As long as he's comprehending speach he's on track. Pointing or looking towards something you're talking about or following simple directions should be a sign that he understands the spoken word. Actual word formation is very difficult but he may find it more fun to mimic the sounds animals make like moo or meow or woof. If he's struggling to communicate to you then sign language would be fun for both of you... it's amazing what even a 6mo old has to say with their hands when they know someone understands them :)
Hi Kristin,
I am the mom of 5 kids ranging from 27 to 15,6 grandkids ages 17 months to 7, I've helped raise about 14 others and am raising my 5 and 7 year old granddaughters, so this is something I think I have quite a bit of experience on.
Children happen to do things in (their) own time,and it's all NORMAl. If it will make you feel more comfortable, take your son to a speech therapist and get their oppinion, but quite honestly your son is just working in his time table. My grandson Isaiah didn't really talk until he was 2, he is 3 now and still talks only when he wants to. One day your son will just start talking out of the blue and then you might wish for these days back : )
Don't talk baby talk to him, talk to him as if he was already able to conversate back to you, just love him and let him know that you will wait until he is ready to let you hear his words.
Take care, Necola
Kristin;
My now 13-year-old son, David, was the same way. He was almost two years old before he really started talking, but one day, it was like a switch kicked in and he just started talking in complete sentences. On the other hand, he started RUNNING at 9 mos, never really walked. And today, he's quite an athlete, though he's a smart kid, his dream is to be a stuntman one day. So, don't stress yourself out. When Aiden is ready to talk, he'll talk.
Good luck, mama.
- Lisa
Oakland, CA
My son is 2 and just started talking. I stressed about it for a long time too, and moms of boys a little older than him told me boys usually talk later than girls. Mainly around 2 and don't really get going till they are about 2.5. Now, I can't get him to STOP talking! He's lots of fun and everyday there are about 2 or 3 new words. Look, just enjoy the silence. Try not to compare him to others-you'll wear yourself out. I spoke with our ped at his 2 year check up in November cuz he wasn't talking by then and he told me as long as he is following commands and you see he understands you, there is nothing to worry about. If the comprehension isn't there, that's the issue. Sounds like that's not a problem for you guys. Walker did the same stuff you're talking about for a long time. Now he wants to talk about everything and talks about his friends and how he got wet at the park and on and on and on.
hello lovely mommy! DON'T WORRY! It doesn't do any good, for one. And otherwise, your little guy WILL start talking. Every child is different. He's healthy? He sees his pediatrician regularly? It sounds like he's just fine, he IS using sounds and he understands, so he's GREAT! My second child is now 19 months and has FINALLY started saying a few words (completely different than my first who started saying words at 8 months! crazy). It's so great that my second has started saying words, funny thing is I'm one of the only people who understands her! Anyway - DON'T WORRY. Every child has a different time table to start talking. It sounds like he's right on track for his time table.
My son was diagnosed as speech delayed (he said "ma" and "no") at just under 2 years old. However, on his 3rd birthday he said a full sentence! We'd had his hearing tested (I didn't think there was a problem there because he did what he was told, when questions were asked he would respond in his way, he'd watch his Disney movies and dance to the music--so we knew he could hear). It was discovered that he had lack of nerve endings in his mouth (he was a very picky eater, bad nurser, but would dive into the jalapeno (sp?) chips and eat hot peppers. I had him evaluated by the speech therapist at the local school district at 2 years old and they started an early intervention program (don't wait until they are in school). He attended speech therapy with me once a week, but what really worked was my sitting down with him everyday and in front of a mirror trying to get him to make the sounds of the letters, and his reward would be a mini M&M. I also played Disney sing along tapes all the time in the car (one day after his 3rd birthday he sang along), played with him with toys that made noises and imitated them, made animal sounds, etc. One of his favorite activities was to put bandages all over his stuffed animals and I'd say "OW!!" and this rip off the bandage ("Rip"). I'd say OW my arm, Ow my leg, etc. and eventually (when he turned 3) he'd make his own sounds. I invested in a lot of bandages (Costco) and a lot of time with him, and now I can't get him to shut up (he's 13--no speech problems after he turned 3). Some just take a little longer, and a little more attention to get them going. Remember, they say Einstein didn't talk until he was 4!
Go to your pediatrician and telll him or her the issues and they should know which agency services can check your child... in Modesto we have the MOUNTAIN VALLEY REGIONAL CENTER...and they just have to be called and reffer the child to them, they will contact you and send someone to look at him and if they see the problem then give the child free services!!!
Your pediatrician has to give you the name and phone number of the agency, you call and let them know what is your concern and start there... My prior pediatrician refused to see a problem and kept telling me that I was just paranoide...turns out my child is AUTISTIC!!! So don't let the doctor tell you you are exagerating!!! And let the agency check him!!! I am not saying he is autistic but lots of kids can have speech delays like appraxia...just let the experts keep an eye on it!!! Love, Gabby. :0)
P.S. they will test your child's ears, to make sure he is hearing, and all kinds of help you can get from them and for free!!! And if it turns out thereis a problem then he will get free services like speech therapy and so on!!!
Hi Kristin,
Generally boys talk later than girls. My friends daughter didn't really say anything except mama, dada until 2.5 years old. Now she is 3.5, she talks just fine. So I don't think you need to worry at all. He is not even 2 yet.
hong
Hi Kristin:
Aiden is NOT abnormal. Very few boys are really talking at 17 months. He will start to talk (form individual words) as he approaches two. Relax. It's not that serious.
Rosalyn
HI Kristin, I know how you feel. My (now 23 month old) had very few words by then as well. Her doctor said not to be worried - that by 18 months she should have about 20. We just kept reading to her, and talking about EVERYTHING we could. When we were driving I would talk about what we saw outside; when doing anything in the house I would talk through every detail. Singing songs a lot too. My daughter also uses sign language - so she uses the signs not the words still. Now she has about 50 words and gains 1 or 2 a week. It was hard for me when other same age children were talking in 2 -3 word phrases already. Remember that all children develop at their own pace. But if you don't see growth by 18 months then I would ask your doctor. I hope that helps.
Hi Kristin T,
The website for American Speech and Hearing Association http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart.htm
will give you a starting place to learn what is normal. I worked as a speech therapist in Nevada County for many years, with the birth to five population, and recommend that you start with the development chart, and if you still have concerns, contact the Nevada Couty Family Resource diagnostic team, at Champion Mine school. This service is free.
Best wishes,
Dee L
Hi Kristin I am the mother of 6 children my second born a wonderful daughter never spoke a word until just after her 2nd birthday, at that point the words just poured out of her I think it was because her sister went to school and she had to tell me what she wanted!. Every child is different.
Good luck
Hi Kristin... Don't be too worried about your almost 17 month old son speaking yet, as long as he's absorbing what you're saying to him, his 'tape recorder' is on, so to speak. As a mother to 3 {grown now} and gramma to 3, none of them were speaking many words at that age, and boys are sometimes slower to talk than girls. My 22 month old grand son is only saying a few words. so don't worry, and enjoy him while he's this age. CJ
Don't worry! Neither of my daughters talked until they were about 2; my nephew was the same, and one of my husband's brothers didn't talk until he was 3! All are completely conversational now. Just remember, there is a wide range of what is normal. Relax - the words will come soon.
I'm not sure if there is a really normal age for kids to do anything. If your pediatrician is worried, then maybe ask what options are out there, but: a friend of mine has a son that is now 9 years old. He didn't say much of anything for the first few years of his life. He understood well, as your son seems to, and was very mechanically inclined. He loved to play with toys and put stuff together, and be read to, etc.. At around 3 and a half or four he really started to blossom. He started conversing quite regularly and now is a wonderfully bright and happy kid. I think babies are just all so different. He may feel he is communicating with you well enough to get his needs met, and so that is fine for now, for him. I think many times we get caught up in the babies around us that do everything like clock work. It makes us feel as though something is wrong with our little one. When, in reality, it is usually that they just aren't ready for that step yet. Again, I would check with your pediatrician if you are really concerned, and see if there are motor skills tests or something, if she thinks it necessary, but, I would bet he is just progressing at his own pace.
When my #2 son was that age until school, he did very little talking, when he did we thought he was going to need a speech therapist, he didn't and is now grown and owns his own Mortgage Company. Enjoy every moment of this small fry, just keep reading to him & lots of hugs! :)
Audrey H
different chilldren decide to talk at different ages. It's like reading, where some kids read at 5 and others not until 8 or so.
Don't worry; he'll talk when he's ready!
(Mother of 3 fine talkers)
what i have heard is that 18 words by 18 months is average. but also boys can tend to be slower. my son is almost 18 months now and is the same. i know he comprehends. i think my brother was the same, but when he did talk he took off with sentences. different learning styles and personalities. no worries, he isn't late. he is just not in a hurry. is he pointing at things for you to give him the names? then he is learning and just filing them for later. they will supprise us when the finally start. can't wait!
I'm really glad you decided to write and ask about this. Please speak to your pediatrician immediately and ask that she or he refer your child to your local Regional Center for an assessment. If your pediatrician tries to reassure you and tell you not to worry about it, insist on the referral. Your child may turn out to be fine, but what you describe are significant delays. What you describe are the sounds a child should be making before they are 8 months old. By 9 months babies are expected to respond to their own name. By 12 months they should be using dada, mama to specifically refer to father, mother. By 18 months the minimum number of words a baby is expected to use regularly is 8. Babies at this age can be capable of vocabularies of 70 words+, but the very minimum is 8.
Early intervention for delays is essential, and many children end up right where their peers are after getting the right help. Please don't wait. I work professionally with children 0-5, and I strongly recommend you seek professional consultation. It is always better to err on that side that to wait and see. Good for you for recognizing there might be something going on, and asking about it.
Good luck, and please let us know what happens.
Hi Kristin, My son is 13 now and he also talked late. My husband, I'm told, also talked late. When my son was the age of yours, he also babbled in 'partial words' like "ga" for airplane, "ba" for ball, "da" for dog, etc. He did connect the babble with specific things, although they were 'lumped' together ("ga" meant a LOT of different things to him, not just airplane ---and I've no idea why his brain put 'ga' with airplane). He was 2 years and about 3 or 4 months before he began to say full words and then string 2 or more of them together for super-short sentences. My mil told me that my husband was around the same age, 2 - 2&1/2 yo before communicating with words/language. I know parents who had children who spoke late like my son and others whose children did have speech or other problems (delaying language development) and needed intervention. I'd bring it up with your son's pediarician and go from there. It may be nothing, it may be something. FYI, once my son began to talk, hoo-boy, there was no stopping him. (Hubby, too) :o)
I love your son's name, btw. I have a gf whose oldest is named Aden and I considered the name when pg, too. I loved the meaning... "little fire". And, pugs are one of the cutest dogs, imo. Love them, too. (We have a boxer/shepherd mix).
Also, this is totally off-topic, but I'm curious about your occupation. We home school and "educational travel" sounds appealing. I'd love to know a little more about it. Feel free to email me ([email protected]).
A little about me:
I am 38 years old (and counting), married 14 years, and home schooling SAHM to our 13 yo son. We also lost a son at birth.