12mo speech

[AliSxo]

Hi, my little boy is 12mo and isn't yet saying mamma or dadda, he says bobobob and bababa he can also make noises such as K and S but just looking for some reassurance this isn't delayed speech? We encourage his babbling, we reduce TV time and read books.

He's recently learnt he can clap his hands and understands what "clap' means as he can do it when we ask him.

I think I'm falling into the trap of seeing what other babies can say and feeling like my baby isn't saying enough?

My baby didn’t say anything which was an actual word until almost 18m, and then only had a handful of words by 20m. By 2 she was chattering away and at 2y8m she doesn’t shut up!! I was so worried but it’s all fine now. I think babies saying actual words at a year is unusual (only one of my NCT group out of 8 was, from memory). The non verbal communication and babbling sounds fine and normal!

Average age for starting to say words is 12 months - it’s 10-15 month range, so certainly no concern till 15 months. If he’s not taking then get him checked (hearing etc), but the chances are he’ll be fine even if he starts a little later - most kids catch up fine.

Mine didn't say a single word until 21 months.
At almost six you'd never know.
She caught up just slow to start.
Also she didn't say mum and dad until 2.5 years
Her first word was ' Hiya'

Your baby sounds fine. At that age I'd look at his understanding more than output. Lots of symbolic play (beep beep with a car,.moo with a cow etc) and no pressure on your child to copy or say anything. Don't ask 'what's this?' but label ie 'look, a dog!'

Sound like he's doing fine! Just keep talking to him and try not to compare!

There is a big range of "normal". There's a good - though old- book called "Babytalk" by Sally Ward. It's a really readable guide for parents to help language development. You might find it useful, it's available second hand I think.

Keep doing all the stuff you're doing, it all helps. First words won't necessarily be mumma or dada, DDs first word was 'door' 🤪 She didn't have a name for me till past 2yo.

DD turned out to be short sighted and once she got glasses her speech caught up and surpassed her peers within 3 months - she quickly got discharged from SLT. Every chance your bub will be fine with no intervention but if you 'just know' something isn't right then don't worry about being 'that mum' & get them checked. If they need something they need it and they need you to sort it for them. Good luck

Corpus our DD was the same. Turned out she was as blind as a bat, poor love.

@AliSxo if you do the 12 month progress checker from ICan I'm sure he'll be in the normal range

Does your baby move? I have a baby who has a few words but sits like a pudding all day with no want to move at all! My health visitor laughed and said they either walk or talk the can’t learn both at the same time. I have no idea if this is true but seem to be the case for most babies I know.

Thanks everyone, really reassuring to read your comments, @Dinosaursdontgrowontrees as soon as he could sit unaided he was crawling and he's close to walking xx

I think the walk or talk thing is probably pretty correct, certainly applies to lots of babies that I have seen. My two were walkers, both before they were 12 months. Said very little but once they started talking- at two- spoke in phrases rather than single words in the main. Rarely quiet once they did speak

Hi @AliSxo hows your little one now?