15 Month Old Not Saying Mama

My granddaughter is now 20 months and just recently begun to say more words than just baba, mama that can be understood. She only recently said Dada and is working on Gama. Mostly she calls me mama. I think that your boy is probably doing fine but you could check with his pediatrician to get his opinion.

I'm guessing that you also talk with him in your native language. I've read that toddlers who are learning two languages talk later than those with just one language. If you're not talking with him in your native language I urge you to do so. It's really helpful for us to learn two languages and we learn best really young.

I found a big difference bn 15-18 month ped appts. Big progress. Try not to worry.

ha ha ha---my first son called me Daaaaa until he was almost 2 yrs old. he said daddy and dadda perfectly fine. I was just a plain old Da and daaaaaaaa when really needed. Now at 5 I can't get the Mommys to subside and the kid doesn't shut up :)

I'd address it with your pediatrician, but honestly each child learns at their own rate. If he's communicating I really don't see it as a problem, yet.

Good luck :)

I would check with your pediatrician to see if anything seems to worry him/her. If this is your first child I can understand being worried if your child isn't "keeping up with the Joneses". My oldest was babbling at 6 mths and has never shut up since, she's now 21. Brilliant, assertive, confident. My second probably lived in her shadow. Pregnancy was very calm, she was very quiet, and didn't speak til almost 2 years. We made sure she wasn't deaf by standing behind her and clanging pot lids. I'd point to something and say, go get the ball, your baba, the brush, and she could do it. She was just quiet. Didn't need to speak and is now a very funny, bright, but introspective 18 year old. I think all children develop at different paces. But truly doctor may know best. I hope you don't worry too much!

S., I think it's okay. He doesn't have to say your name. You always come when he calls, smiles!

I smiled when you said he says "cat cat". My son said "dog dog". I would continue to talk to him, read to him, play with your son. Also let him play with his toys by himself some. When he does things with toys, don't automatically show him a "better way". Let him use his own imagination.

When you give him something, say the name to him "Here's some milk. Mmmm-milk!" If he points to the milk, say "Do you want milk? Mmm-milk?" When he's a little older, you get a little more insistent on him trying to say the word.

My son had speech problems, and when he was 25-26 months old, the speech therapist taught him to say "help me" (Like "ep-me". The "h" and the "l" are too hard for a little one to say). Children get very frustrated when they can't say words and be understood by those around them.

Anyway, your son is very young right now. He's learning all kinds of things - walking, eating, playing. Talking will come.

Smiles!
Dawn

My son was a late talker - he never said anything at all until 16 months. But he was very advanced in other areas. Your child is saying some words, just not Mama or Dada. So it sounds like he's on target as he is building things and knows what the words mean. One thing I found with my son is that he didn't HAVE to use my name or other words because I anticipated his needs. He pointed or grunted or yelled, and I figured out what he wanted. Finally, at 16 months, he was pointing at the kitchen cabinet and grunting, and I said, "Whatever you want, you can have, but just say the word!" (Okay, maybe I shouldn't have promised him the world...!) That child looked at me and said as clearly as a 3 year old, "COOKIE!" From that moment on, he never stopped talking, and went very quickly into 2-word and 3-word sentences or sequences. So it will happen with your child since he doesn't appear delayed in other areas. You might TRY telling him to say the word because you don't know what he wants, but be sure you don't frustrate him TOO much in case he can't quite form the words yet. But help him along. And some words/sounds are easier to make than others - that may be why he likes the word "cat cat" - just an easy sound to make, and he's experimenting and learning how to form different letters.

Good luck!

Children progress with speaking at different rates. If you want to, you could talk to your doctor, who will happy to discuss it with you (that's part of his/her job). But it sounds from what you write as if your boy is developing well at his own speed. He may be taking in all your teaching, but just not "giving it back" yet.

I have a grandson who is two years old (today, in fact!) and he doesn't say mama either. His mama says she's going to have her feelings hurt, but actually she knows he has nothing against her. He says "car" (for any ground vehicle) and something like "airplane" (for any other type of vehicle). He says "nana" (for banana) and "appo" (for apple). He says "dog" and "kitty." He says, "Bye-bye, see you," and he counts - mostly from seven to eighteen, but sometimes he does start with one. He has a very few other actual English words. He also has a great vocabulary of words from, um, some other planet. He likes playing with sounds. I figure that when he gets into the intelligible speech thing, he's going to be talking in complex sentences in no time! But I may have a small bit of prejudice. At any rate, he'll start conversing with us all when he's good and ready.

Go ahead and keep doing the good things you're doing. Your son will surprise you one day.

If you are concerned about his speech talk to the dr about it.