Concerns about 11 month old

[Alice4417]

Hi all I'm a bit worried about my 11month old.

He babbles a lot but hasn't said his first word. He occasionally copies the sounds we make, like when we sigh he might sigh back and sometimes if we say uh oh he says uh oh back but not always.

He also doesn't point yet.

He also hates having his nappy changed, face or hands wiped or clothes put on and tries to wriggle free !

He does wave when people leave or if you say wave goodbye (not all the time but about 70 percent of the time ) he also plays peekaboo all the time and loves smiling at people and making good eye contact.

He is also crawling, cruising and pulling himself up. Can stand unassisted for a few minutes at a time and confidently walks with his walker.

Should I be concerned by any of the above ?

Thanks from an anxious ftm !!!

All sounds entirely normal.

I wouldn't worry. Sounds normal to me.

He sounds super cute and perfectly normal!!

All normal, even if you have posted about it multiple times.

He sounds great! If you feel very anxious about his development, then you should see a doctor for reassurance about the baby and help for yourself.

Thanks for replying x

Thanks. I shouldn't worry so much but it's hard to compare to other babies sometimes x

He has had his developmental check at 10 months and they were happy. But I might speak to the health visitor again just to reassure me x

He's much more advanced than my DS was at that age (in fact he wasn't doing as much a good 6 months later). My DS collected his GCSE results today, all 11 of them at grade A.

There's nothing at all to worry about at this stage based on what you've said.

Congratulations amazing grades ! I think I'm just worried about the not pointing and no words as of yet the most xx

My DS was/is like this in some parts and he’s 16 months old. I’m not worried, he’s making so much progress.

He started pointing with his hand at 14 months and by 15 months he now points with his finger, means what he points to and even wants us to carry him to the objects to talk about them or pick them up.

He has just started properly walking unaided as of a day ago. Wanting to walk rather than take a few steps then crawl.

He doesn’t fully say any words yet. I suppose hes close to what sounds almost like daddy and mummy but I think that might be us thinking he says it when he’s just babbling. He doesn’t say it in context to us or relate it to us. He’s a great babbler though and has made up his own words. ‘Gog’ and points to something means ‘take me to it please’. I’m not worried, I think it’s normal.

He still hates having his mouth and hands wiped, nappy changed and being dressed. If anything it’s worse and he will cry and scream. For some reason he hates being laid down for the nappy change (I think he still thinks being laid down = sleep time). I try to get him dressed while he’s sat on my knee or stood up now which helps him. Nappy changes and being wiped after food are still very bad. I just try to do them quickly. I guess hopefully in the next year he might be potty trained, and can wipe his own face.

It sounds like your little one is hitting many important milestones, which is great! At 11 months, it's not uncommon for some babies to not have clear first words or to be inconsistent with things like copying sounds or pointing. Every child develops at their own pace, and the fact that he’s babbling, waving, playing peekaboo, and making good eye contact are all positive signs.
The behaviors you mentioned, like resisting nappy changes or getting dressed, are also pretty typical at this age. Babies are becoming more aware of their preferences and developing independence, which can lead to some wriggly moments!
Given that he's making progress in other areas like motor skills and social interaction, there's no immediate cause for concern. However, if you're feeling anxious, it’s always a good idea to mention your concerns to your pediatrician. They can offer reassurance or guidance on what to watch for as he continues to grow.

Oh he will cry and scream when getting changed/face wiped etc but it's definitely in protest and then is fine once he's free and able to do what he wants x

Sounds normal to me. DS 2 wasn't talking until after 12 months. Speech really exploded on his 2nd birthday.

The nappy thing is annoying! We went through it for months. They do eventually learn it has to be done

@Cluelessfirstimer Do you remember when he started pointing ?

Ummmm... probably around about 1 I think.

He sounds like he's right on track.

Some babies do point before a year, but for most it seems to emerge between 12-15 months, and it isn't considered 'late' until 18 months, I think – which is absolutely ages in baby terms.

Similarly with words, some have identifiable words at this stage, but many, many babies don't. If he's babbling, imitating you sometimes, and starting to understand a few simple things – and I literally mean 2 or 3 simple things like 'wave bye-bye' or 'come here' or looking at the right object when asked 'where's teddy?' (one favourite object) – then I really wouldn't be worried (but realistically would still be a bit impatient).

Thanks @skkyelark I do think he is definitely starting to gesture like he's pointing but he does it with his arm stretched out and fist closed ?!
He will definitely try and copy us saying uh oh but recently just does the 'uh' part 🤣. His favourite thing at the moment is sighing when we sigh and copying us do that ! He definitely understands wave bye bye, but doesn't do it everytime. If I say where's Daddy, where's the dog , where's the horse (rocking horse ) or where's Granny he looks in the right direction. If I say come here he never responds but he likes to play chase and thinks it's funny to turn around and crawl away further 🤣.

You may see the closed fist pointing develop into index finger pointing over the next wee bit – but equally, don't worry if it takes a couple months. He's got loads of time on pointing, really.

He sounds like he's doing really well with understanding language. Things like 'come here' are always a bit tricky because there's understanding what you're asking and then there's choosing to do it!

@skkyelark thanks for the reply. I think I need to relax ! Xx

Hi just wondering how things progressed since you posted this? My little one is very similar to yours at 11 months x

Hey my little boy is now saying probably 40 words maybe more ? He's 18 months so ahead of a lot of his friends. He points to show interest and to what he wants and pretty much can get his point across to us with words or pointing which is great at this age! He's even started recently to tell us when he has done a wee or poo and will hold his nappy and say poo dirty. He's still a sensitive boy but I think that's just his character x

My 11 month old is doing exactly the same; nothing more!

Honestly I was really worried but read update above. He's doing so well now. Hope that reasures you x