Bilingually raised babies

[LaTrucha]

When did your bilingually raised baby begin to speak?

My DD (English/Spanish) is 23 months and only says a few words, like

star
banana
si
hola

There are probably a few more but not more than half a dozen. Some 'half' words too, like 'anda' for Grandad, 'moo' for moon and 'du' for duck

I've been trying to take it really easy, especially as DH didn't start speaking until after two and he was monolingaully raised but DH is clearly concerned and now I've got the latest developmental check looming I'm getting a bit twitchy too

.

My eldest is 6 and tbh I can't remember when he strted speaking. I think it may have been a little bit later than some of his peers but I wouldn't necessarily say that this was because he was bilingual. Children vary so much - it really isn't worth fretting about it. By the time they start school they'll all be the same

Oh and in a year's time you'll look back fondly at the pre-speaking phase after a looooooong day of 'why' to everything and chatter-chatter-chatter-chatter about every single thing

Oh, she is going to talk ALOT. She never stops yah-yah-yahing!

I'm a bit cross with myself for getting wound up about it at all. I promised myself I wouldn't - and I've told DH off for making me worry!

My DS (English/Italian) was hardly saying a word at 2- just mamma and papa and not much else. He is 3 now and is still behind his monolingual friends but chatters away now, his vocab extends every day and his understanding in both languages is perfect. He started pre-school in Sept and has come on massively since then. Don't worry about it and ignore all the "experts" out there (I had and still have an ongoing battle with FIL over this).

DD hardly spoke at all until 2.5. She was noticeably behind her monoglot peers until she was 3.5. She is now trilingual and in monolingual environments the monoglots usually don't spot she isn't pure monoglot mother tongue IYSWIM. She is now 6.

DS is blabbering away in all 3 languages - he has around 30 words in all 3. He is 2.

I guess what I'm saying is that children differ greatly but if you're in any way worried mention it to a friendly peadiatrician and I'm sure you will be reassured. Ignore the people who say you are confusing your child! Now is the time to learn languages and to develop the brain's facilitiy to be able to learn more languages easily!

Mine spoke at around normal age. Dd was 23 months when she said her first sentence. Can't remember with ds. But my monolingual nephew was far later than either of them.

I have bilingually raised niece and nephew. The were both late talkers, but quickly caught up. Don't know whether this proves anything, but it's some more data for you!

What you say cofirms what I thought. It's going to be so much easier in the long run for her to learn now. I shall just take encouragement from the fact she does say a few words in both languages and seems to understand very well.

Thanks for calming my jitters.

Hi, my little boy is 21 months and he doesn't talk much either. I talk to him in spanish and his dad in english.. I entirely understand your worry La trucha but have just read the comments above and am not so worried now. When we go home to Spain next (time I am sure he will be a chatter box ha, ha,ha ...

My DD is bilingual and chats and chats whole sentences.

What I am trying to say is that I wouldn't beat yourself up that it is about the bilingual thing that you are somehow holding her back. Some kids speak early, some later, on average bilingual kids later but as everyone says you aren't exactly going to notice in a few months/ years time when they start school and won't stop talking! Some of DD's monolingual friends barely speak at all, others are reciting full comedy routines practically. So you can safely ignore your DH by the way!

Perhaps you could suggest to your husband that, as he's so concerned, you raise your daughter monolingually in Spanish? After all, everyone knows what a difficult language English is ...

Sorry, only joking, of course, and assuming - perhaps wrongly - that your husband is the English "representative."

Hi,

I sometimes have little moments of worrying like you. DS (English/Spanish, we live in Spain) is 21 months and can say Mamá, Dada, bean, poo, bye, purhtaa (pussycat), clock, darden(garden) and always muhnaaa for food as well as ten/toma and tarta in Spanish. He often will say a word very nicely once or twice but then seems to store it away and not say it again for ages.
His understanding in both languages is really excellent though. Sometimes I worry he's lagging behind but from what I've read their all different and all start speaking at different ages and speeds.

My DD had her 2-yr development check recently - they check she can say five words, and link two words together (e.g. bird, sky)

As your DD is speaking a few words already I am sure she will be fine.

My HV also mentioned that, as a trilingual child they would expect have expected my DD to be a relatively late talker and so I guess would take this into account with your DD.

DS is 21 months and bilingual in English and French. We were warned that he may speak later than normal but he has a great vocab in both languages, reckon around 100 words, and is just starting to putting sentences together. Wouldn't worry though, think lots of children don't say much until 2.

My nephews are bilingual ( twins aged 5 ) and language as a whole took longer to come but now they are amazing and are beginning to translate for other people. Stick with it !!

My boys (raised with English and German) spoke first words in both languages at 15, 18 and 21 months, so I suppose I am another one who feels that most of it is down to the individual child. DS3 is now 21 months, "chats" all day long in who-knows-what-language but has very few recognisable words in either language, whereas DS1 now almost 7 was a very early speaker by any standard.

Comprehension is so much more important than speech. If your DD understands you and her dad, communicates in other ways, and follows commands, then there is probably nothing to worry about.

DD who is bilingual Welsh/English had very few words at 2 years old. After taking her to the GP for an unrelated issue, the GP was 'concerned' enough to refer her to a speech therapist though DH and I had no concerns ourselves. She was still only speaking in single words by the time she saw the ST at 2.3 but the ST was unconcerned. Her speech didn't fully develop until nearer 3 when she started speaking in sentences. Now at 3.4, DH and I joked today that she doesn't shut up! Over the last couple of weeks she seems to have been constantly chatting to us - mainly in English though with the odd Welsh word (though her Welsh comprehension is as it is in English). I find this a little odd as I am the Welsh speaker and the one who spends most time with her but I'm just happy to be able to converse with her regardless of language.

I wouldn't worry too much about the upcoming development check. If you are still living where you were, the HVs will be well used to bilingually raised children.

my bilingual DS didn't start putting 2 words together until he was 3. In fact, he hardly spoke at all to the point that I was convinced he was deaf and took him to the doctor's to be checked. Fortunately the Health visitor was quite clued up and explained it was normal with bilingual children. Now he's 6. He English is above average for his age, and his Spanish is ok - not native level but definitely pretty fluent. So it was a slow start, but it didn't make any difference in the end.

My bilingual DD is a very early talker, while her monolingual "best friend" hardly says a word (they are 20 mths). I wouldn't worry! Good luck...