12 month old doesn’t say any words yet

[Duran31]

Hello, my LO turned 12 months a week ago and he isn’t saying any word sounds yet. He also hasn’t started to point towards objects that he wants etc. Every time I google this it immediately brings up the suggestion of autism. Has anyone experienced the same with their child and could offer any advise? Is this just a case of every baby is different and takes a bit longer or should I be speaking to my GP?

Thanks!

Please don't worry yourself this is normal. One of mine didn't really have any words until almost 2 but then they came thick and fast and he doesn't stop talking now.

Thank you everyone, it’s so helpful to read all of your insights!

I think the obvious answer from all of your posts is that all babies are different and this is OK! I’ve booked a call with the HV just to make sure and to check his hearing as suggested! xx

Dtds didn’t speak until 2 with twin 1 refusing words until we met the health visitor to discuss my concerns where she proceeded to speak in sentences! They’re now 9 and I can’t shut them up! Honestly, don’t stress.

Mine didn't say any words until he was about 18-19 months, he's 20 months now and doesn't stop 😂
Only recently started pointing at things I was a little worried too but everything is fine, they just learn in their own time I think

@Duran31 Please do not stress! I have a 20 month old with no words and no pointing. We got concerned about 2 months ago and obviously ended up on the same search engine which was less than helpful! Needless to say I self diagnosed him with autism and a severe hearing impairment....

2 months down the line, he babbles a lot more, he now says uh oh and copied a lot of the things we say just as we copy him, he responds to his name a lot more, he understands more of what we ask of him and his eye contact has significantly improved. The only things we have done differently is to try and encourage non-verbal communication with him and copy him when he babbles we babble the same thing back.

He has spent his entire life focusing on movement, climbing stairs, walking, walking up and down hills, speed crawling... My final diagnosis - hes male and way too interested in everything else to bother with communication but I have every faith that he has no hearing impairment and is not autistic.

@Itisbetter

I would say it’s not “fine” and you should take him to the GP and say you have concerns about his development.

Nb autism is not the end of the world even if that is the cause, but there are MANY other conditions that could delay communication and most are significantly helped by focused support(eg a child with hearing impairment given hearing aids early can learn language at a more age appropriate time)

This is rubbish

I have a DS almost exactly the same age (turned one 10 days ago) and he doesn't really say any distinguishable words in context. He makes a lot of sounds and babbles and I could claim that he says Mama and Dada but I think they're just noises rather than words. I'm not concerned yet because he's very engaged with people and I'm sure the words will come in time. He's very active and never sits still and is always clambering about and I definitely notice that he's much quieter when he's going through a phase of learning how to do something more active like crawling or walking.

DC1 had glue ear and didn't say any words until 19 months. With hindsight it was obvious he had hearing issues, the only sounds he made were 'dadada' , so no 'mamama' or 'gagaga' etc. What range of sounds does your DS make?

I was directed to the progress checker here ican.org.uk/i-cans-talking-point/progress-checker-home/ where you can check how your DC is doing versus expected milestones.

DC3 is 13 months and not saying anything. He's only just started pointing - he is very focused on physical movement and does make the normal range of babbling sounds so the HV wasn't worried at his 11 month check.

Which bit @mrsmummy1111 ?

@Itisbetter

Which bit *@mrsmummy1111* ?

"I would say it’s not “fine” and you should take him to the GP and say you have concerns about his development."

What motivates you to say it's not fine? And later on down the thread comment that it's "unusual"? My son was under the care of SLT for reasons unrelated to speech, but I have mentioned his speech to her on numerous occasions (he is 15m and not saying any discernible words other than mama/ dada / baba etc) and a qualified speech and language therapist has told me on MULTIPLE occasions that actually, it is absolutely "fine" and not at all "unusual". especially not at 12 months when the OP doesn't suggest any other delays other than pointing (which actually is considered moderately advanced for 12m).

Unless you had any real reason to suggest that ON ITS OWN, not saying any words at 12m was a concern, please don't make comments like that as it's completely unfounded, not to mention incorrect.

12 months with no discernable words isn't that unusual. 12 months with several words isn't that unusual! 12 months with no pointing isn't that unusual, 12 months and able to point isn't that unusual. 🙂

Also, it's a very small sample but my DC1 who is autistic developed speech and pointing bang on schedule. He had some words by 12 months.
DC2 who is NT also developed speech and pointing on schedule and could only say wheeeeeeeeeee at 12 months. I can't remember about pointing.😂

DC 3 is currently 11 months and has a few words but tends only to use boo. He isn't pointing yet.

What motivates you to say it's not fine? because that is my opinion @mrsmummy1111 which is why I started the sentence with “I would say”. I’m motivated to say it because the OP is asking for people’s opinions (not a single opinion) and I think I would take him to the Dr. My personal experience is somewhat different to yours. I have a child who is autistic and has language and communication difficulties. OP describes a child who has no words and doesn’t point at twelve months. Reassuring her that “nothing is wrong”, while it may come from a kind place ISN’T kind. You simply don’t know what, if anything, the boy may be struggling with. A GP will have a much clearer idea. So MY advice based on MY experience is to go and express your concerns to a qualified Dr.

Fret not, OP, very few babies talk at 12 months. I did (apparently) but none of my 3 DC did and all were very chatty once they got going. Same with most of our peers.

After 3 lots of non-stop toddler chatter, I can only say enjoy the quiet while it lasts

Sounds normal to me. DS babbled and did make some ma/da/ba “words” but honestly really wasn’t sure if they counted as words.

I found his language came in bursts. About 15 months he just woke up with a load of new words, and again at around 20 months. Now (coming up 3) his language is excellent and beyond many of his peers. Getting him to shut up is the issue

@LifeIsBusy your son sounds much like mine. I’ve also diagnosed mine as male. It’s not unusual for boys’ speech development to be slower than girls’. My son has just concentrated his efforts of his ninja climbing skills.

@scubalubs87 I thought there had to be other little human out there that were the same. I think we only got concerned because most of the LOs we know are girls and if you compare the two up then you see the differences but where my DS will walk up and down stairs and run their LO is still grasping a slow toddle and a roll down the stairs so I'm less concerned and thankful for the quieter days as I'm sure there won't be many months of those left. Did you worry about your DS?

Mine is almost a year. She babbles constantly and has started to point. She does Dadadada and mumumum but not in context. No actual words. She does have a specific sound for the cats and the hens but it’s not a word.

Out of our NCT group only one says actual recognisable words so far-she does a variety of animal sounds (woof, baa, moo) and ball. The others inc mine just babble nonsense.
They are all fine

Anything up to 24 months is fine. DS didn't get going until about 22 months and he's fine. My dd with ASD was using proper words at 9 months.

Not talking at 1 year old is fine but people saying not talking by 2 years old is fine... really? My daughter is 2 this weekend and speaks in 3 word sentences, over 200 words... I know she might be a bit ahead but yes a 2 year old should be speaking and no words at 2 would be a concern and flagged up at their review

You've scared me! My boy is 12 months and can only say 'dad'

He doesn't point either !!!

@Duran31 do you have an update ? :) x

Hi @Alice4417

He just turned 5 yesterday and talks non stop 😂

We did however take him to speech therapy from 2 where he was eventually diagnosed with autism and a phonological speech disorder.

His speech is prefect now and he was discharged from speech therapy last year. He’s a very intelligent, happy any social little soul :)

Hope that helps x