.

Rather frustratingly she taught her younger sister to sign. Her younger sister does have a moderate learning disability. Younger sister preferred signing over using words. I was basically told to chill as she was communicating even though she didn’t have many words. She did go on to needing Speech and Language therapy because of her disabilities . Language skills are understanding verbal communication and being to respond appropriately. Size of vocabulary is less important.

Hi @FardadFaravid

This was always a stress for me as my NCT group was girl-heavy (4/6) and out of the two boys, one had a disability (corrected now) which impacted his speech. So the girls seemed to be a lot more advanced than my DS.

At eighteen months, DS only had around five words - I think they were tractor, hiya, mummy, daddy and cat. He did acquire a lot of other words between eighteen months and two and he started to put two together at around 22 months but only in a very basic sense - bye bye mummy, hello daddy. He had around 70 words by the time he turned two which was fine - average is fifty, but I was still fretting a bit to be honest.

He very recently turned three so I can say the journey between being two and three has very much been a language one. The first part of the year (two to two and a half) he continued to pick up more words and put them together but still generally only two word sentences - I remember a stage when everything was noisy, noisy daddy, noisy car etc. And the no stage - NO yoghurt, NO tea, NO bath! His language exploded at around two and a half where he just suddenly seemed to acquire more words than I could keep up with. Between two and a half and three he’s become I suppose fluent we have reciprocal conversations, he sings songs, he can discuss things (obviously at a three year old level)

In terms of language development, you probably know nursery rhymes and reading are two biggies. How you speak to your child can be helpful too - if you look at kids TV presenters they have that quite high pitched, enthusiastic sort of tone which is hard to keep up indefinitely but does help, as does looking at them when you speak (not always possible!) Also don’t worry about using sophisticated language as hearing words in context is how people learn.

About 20 words would be typical, but the variation can be huge.

To encourage language, read a lot and repeat words. So if your toddler points at something, say the word clearly a couple of times.

Also just talk your way through activities by clearly saying what you’re doing. “Look let’s put some milk in your cup.” While you’re putting milk in the cup!

And don’t be concerned at this age. Just be aware.

Around 15-20 words at 17 months, I remember that age clearly because we went away on holidays. It was mostly nouns like teddy, duck, bird, bucket etc and a bunch of animal noises. Nothing really useful.

He had a language explosion at 20 months and that's when he began forming sentences and really communicating.

You are way overthinking it. Toddlers are learning speech patterns. Words will come and go, it doesn't matter how many. It's not even a milestone.

My DS didn't speak until he was three, at which time he said, "I want something to drink!"

Honestly not much. At all. Maybe 5 words semi-reliably???

We found it hard going as:

1. We were early speakers

1. Big contrast with peers.

DD's baby 'best friend" was saying all sorts "love you" "yes please" "no thanks" "bye bye mummy" "book please" "open door" and could intelligably sing nursery rhymes like old Mc Donald!!!!

In contrast DD was like " ugurrrrr mummy" <while staring directly at my husband> 🙈 and could basically say mummy daddy, hi hi! And bye bye!

but Dd's understanding was good. She could follow instructions and showed other queues of good intelligence (copying adults, knew routine, knew destinations of familiar travel routes) we focused on this not "no. of words"

At 18m (and she has never said he word since... she 21m now) my DH had a fry up while she had cereal. He couldn't read the room/her annoyance and eventually she very clearly yelled "SAUSAGE! Saus-aaaaaage! SAUSAGGGEEE!!!!!" With a little grabby hand out straining for his plate 😅
Once I'd laughed my head off, I realised she was building up a big lexicon even if she wasn't using it.

Speaking explosion at 19/20m and can now name a lot of nouns (socks, book, door, lock, people's names etc etc) and has accrued utility words (more, again, THIS! <Points frantically at object>, UP!!!!!!) Has 20+ words easily.

We do bedtime books (flap books like spot the dog) and started a bit of miss Rachel as genius baby best friend watches it a tonne and had since 8-10m. My friend genuinely reckons it's why her DD is so articulate! I was skeptical but I do think miss Rachel has improved Dd's language skills. 🤷‍♀️

I don't know why but I think my 17-month-old boy should say more words because my girl who is 5 years old now, started to speak a lot of words when she was 17 months old.

Please stop comparing and give your kid a break!

Stop stressing. Read read and read

My first.. a ds had 10 words on his second birthday. I wrote them on his baby book. My second ..a dd was speaking in full sentences with meaning and total dialogue at two. My ds now works in an industry...marketing..where talking is his main skill. Dd rarely talks in her line of work as its mostly writing.
They are all different and often boys are a bit later as they may be inclined to focus on physical development.
Read/ Chat/ Sing/ Rhymes etc. Watch TV with songs and interaction for children.
One tip l heard was put things a little out of reach at times so he has to ask for it...not to the point of frustration but now and then. Don't talk for him but don't become obsessed about him talking either. Generally chat about what's happening in the day in short sentences and have a good response to anything he says. Eg in the supermarket talk about what you are getting like oh we need milk. Lets go and get some milk etc. Turn everyday activities into a talking opportunity without overdoing it. And listen to him! My pet hate as an older person is hearing a child say something again and again to their parent and get no response as they are not listening.

Children develop at very different rates. At 17 months they might not be saying any words at all.

The average age for a first word is 12 months, but if by 17 months they don't have any words it doesn't mean there is anything to be concerned about. Some children don't speak at all until 2 years +.

Girls also tend to develop language faster than boys, as a whole.

Just keep talking to him a lot, talk about what he is doing when he's playing, basically give him a running narrative. If he picks up a red car say "that's a red car, brum brum" etc. Read with him and just interact with him a lot and he will pick it up.

If he gets to 2/2.5 years old and still doesn't have any language at all, that is when you could start thinking about seeing the GP.

For now, I really wouldn't be worried.

My nephew didn't have a single world at 18 months, not even mummy or daddy.

He's now about to turn 2 and he's got heaps! It was literally like it happened overnight.

My DD was putting up to three words together at 18 months and now at 2.5 you can pretty much have a conversation with her.

They are all different! I've noticed in my friend group that the girls tend to be talkers and the boys movers. My DD was so late to get on the move and I worried myself sick, my friends son who was born a week before walked before she had even crawled! I look back and wish I hadn't worried because they all focus on different things and get there in their own time.

Just keep talking to him, as much as you can!

Ah comparison. The thief of joy

Don't do it. They're different children. He'll be using his brain to develop in other areas - gross motor skills perhaps, or observation, or imagination.

"language acquisition journey"? Nah, just talk to them, read books when you have a moment. He will be fine.

One of mine was fairly fluent at 18 months, the other could barely rub two syllables together. It never occurred to me to compare them, they were different humans.

One of mine never said a word until he was past two, the other was chattering away at 18 months.

You wouldn't be able to tell which is which now.

I said nothing at all until my second Christmas (I was born v. premature in April) so 20 months. My parents weren't sure if I could speak at all. I could feed myself with a spoon though, and apparently from my high chair declared 'I like churkey!'. To general amazement. No stopping me after that. The nurse at the clinic asked me 'what my mummy called me', not expecting an answer, and nearly dropped me when I piped 'pwecocious'.

I've not idea about 18 months.
But my oldest's 2 year check was, at that point in time, "does he have 10 words". He didn't meet that requirement. I believe it's subsequently changed to 50 words.
About 6 months later - so a year from where you are now - he suddenly started in sentences. Now on track for 6s and 7s at GCSE.

Mine was the same.

His language though is still dodgy because he has autism but he can tell you the most complex information he's memorised!