19 month old speech

[Vicky1989x]

Anyone have a 19 month old with hardly any words?

My DD can say:-
Mama
Dada
Ba (for ball)
Bath (well, not the full word but close enough)
Vroom for car
A bunch of animal sounds

Keep reading only she should have at least 20 words at this point.

She points, claps, waves and understands complex instructions. No concerns over her hearing or understanding.

Should I be contacting HV at this point or is it normal? People keep acting surprised at her lack of speech.

She was 4 weeks premature if it’s relevant.

My 20mo is pretty much the same.

Some kids have lots of words at this stage, others not till 2 and a half. Always worth chatting to HV but I think they will tell you not to worry.

Discuss it at your 2 year check up with the HV. My son was only saying Mumma I think at that age. Our HV followed us up again a few months later then referred to speech therapy (in my area they only accept referrals once 2 years 4 months old). He turned 3 in October and is now doing so well with his speech at home (social situations are a different matter), with huge progress especially over the last 6 months. So some just need a little longer to take it all in and gain the confidence to try saying more words out loud. I know it can be hard but try not to worry too much while still so young. Do you have any other concerns?

Thanks all.

@running3 I’m glad your son is doing much better! Not really any other concerns, I mean, she’s a little weird but what kid isn’t? It’s mostly other people making comments. She understands everything and does do a few signs that I taught her.

My 17 month old doesn't say anything yet.

I did, turns out she can’t hear very well but it’s glue ear so an easy fix.

Animal sounds do count as words. Sounds like she's doing well.

My DS made almost exclusively animal sounds until he was nearly two. A few words as you say but not much else. Now (age 7) he does not stop chatting (EVER) 😂 always worth a chat to the HV but sounds totally normal.

My 20 month old is similar. Animal sounds and some baby signing but in terms of words - Daddy, Mama, doggy, yeah, there, uh-oh and that's about it.

My (just)17 month old understands everything but only says...

Mama
Dada
Hiya
Bye bye
Baba (when he sees a baby)
Bah (ball)
Ruff (dog)
Juice (for any drink)
Na na (no!)

Plus makes a feeble attempt to say his siblings’ names!

Thanks everyone, nice to know it’s normal! Didn’t know animals sounds counted either!

My DD speech just took off when she turned 2yo. In the space of a month she is now speaking in small sentences. Dd refused to copy words and only would say mum, dad and a lot of verbs like up, down, off etc and wouldn't say any nouns for aggggeeessss. The main thing is that she understands everything. My friend had a similar experience with her DS when he turned 2yo x

My DS is 20 months next week and I could’ve written this post. He says mama, dada, duck, ba (bye) and baba (peppa). I am trying to be relaxed about it as he understands everything and signs/ points for what he wants.

My DS was like this. Then just before his second birthday - boom. Suddenly gained about 150-200. Same massive leap when it came to sentences. Literally came overnight.

He's got great vocabulary now from all the reading and talking.

20 months here, about the same. Does say much, says odd dada, bah for bath etc

*doesn’t say much

I found speech didn’t come in a gradual build of words. Dd just suddenly at about 2.5 started talking in full sentences. She’s not given me a minutes peace since. I wouldn’t worry yet

My ds didn’t talk properly until he was nearly 3

When he was at school he was diagnosed with dyslexia. That was what caused his speech delay. He’s fine now!

HV told me there's a lot of speech delay in children due to the pandemic.
My DD doesn't go to nursery, watch tv (apart from Hey Duggee) or see family regularly so not that surprising she doesn't speak much.
She's 21 months and so far only says mama, daddy, hello, bye, paspa (pasta), stick, poo and ta.
Very glad to hear animal noises count as that's pretty much how she communicates.

My 20mo is also the same. I'm not too concerned as it seems theres a huge range. They will get there in their own time! DC has started to repeat a lot of words just in the last week or so. Only a few weeks ago the nursery told me they were concerned he was a little delayed. Some kids walk early (mine did), others will talk earlier. Just whatever they're interested in.

HV told me there's a lot of speech delay in children due to the pandemic.
My DD doesn't go to nursery, watch tv (apart from Hey Duggee) or see family regularly so not that surprising she doesn't speak much.

I’m not sure any of those things have much bearing on speech development to be honest. Children learn to talk first and foremost from their primary caregivers, not at nursery, from watching TV or seeing family.

I don’t think speech delay is caused by lack of nursery or tv in a 1 1/2 year old. Unless needed for childcare, very few 1 year olds go to nursery, and tv isn’t even recommended for under 2s ( yes it’s watched, but if lack of tv was related to speech it would be suggested they watch it more, not less).

We live 1000 miles from family, so covid or not, Ds wouldn’t be getting any speech input from them

Paediatrician where we live said that speech isn’t even accessed here until 2 1/2 as they don’t see it as a milestone to measure before then.

OP, your DD sounds a lot like mine. At 18 months she had about 6 words, and very good understanding. Now at 22 months she's picking up new words all the time, starting to link then together ("read, mama, me" whilst waving a book) and using her words to tell us what she wants such as which drink or demanding a banana.

Your DD is doing great more words will come with time.

@Caspianberg @lllllllllll Those we're all examples given to me by the HV and other early years input as reasons why she might be delayed. Mainly the lack of contact with other adults and other children.

On the rare occasions she's been with family she's picked up extra words. She learns especially well from my mum and becomes very outgoing and loud when she's with her. She doesn't seem interested in learning words from us.

I'm hoping we get some good information from her 2yr assessment but I doubt it. I have a baby due at the same time so hopefully once I go on maternity leave I can spend extra time reading with her and developing her words.

Communication is about far more than words. If they understand simple commands, point and share attention then it's less of a worry. This is coming from somebody with a completely non verbal 2 year old who does none of these things and is starting the long assessment process.