Really worried about speech - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

E1979 · 11-25-2008, 06:34 PM

Ok so my DS is 17 months old and still doesn't speak much at all. I am getting SO VERY WORRIED about this. People keep telling me not to but from everything I read he should be say a heck of a lot more than he can. I just read an article about making sure your 16 month old start to use Please and Thankyou...I can't even get him to say anything never mind those words!!!
What he can say are even said correctly either.
Here is where he is:
"uck uck" means duck
"ow" means meow(what does a kitty say?)
and he says Mama and Dada. And that folks is pretty much it. He makes a sound that kinda sounds like "hi" and he uses it in the appropriate situations you would say hello.
I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know how to help him. I am pretty sure he hears fine because he can answer some questions by shaking or nodding his head. He will come or at least look at you if you call his name.
For the most part he communicates by either screaming or grunting and pointing.
Does anyone think that maybe not being in daycare and hence around other children could be slowing him down developmentally? What can I do? I am so worried about my little boy.

LauraLu · 11-25-2008, 07:53 PM

Hi E!
Not being in daycare or not being around other children will NOT slow him down developmentally. My mom watches my daughter for me during the day with no other kids around and we have the opposite issue - Madeline doesn't stop talking and she repeats everything we say.
My brother's boys on the other hand are 20 months old and barely speak a word! I'm not sure if being twins has anything to do with it or if being a male might contribute. I always heard that females pick up speech and vocabulary faster than males. Maybe this is true?
I don't know if you do this or not, but I say the name of EVERYTHING that Madeline points to or plays with. I've even heard of some crazy parents labeling things...we don't go that far.
I've been doing this since day one, and yeah, I feel silly sometimes in stores, but I get over it because that's how we talk. Madeline's also very curious and remembers EVERYTHING. Right now, everything is "Hot, yellow, milk". She gets stuck on words and won't stop saying them...Maybe consider youself lucky? I'm so tired of being called "lellow", lol.
The next time your son grunts, I would point to the object he's wanting and pronounce it very slowly and clearly for him. If he's watching your lips, then he's into the sounds you're making and wants to remember and keep learning. Keep doing it!
I'm not sure if that helps or not, but that's what we've always done, and it works wonderfully. Have you ever considered sign language? We also do this and it has worked great. Just something else to check out.

youneeak · 11-26-2008, 05:40 PM

Hi E!

I know you have mentioned this several times with your little on that you are concerned with speech & development. My advise to you (as a preschool special education teacher who has heard from parents time and time again that they "knew" something was wrong but waited until they were 3 or 4 to have them evaluated)...is to take him to a speech therapist or developmental psychologist and just to have them look at him and see what their opinion is after they observe him. This may seem like a severe step to take and others may criticize, but I am a FIRM BELIEVER in TRUSTING your mother's intuition!

I'm sure you're doing everything you can to help encourage speech, but like LauraLu said, I do the same thing with Ella. I have been talking to her since the day she was born and of course labeling everything. I'm sure you're doing all that and I really have no other advice.

Is he doing ok in other developmental areas? Fine motor? Gross Motor? Other areas of communication (eye contact, following directions, showing receptive understanding?)

As far as Ella goes (who is also a July 07 baby) she has probably 30 words that she uses (not all daily, but consistently enough that I am comfortable saying she has that many words). She will also repeat almost anything we say (when we are alone...when we are in front of other people she refuses, it's like she knows we're trying to get her to "perform." haha). If I remember correctly from my developmental books- by 18 months the average number of words is 15-20. (don't quote me, I could be mistaken, I'm going by memory on that one).

Good luck!!
Sarah

E1979 · 11-26-2008, 06:59 PM

Ok you have freak me right out!!! I thought it was five words by 18 months. At least that what his Dr told me.

megss · 11-26-2008, 08:29 PM

Hi E-

I also agree with Laura that it has nothing to do with him not being in day care or around other children. Grace (14.5 months) has never been in day care and does not have any siblings, but she can say about 10-12 words. Not all of them are perfect though ("Thanks" is "Tink").
A good friend of mine was worried about her son as well. He wasn't talking much, and she had him evaluated. As soon as he turned 2, he started talking in full sentences practically. I think there is some truth to males taking a little more time. Your DS is probably saying more than you think, you just can't tell what he is saying. Grace keeps saying these 2 phrases, and I cannot for the life of me figure out what they are, but I know they mean something to her. "Nnn-T" and "Mmm-P". It's so funny.
Maybe have him evaluated for some peace of mind, and if there is a problem, you can get a head start on working on it with him.