Normal or delayed speech? My 18 month old boy

Miss-Incognito:

I don't post here any longer but was lurking and thought I could contribute :)

 

 

 

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have a daughter who is now 4, and though she didn't speak especially early, once she did begin at 14 months she just snowballed and really hasn't shut up since. When my son (26 months) came along, I expected him to be the same. He isn't! I reckon he is a good 6 to 9 months or so behind where my daughter was at the same age. Thinking back to when he was 18 months, he babbled 'dada' said 'duck' and possibly 2 or 3 other very basic words like 'yum yum' but that's it. He now has around 200-250 words and can put words together into 2 or 3 word sentences. I think one of the key things to be looking for is progression. 

 

This website is really helpful and reassuring. I've found it very realistic in terms of the milestones:

 

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/earlyyears/eyfsareasoflearninganddevelopment/allareasoffocus/developmentmatters

 

(sorry, I've forgotten how to imbed links here)

 

 

 

Is your little boy very physical? I know that Hugo was cruising at just turned 8 months and running across a room at 11 months, whereas his sister didn't even take her first shuffly step until 14 months. He has always been much more dexterous then his sister too. I think they just sometimes concentrate on different things first. The other thing at play with us is I think that Hugo is simply a more quiet personality and not as chatty as his sister. That could of course be true with you - he just might not be a natural chatterbox, nothing mechanically wrong, just quite reserved.

 

Just a point about the 2 year check, in our area we don't get one unless we request one, so might be worth checking out nearer the time if you think you might need it.

 

Thanks so much for posting this. The link is very reassuring. T didn't walk particularly early or late - about 15 months and he was tottering about. He's got very good concentration powers and as I say, understands loads of things including long commands - this morning I said "Let's get monkey and go upstairs for a sleep" and he dutifully found monkey and stood at the bottom stairgate! I'll try and stop stressing. (I've got other stuff on my mind at the moment and if I worry about one thing, I stress about everything else too!)

Ooh the questions are constant these days.....

I thought it was something to do with protecting the nerve endings in our fingers from when we were ape's and I was pretty much right :-). It is back to school tomorrow so who knows what she will start asking now that she is a big Year One Girl!!!

I like the penguin birthday question - very sensible and obviously birthdays were very important to your little brother at the time.

Hope you feel a little more relaxed about T's speech now..

J x

I talked to the HV the other day about speech as I've worried about A's for a while. He didn't have any words till about 17 months, then managed about 6 at 18 months. Since then it's been slow progress, and at 22 months we were at about 20-30 words, definitely far below most of the other children we know his age.

She said in our area they've put the 2 year check back to 2.5 as at 2 there were so many children who weren't really speaking much but by 2.5 it had generally evened out. Up to 2 the understanding is more important than actually talking. She also said to try not to compare him to his friends who are girls, as generally they speak earlier and pronounce the words better.

A has actually managed a mini language explosion over the weekend whilst we've been away leaving him with my parents, he's suddenly got quite a few new words, including saying Daddy (although still not Mummy!) Although H was slightly crestfallen when I thought I heard him say "Daddy go away" earlier!

Thanks Emma80, and Jen - encouraging! That's interesting that your HV says they've put the test back 6 months! I kept reading that unless they have about 50 words by 18months then seek expert advice, but I'll loosen up a bit now!

Emma your little boy obviously knows who to share his opinion! Poor daddy!

Wow, 50 words at 18 months! I can only think of one child we know who would have met that! Most of them had a fair number of words at that age, but have mainly developed speech since 18 months. Another HV I spoke to when A was about 12 months said the speech therapists liked them to have 6 words at 18 months (A just about managed that one), but again that the understanding part was more important.

Maybe have a word with a HV if it's worrying you, but given his understanding is so good I'm sure they'll say it's nothing to worry about at this stage

And yes, poor Daddy! He was so pleased that the word Daddy appeared before Mummy too!

Mine is far too small to be talking yet, but just to give a perspective

My cousin has twins, a boy and a girl.  they are now 2 and a half, the girl has been talking for about a year and a half, the boy has been walking for that time.  the girl started walking much later, the boy talking much later.  the boy is now toilet trained, the girl says she'll do it "soon"

Evidence to me that babies develop at completely different rates so don't worry

xx

Holly Bags:

Thanks Emma80, and Jen - encouraging! That's interesting that your HV says they've put the test back 6 months! I kept reading that unless they have about 50 words by 18months then seek expert advice, but I'll loosen up a bit now!

Emma your little boy obviously knows who to share his opinion! Poor daddy!

But is that word words or words they have for things? I bet your LO easily has 50 words of his own for things, just he doesn't happen to speak the local dialect