DS 18 months old and no words

[bookworm1982]

Hello, should I be worried? He babbles and grunts etc, but doesn't say any words. He understands a huge amount. He's quite aggressive, and I think that could be a sign of his frustration of not being able to communicate. My family are putting me under pressure to get him checked and it's upsetting me.

Thank you! Xx

Hi, OP. I had the same with my 18 month old and asked the health visitor for advice. She referred him for a hearing test and for some speech and language support. The support has been really helpful and he’s really coming on now. I found it all very non-stressful and everyone was very helpful.

What’s stressing you out, the fact your family is on your case, or that there might be something wrong?

I would get his hearing checked and start him on the pathway to speech therapy. DS wasn't speaking at 18 months, didnt put two words together until 2.5 and only started talking in sentences before he was 3. He still cant form many sounds so most people cant understand him and we are still waiting for speech therapy even though we started the referral process at 2.5 when the hv did his 2 year check. DS has great understanding and a good vocabulary but he cant vocalise it.
If your child suddenly starts talking as some do great they'll just discharge you from speech therapy, if he doesn't at least you are in the system ahead of many others who children aren't picked up until school. The sooner you get the speech therapy (ideally around 3-4 years) the better in terms of outcomes. I speak as someone who had speech therapy.

I went straight to the GP for a referral to paediatrics for two of my three. It could be hearing or speech delay due to something else or nothing at all. But once you're plugged into paediatrics you'll get answers and tools to work with. In the meantime, try visual cards (they tend to be used for ASD children who may have difficulty communicating their needs). I am not at all suggesting your child is ASD. But I used them with my own children at this age and it really helped them to identify things and use their words more. The effect was very swift and positive. It really worked in getting our youngest in particular to get his language moving.

I think it's upsetting me because I didn't really think there was an issue because he babbles and understands so much, but now after a bit of Googling and pressure from family I'm worried I should have done something sooner.

Thanks for all your replies - was it only speech that your children were delayed with, or were there other issues linked? X

As long as he understands what you are saying, our HV said not to be too worried.

Looking back at my first DS I’m surprised I wasn’t more worried as by 2 he was only saying 3 words but as he didn’t go to nursery I didn’t know this was slow... now I compare him to my youngest he was worlds apart in talking.

My eldest now talks non stop and arguably better than most his pals.

Speech and language therapists tend not to see kids until they are at least 2 anyway.

Just talk to him as much as you can, listen to kids music, etc

My DD had no words at 18 months and only a handful at 2yo check so was referred to SALT. 7 month wait and she'd started talking in the meantime so we were discharged! They won't refer till 2 here at the earliest.

Just keep on talking lots, reading books, action songs. I used to give two options so she could point at what she wanted. I learnt a few signs too to make it a bit easier (things like more, drink, finished).

I don't think they'd refer at 18 months anyway, it's definitely within the realms of normal. If he has good understanding and reacts to sounds then that's all good. Have you thought about doing some signing? Might help ease his frustration with not being able to communicate.

He sounds normal to me but it's always worth pursuing support in case you do need it. Isn't there a saying - walk at 1, talk at 2? There is also a huge difference between children at that age. My firstborn son was similar but has no problems at 4 now. My second born daughter was speaking in sentences at that age as she copied her brother.

Have you tried some makaton signs to help ease the frustration?

Its difficult to say OP. I understand the pressure from family. DS 1 didn't speak. He didn't babble, he rarely made communication type noise at all tbh by the age of 2. I want worried but everyone atound me was and they did not stop going on about it.

He had a hearing test (fine) I was told things to be mindful of - does he respond to his name? Does he point at things, understand what you are asking/telling him to do. Follow 2 or 3 stage instructions (at 2.5) He did all that, he seemed to be bright, but not talking.

I took him to a SALT drop in session at 2. They said he had a significant speech delay. I thought it was rubbish tbh, and it was. At 2.5 He said 2 words. A couple of weeks later, he was reciting entire books, counting, saying the alphabet, and holding coherent conversations.

18 months is quite young for Salt to be interested, ime, I think they refer from 2 . At least in this area.

My 22 month old has no words bar some animal sounds. She has a vocabulary of hundreds of words in her head. She can identify an insane amount of animals, items, actions, body parts etc. But all she say is 'baaah' or 'ttttiiissss'. We have been in touch with the HVs, and her nursery. It seems that none are worried and they will just review her at 2 years and if she needs a referral to a speech therapist they will do so then. Basically, nobody pays much attention until 2. Just keep talking to him, reading, doing colours and shapes, and giving him instructions like 'put that in the bin' or 'can you put your cup on the table?'. Cognition seems to be the main thing, and the speech will be looked at after 2.

My 19 month old has no words either and his understanding isn't amazing. The only words he has is meow, boo (for boob), mummm, gih (for pushing things away as if he is saying go away) and ello when he holds my phone to his ear to pretend talking to it. I have an appointment end of this month about his speech but he is also being brought up in a bilingual home.

Don’t assume that SALT won’t be interested at 18 month. Ours were.

Beyond the hearing check, which you should ask for, they won't do anything with such a young baby. In fact, they don't tend to start speech therapy until much later unless you pay privately. Reality is that thousands of kids don't speak very well until they are 4 and there isn't enough cash to 'treat' all of them. My son was one of those who didn't develop many words, and the ones he had were pretty incomprehensible. We finally got help once he started school, but by then he'd pretty much decided to start speaking on his own so it wasn't needed.

I’ve got a list saved of about 11 words that my DD could say at the start of lockdown in March. She was 22 months at that time. Now she’s 2yrs 5m and her speech is absolutely snowballing! She used to recoil when people asked her to repeat words back to them but now she copies everything we say (or at least tries to). And she’s speaking in sentences. But at the time (back in March) I had a friend with a daughter at a similar age (few months older) who was able to count to 20 in Spanish and could speak in full clear sentences and that sent me into a major spiral of worry There really wasn’t any cause for concern. They usually advise to wait until the 2 year review and you get a referral from there. That’s the advice I got on here anyway when I posted about this.

@86jabberwocky

My 19 month old has no words either and his understanding isn't amazing. The only words he has is meow, boo (for boob), mummm, gih (for pushing things away as if he is saying go away) and ello when he holds my phone to his ear to pretend talking to it. I have an appointment end of this month about his speech but he is also being brought up in a bilingual home.

I’ve heard this can cause a slight delay! I used to play shows in Spanish to my DD but stopped for a bit as I was worried that it was confusing her and she was getting frustrated with not being able to communicate

@DoTheMaccaroni

I’ve got a list saved of about 11 words that my DD could say at the start of lockdown in March. She was 22 months at that time. Now she’s 2yrs 5m and her speech is absolutely snowballing! She used to recoil when people asked her to repeat words back to them but now she copies everything we say (or at least tries to). And she’s speaking in sentences. But at the time (back in March) I had a friend with a daughter at a similar age (few months older) who was able to count to 20 in Spanish and could speak in full clear sentences and that sent me into a major spiral of worry There really wasn’t any cause for concern. They usually advise to wait until the 2 year review and you get a referral from there. That’s the advice I got on here anyway when I posted about this.

You’re describing my son! He’s now starting to repeat things and speak a bit. He’s going to Nursery with 2-3yo kids and I think it’s helping him. Before lockdown he was with below 2 whose language is more limited

My son is bilingual. I’d say 75% English and 25% Spanish and he can understand both languages despite he doesn’t speak Spanish yet.
I know bilingual kids are slower so that’s why I never worried (well sometimes I did :) but each kid has got a peace )

I’d not be worried op yet if he’s understanding is good.

Try teaching him some basic signs (makaton) in the mean time. It might help with his frustration if he can learn to sign things like "more" and "drink" etc. My friend works with SEN children but taught both her NT children basic signs before they could talk and it worked really well for them.

My DS was pretty much the same - had hearing test and had glue ear, some grommets and speech therapy and by the time he started school he was fine. Don't put off getting him checked the NHS wheels turn slowly as these services are in high demand. All the best to you and your son.

I would seek some advice, best to intervene early if you can.

DS2 had no words at 18 months, so we took him to the gp who referred him to SALT and audiology.

The guidelines at the time were that no words at 18 months merited investigation. I don’t think it’s too early to flag it. SALT ran through the M-Chat screen for ASD when they saw him. Audiology found some issues with glue ear.

He’s done speech therapy privately and his speech is ok now (age 7). I would say still less sophisticated than some of his peers but not something I worry about.

SALT seemed pretty overstretched so it may be worth considering a private SALT if you can afford it, depending on how it goes.