Talking....or NOT

[pstone]

Someone make me feel better that my little boy...14 months old is not talking...at all....wail

[Sheherezade]

Well.... I can offer that I have heard similar complaints from many, many parents. I don't think it is that unusual. I even know a couple of three year olds that were in speech therapy for uttering only a few words here and there. Now --at 6, you can't keep them quiet. And, of course, Einstein didn't talk until he was three. Or so the myth goes. I think it is in the normal range. DO you talk to him a lot? That's supposed to help.

I think there are a few moms of late talkers on the board. Maybe they will pop in with specific advice and reassurance.

[pstone]

I talk to him non-stop....feel like I am going crazy

[Sheherezade]

Hmmmm. I used to sing with my first and leave out a word here and there for him to fill in. Like "ABC" but leave out a letter....and point to him. He'd add it in. "Pop goes the weasel" is great for that -- leaving out the "pop" for the little guy to add. I know it isn't much.....but it is interaction. Does he interact without words? Just doesn't talk? I know what you mean about going crazy. It is a tough age.

[pstone]

oh, he understands tons....follows multistep commands....is very inquisitive....just no words

[Sheherezade]

Well then, there's not too much to worry about - except your own sanity! It will probably just take time.

[Vanquisher]

Okay, when you say no words, as in absolutely none?

Does he attempt to make words? Does he say, "da" or "ma" or "ba" or anything at all that you can tell that it is supposed to be a word?

How does he communicate with you, if it all. Does he point? Grunt? My son used to point and grunt. He also said a few words, but not very many before he was two. These words were all like ma, dada, ba, ya, no, etc. He had a severe tongue tie and a hearing loss. I'm suprised he ever talked at all. His vocab was very limited, and he said things wrong, but he attempted. I think attempting to talk is the most important thing.

One of my good friends little boys didn't talk much at all before 18 months, but he did have these few words.

If he won't even say something along those lines, it might be time to have a chat with the pediatrician. Also, when he asks for something in the way that he communicates, you can say it over and over again. Perhaps he wants a cup. He points to it, or what ever he does. INstead of giving it to him, you say, "Cup? Do you want the cup? Say cup. Cup. Cup. Cup." If he attempts to make the word, definitely give him the cup and praise him. "Good job! You said cup!" If he doesn't, then, Give it to him, I guess, but say cup the whole time. Ugh, I don't know. It is so hard.

The following is from keepkidshealthy.com

By two to four months of age, babies should coo (vowel sounds like ah or eh). By six months, babies will laugh out loud and jabber (consonant sounds like ba or ga). Finally at nine months, babies start to string together da-da-da or ma-ma-ma. By the first birthday, babies should be using "Dada" and "Mama" to mean Dad and Mom, and they should also be using at least one other word. Vocabulary builds so that by eighteen months, most children can say at least five words. By two years of age, children should be making simple, two-word sentences like "Daddy go" or "doggy bye-bye" and have a vocabulary of at least fifty words.

Besides forming sounds and words, language entails gesturing and understanding. It is important for parents to realize that understanding language (comprehension) normally outstrips the ability to form words at any age. Babies should smile interactively by three months and look alert. By nine months a baby should turn to the sound of someone saying his name. By one year, a baby should be pointing at objects of interest and bringing objects to parents and caregivers to show. By eighteen months the child should understand at least fifty words. By two years a child should understand a two-step command, e.g., "Go get your shoes and bring them here."

If you child is not meeting the milestones listed above, talk to you pediatrician. Most pediatricians will want to have the child's hearing evaluated first, even if it seems normal. Sometimes hearing loss can be subtle. If that is okay, then a formal development assessment is done. Depending on the results, speech therapy or occupational and play therapy may be needed.

[pstone]

he makes sounds, ma, da, ba....but does not seem discriminate...he babbles...but unless I am crazy...not the same...

he points, grunts...indicates all the time....I can ask him things and he knows....but just does not use words...

I say cup/drink/everything a BAZILLION times a day....

:thud:

[Vanquisher]

Maybe it's time to call the pediatrician. If it doesn't feel right to you, then maybe you should at least call.

I had no idea my son had a hearing loss until he was 4 years old because he compensated so well. He could understand complex directions, follow commands, etc. -everything you are describing. If he isn't descriminating between the sounds he makes, a visit to the pediatician may help, and if nothing else, it may put your mind at ease.

Good luck. I'm sure in a few years you will be telling us how he won't shut up, but I totally understand how this feels. It is better to get it looked at, in my opinion, and have everything be normal and fine and to feel stupid that you worried over nothing than to miss something.

[Flynn]

I would second what Heidi said. A trip to the doc can't hurt and it might make you feel better -- in that respect alone it's totally worth the trip in my book.

I think at 18 months if they don't have a working vocabulary of about 15 (don't quote me on that) words or sounds (animal noises count) THEN it's time to be a bit concerned.

I bet your son will come out with multiple words all in the same day -- especially if he understands what you are saying. It will probably all come out in a flood of "Hey I can use words now!!"

Let us know what happens.

[SueC]

Mitchell is 20 months now, and is starting to say quite a few words, but I'm pretty sure at 14 months he wasn't saying a whole heckuva lot. I think he had dada down, and occasionally mama. I did all the stuff you're supposed to do (parallel talk, using short, simple phrases, etc.) but he just didn't have much to say. His receptive was fantastic, but I was starting to get a little paranoid about it. I think I read a stat similar to what Flynn said about 10-15 words by 18 months, which made me feel a little better. I agree that if you're really worried about it, it wouldn't hurt to make an appointment with his ped. Somebody might have mentioned this already, but boys do tend to talk later than girls. My oldest (a girl) was extremely verbal very early, while the two little boys I watched (same age as her) when she was that age weren't really talking much by 14 or 15 months. I can't remember the specifics, but I do recall they were a lot later, even though they were in the same environment for most of the day. Those boys are both 6 now and are perfectly normal, btw.
Good luck Peter!

[Meenah]

My first was speaking before age 1 and my second it was about 18 months. Once she started she didn't stop.
Luanne

My friend's son had (what sounds like) a particular "set" at that age. I think she had a consult with a speech therapist around 18 mo (basically b/c she pushed the ped into arranging it). The speech therapist gave her a few (literally) basic exercises to do with him, and now at 2 yrs he said "Bella is barking at the other dog outside." It was either just his time to talk, or the exercises from the therapist helped.

I think you're still well within normal range - but a visit to your ped will probably calm you and give you some direction.

[Gwendolyn]

I second a trip to the pediatrician...if nothing else to calm your own worries. DS is deaf in one ear (congenital), and his ENT (God love the conservative philosophy of most Docs) continuously said he can hear just fine in one ear and that is enough. I kept pressing for a speech evaluation (much to my DH's dismay )

Long story short, DS starts speech therapy on Friday and we have been working on sign language. I am a big proponent of sign regardless. It has made eating and small tasks so much easier. Now, DS can't discuss the beauty of the sunrise like the freakish child in the sign book I have, but he can tell me if he wants a drink or food, milk or water, etc.

Obviously DS is a clear cut case. I also have a friend who's son is 21mo. and they just started speech therapy with sign language for the very same reason you are dealing with. He makes sounds lalala, dada, but called everything dada. They have been going for a month and her DS is using more words and even more signs. She figures he just needed a bit of a jump start.

Then when the speech evaluator says he is on target, you can feel confident that he is on track. Even if s/he recommends speech therapy you can feel confident that you are doing all you can to help your son develop language skills

Not to worry, I frequently felt like I was failing DS in some horrible way. I knew for myself when I exhausted the options, I could stop second guessing if he was o.k. or not.

Does he consistently call something the same "word" even though it doesn't sound like that word? My 23 month old still calls milk "ga".

My oldest was a late talker and like most people here have said, once she got going, she didn't stop. I think a trip or phone call with the ped is worthwhile. Also, have you thought about sign language? We did a few signs with each child and it helped a lot.