Sixteen month old has no language and doesn't walk

[theotherfossilsister]

My son is sixteen months corrected (he was born early with iugr so he's almost eighteen months actual.) He pulls up, babbles non stop, laughs, but has no clear words and falls over when he tries walking. Our HV sees us regularly because of prematurity and in November she said she wasn't worried as he understands things - - pass me this toy, etc. He also puts things in things, explores, etc

She's hopefully coming again soon and wondering how to get her to take it more seriously and maybe get a SALT referral .

I was also wondering how to encourage language. My partner, his dad, reads him two picture books a night and talks about what's on the page - look it's a tiger!

We also repeat words, tell him what things are, where we are, talk to him all the time.

Hi OP, easier said than done but try not to panic. Words come when they come and there’s nothing you can do to rush them. My son has just started talking at 4.5!

Our speech and language sessions at that age weren’t great but you might be interested in what we did to encourage speech? Lots of ready, steady… pause for interaction… go! Offer choices, do you want blue cup or red cup? In an activity like blowing bubbles introduce more, finished, pop, etc.

Pre-verbal skills are just as important as talking, likewise play skills help language develop.

Thank you @littlecreeature that's all really interesting. I've been trying hard to encourage language through play, what else do you do to encourage him please?

You sound like you are doing amazing at encouraging his development. At less than 18m corrected not walking isn’t a concern yet, he weight bares and cruises.
The HV isn’t worried and as she’s known him for a long time that’s reassuring.
Try not to worry.

Thanks,it's really hard because so many babies are walking and talking now. I keep wondering if the iugr damaged him in some way.

Mine did not walk until nearly 20 months.

At 16 months he's well within normal range for walking.

Thank you, I think it's the not walking or talking together. I'm wondering if there's anything we can do to encourage him more

My DD was 3 months premature, she talked late and didn’t walk until 20 months actual. Every time we were finally about to get a referral she started doing the thing we thought she couldn’t. Now she’s 6 and on track or ahead in all areas, never stops talking and is pretty sporty. I no it doesn’t help as all babies are different, but I just wanted to try and reassure that doing things late doesn’t mean they won’t do them and catch up eventually. After all that worrying I can’t remember what her first word was or exactly when it was either 😳

My ds was born with glue ear which wasn't corrected until he was 18 months, so he didn't speak much. Our speech and language therapist told us the do something called descriptive commentary , so basically narrativing everything they do or you do. Start simple at first "you are holding the ball" then you start to progress to red ball and then big red ball. We where also told not to ask too many questions so you don't ask the child "oh is that a ball you have?" Instead you make the statement. My son is over 2 now and his speech is far ahead of his age.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people

Strongly recommend all the activities on here to support language development.

This sounds normal to me. My first baby was born at term and he didn't walk until 16 months. Barely cruised or showed an interest in trying to walk, but then took off suddenly. He had maybe a week of cautiously letting go of furniture and then tottering a few steps carefully and then cracked it and pretty much never sat in a pushchair again, so they can progress really quickly when they want to.

As for talking, I think he was around 18 months at least before he started saying recognisable words. He was probably 22 months before his vocabulary widened and now at 27 months he spends most of his days singing (he probably knows around 10 songs which he knows enough words to sing recognisably), has a vocabulary of a good few hundred (thousands? It's hard to keep track once they get the hang of talking!) words and is putting short sentences together.

There's plenty of time for your little one, but it's great you have regular contact with your HV so you've a bit of a sounding board for any concerns 😊

Mine was born term and isn't yet walking at 16 months. She does say some words but not particularly clear. Unlike my son who had unbelievable language really early so this is a new experience for me.

I am sure it's fine, it's normal.

My sons 21 months. Only just started to walk. Try not to worry x

My daughter is 16 months. She says hiya and mama and that's it, she doesn't walk yet unaided either. She's my second child so I'm much more relaxed this time, it will happen when it happens. She also had IUGR coincidentally.

Ugh I’ve been googling the speech thing too and driving myself insane so maybe just have a wine and take the evening off the internet💕

Our 22 m can only really say “mama, dada, poo and bus” He was an early mover though and full term so not really the same but still it’s so hard when you see other people hitting their milestones and I feel like language would just make their lives so much easier and more enjoyable you know

Hi OP I also have a little one who was born 2 months early, with the beginnings of IUGR.

He's now 23 months (or 21 months corrected) and has only just started to walk! He started saying comprehensible words in the last couple of months and has quite a few now.

Like yours he's been babbling for ages and it was obvious he understood and was trying to communicate. He's so alert and loves moving around and being sociable. I worried obviously (and still do) but not too seriously. We'll see what the future holds, but I think he just does things in his own time.

Thanks,@sparebooks

I do worry about the iugr and the prematurity. Just dropped him at nursery and he's the only non walker in his room. Like yours he's alert though and has a gorgeous curiosity which I hope he keeps for life. I just feel like I could be doing more to help him, but not sure what

These little prem IUGR babies can take a little bit longer to do things sometimes. My 33w2d little ones were 17 and 18 months before they walked, actual age. My full term eldest started talking age 3 and didn't stop from that point. 😉