Worried about lack of speech

[fireandbrimstoneetall]

Hey, just wondering if I should be worried? Dd is 22 months and is only saying single words. Or short phrases like 'bye bye plane'. She seems to drop the end of her words too, so bottle becomes 'bot' and friends are 'fre'...

Her other baby friend are speaking in sentences and I am getting more and more worried...

She's a very active child and physically she is way beyond her peers, thinks nothing of scaling big kid's climbing frames and throwing herself down massive slides, she's a good swimmer (as much as a nearly two year old can be) etc.

Not sure whether or not to be worried that her speech seems to be so far behind? I'm a single parent, working full time and her father is not allowed contact for safeguarding reasons.

How can I encourage her to speak more?

Thanks.

I actually found this yesterday it might help you www.talkingpoint.org.uk/ages-and-stages

There's loads of good advice on this thread, sure I'm probably just repeating. So I repeat things loads, constantly talking to him (I don't shut up 😂) and we read lots, it's always been a bedtime routine to read a book (he now likes 3 books a night 😂) and I ask him questions, if he says dog, I ask him what sound dog makes, what colour it is ect.

He has a bit of tablet time, lots of nursery rhyme things he joins along with, so try find catchy things and even sing with her in the car (wheels on bus, miss polly ect) and actions to amuse them and get them involved (even during tantrums). Also amazon have loads of flashcards (I've got a few Orchard toys ones but the Alphabet flash cards are very good).

Lastly try not to worry so much, she is pairing words together that's right on target for her age. Soon you won't be able to stop her talking :) x

So basically I need to resign myself to the fact that she is behind 😢 again,physically she is streets ahead, can swim nearly a width on her own, will do anything physically, she can spin on one foot and can climb anything... but she can't flipping well talk!!

She won't sit still anymore for a story. She uses it as an opportunity to jump up and down. I've given up on getting her to sit still.

Also. We have a dog. She used to be very excited about coming home to the dog.now she doesn't even care. 'Dog' is repeated in monotone

As another example, she had a tantrum whilst getting changed after swimming today, and one of the other mum's asked what colour her socks were...she had no idea, or she couldn't vocalise it. The other kids all said 'pink'....

She is completely normal from what you have said.Who is judge no and saying otherwise. Enjoy her, sing with her, read stories and stop worrying.

I think you are getting really worried and there doesn't seem to be any need to be, many posters have said that she is on target for her age.

My first ds had single words only at 22 months. He is fine.

Gosh, lots of children don't know their colours until they are three ish!

So basically I need to resign myself to the fact that she is behind 😢 again,physically she is streets ahead, can swim nearly a width on her own, will do anything physically, she can spin on one foot and can climb anything... but she can't flipping well talk!!

She can talk though! she may be dropping words or ends of words but she is talking and observing. As long as she is sharing things with you and is engaged then you have nothing to worry about. It'll come.

You mention she doesn't sit down for story time, that's typical of her age so don't worry about that.

Keep talking to her, play with her and enjoy her. As a mother of an autistic daughter I know a little about this and she sounds on track. You don't need to resign yourself to anything, and if you're really worried in a few months then talk to your health visitor.

Thanks. I feel slightly better. I know it sounds stupid, I feel like I am letting her down by having to work full time, I will def try and speak to the health visitor if nothing gets better. Though I've got no faith in them, the hv when she was 9 months told me to put salt in food...!

There is almost certainly autism on her father's side..: it just worries me. Not that it would be an issue, but it would make life more difficult.

As Lilies says, I find it tends to be walking or talking that children concentrate on and then the other follows later.

What do her caregivers do with your DD? Does she go out and play with other kids or anything; is she stimulated and spoken to at the setting?

Simple things for children of that age are best. Go for walks and talk about what you see; trees, flowers, bugs. I swear I don’t know why Ladybird don’t recommission Talkabout books; I loved them as a child and they are great for stimulating conversation. Have a look in second hand book shops maybe - or here are some <a class="break-all" href="https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Ladybird-Series-735-Talkabout-4-Book-Collection/273905692146?ul_ref=rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&pub=5575376664&toolid=10001&campid=5338268676&customid=EAIaIQobChMIqez9lsL05AIVx7HtCh2ncwBsEAQYDyABEgIs6_D_BwE&lgeo=1&item=273905692146&srcrot=710-53481-19255-0&rvr_id=2126418674924&rvr_ts=79e4e0cc16d0ac3c66a69a7ffff39c96&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=f10a364d-edd4-4a5d-9d8d-f338dcd265b9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> on eBay? Rhyming books are good too; Bunny-Fluffs Moving Day was one I read often to my DS.

Here is quite a good Article about Stimulating Speech

I've got no concerns about her nursery. They are great, and they speak to her all the time, they do loads of stuff. They go out, have workshops who come in, she is with kids her age.

Just made a connection, her key worker left this week. Perhaps might explain why she seems to have dropped her language? Grasping at straws here!!!!!

At weekends, I am conscious of talking to her. And doing stuff. We do swimming on a sat, but she loves that. And do another physical activity on Sunday's. I just find I am so exhausted that the tv is the best option when I am trying to catch up ok chores or making her lunch/dinner.

Noo don't get disheartened, as someone has already said toddlers can only do one or the other, it's either physical development or the talking. My DS2 certainly couldn't swim a width if we stuck him in the pool.

She's only little, just work on what you can with her and she'll soon pick it up. Nursery has been a big help for us, she'll soon start to copy others.

Actually iirc if she was behind, nursery's would of made a point of talking to you about it and getting the HV involved (remember my nursery telling me this when DS started).

She's not beind, honestly! At the second birthday they should be saying at least 20-25 words and putting two words together IIRC. She is doing that from what you say.

I don't think a hearing test would hurt if you want to ask your gp but I also seem to remember unclear pronunciation at not quite two is also fine, children tend to be speaking more clearly by 3.

Perhaps your friends' children are ahead and this is worrying you? Why not ask her key worker? Nurseries see lots of children and they have some training in early years development.

Your child sounds completely normal OP- my daughter is 26 months, only now really putting her single words together.

Ok my DD watches TV and iPad her speech is great ! Don't panic about screen time you sound like u do as much as u can with her and obviously you have to work and still get stuff done around the house
I know 2 22months old one boy one girl both of them hardly say anything more just one word sometimes a couple put together but not like my daughter was at that age
Write a list of the words she can say it will probably surprise you how many she actually knows
I'm guessing some of her friends are a couple months older because that's when the speech can take off
Alot of good colour learning videos on you tube I swear by them
www.babycenter.com/0_your-22-month-olds-language-and-cognitive-development-listen_1273356.bc

She sounds totally normal. My DS didn’t have any words until 2. He then started with some very incoherent words such as haha for sausage and let for juice. Within 3 months he was using sentences and within 6 months he was completely coherent and talking like everyone else.

It will come when she is ready. In the meantime unless she watches hours upon hours of tv and no-one interacts with her ignore any advice you will read about things to help. Interventions at this age have very little impact, when she is ready she will do it.

My daughter was saying similar at 22 months. She didn’t even say mama / mummy etc until about 15 months. She’s now 28 months and talks in full sentences, lots of questions etc. Her speech seemed to explode after her 2nd birthday.

FWIW we have always had no screen time, I’m pretty much a SAHM and we read loads - I really doubt a bit of TV here and there has caused any delay for your DD. She sounds like within the ‘normal range’ - it’s just a very big range as they change so quickly!

My son only spoke a few words until he was 2 and then out of nowhere spoke full sentences almost over night (and then hasn't shut up!!) Try not to worry- they all develop differently but if you need reassurance then take him to the doctors.

Her not him

She sounds perfectly normal to me, that's about average for her age. Most kids have a speech explosion between 2 and 2.5.

I will also say once they start speech does rapidly progress - please stop comparing

I’m surprised people are even suggesting she is behind. Sounds quite normal to me. My youngest only had single words until after he was 2. Now at 3.5 is a chatterbox.

Have you discussed it with nursery and asked them what they think? That would be my first port of call not MN. Some do just talk a bit later and if you lead with physical skills then there is in the mind of a baby less need to talk because they just get what they need. Also once they really take off with speech they learn dozens of words a day. Mine both talked early (one freakishly so) but they aren't geniuses. The earlier talking one actually does less well at school.

I guess if you are a single parent there is less natural speech in the house as you aren't talking to anyone so make an effort to talk to her, but probably you already are.