Early to walk..late to talk...any Truth There?

Our PT says that sometimes a baby will be really concentrating on learning one skill, like walking, so other skills will come later. My twin boys are late on everything, including walking and talking. However, I don't think when a baby walks and talks has much bearing on their later development. My younger brother didn't talk until age 2, and he is now in his 30's and a very smart doctor. I talked very early (10 months) and read at 2 1/2, but I don't think I am more successful or brighter than anyone I know!

Definitely don't worry about your 8 month old not talking yet! That is very young, most kids don't say their first words until at least 12 months and many not until later.

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All my kids talked early and walked late so no help there however, my niece walked at 8-9 months and was also one of the most verbal kids I've seen, very early and just continued from then on. So I suppose it just depends.

I'm pregnant with #4 and I just hope that this one starts late because once mine start they never stop. :)

Hope this helps, at least a little.

Megan

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My son started walking at 9 months and he was a chatterbox...literally. I'd say he definitely mastered walking first but I don't think he was late in talking at all. It was hilarious watching him because he was so tiny and his mouth was moving as fast as his feet LOL! Real words came later but not too much later. I don't think I'd worry too much right now.

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Both my girls were walking full-time (not crawling anymore at all) at 9 months old and they definitely talked later than their more stationary friends!

My older daughter started saying a few things at 13 months, but didn't really start saying many words until just before her sister was born when she was 20 months old. My younger, at 15 months, has just started saying mama, papa, and her sister's name. Both started signing right around the end of 13 months.

Even though my younger didn't start talking until 14-15 months old, she was climbing from the floor up onto the dining-room table (via the chairs, of course) at 10 months old! So, watch out :)

Best wishes!
~B.

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Nope, not true.

Every baby's brain develops on its own timetable, for crawling, walking, talking … for every aspect of development. You can nurture and optimize development, but not change the underlying pattern significantly, so relax and have fun with your little ones.

(My daughter took her first steps at 7 1/2 months, and started speaking very soon thereafter. My grandboy also both walked and talked early.)

I think each child is an individual and can't be put into a box. My oldest son walked early as well and talked at 10 months. He was speaking in complete sentences and having conversations at 18 months. So, just love your daughter and she'll talk when she's ready. My youngest son who is 2 is just now starting to talk in very small sentences and the Dr. says that's fairly common for a younger sibling not to talk as much because the older one talks for them.

Wow, it sounds like you are really busy with kids! Two of my three kids walked very early and also talked early. My other child walked late and talked late. So my experience is opposite of the old saying, which I had actually never heard of before.
I'll bet your daughter is walking already because she wants to keep up with all the other kids in your household. I have two boys in their twenty's now and my daughter is 11. Enjoy your time with her and treasure every minute. They all grow up sooo fast !

I started talking at 7 months, but didn't start walking until 15 months. I could speak in full sentences by the time I walked. However, I really needed glasses (I got my first pair at 18 months), so it's hard to say what would have happened. I think that it doesn't matter whether a child talks first, walks first, talks late, or whatever. They each develop at their own rate and so long as they learn it all, why does it matter which way it happens?

My son walked at 12 months (normal), but didn't talk until age 2. So, he didn't follow any rules about development. :)

I don't know if there's any actually scientific truth to it, but in my family, it is indeed the way it has worked. My daughter was running at 9 months, and was a late talker. My son was the opposite. Most likely coincidence, I know, but the little old ladies at my church all swear by the old saying. One of them (a mother of seven and a grandma) had her own pet theory - she said that little ones tend to work on one major milestone at a time, which is why they seem to follow a sequence.

Anyway, may you enjoy your last little one, whether she's a silent (for now) streak of activity or a chatterbox!

In our case, the saying is true. My little girl didn't walk until she was 14 months, but she was talking very early and now has a vocabulary of over 25 words at 16 months.

My son walked early and talked early and is very articulate. I call him 'linguistically gifted' aka the gift of gab.

Each person is different and it might be true for many kids, doesn't mean it will be true for yours. Our little girl has been ahead on pretty much everything. She started to walk and talk more around 10 months. She just turned 3 and is still ahead on most everything, however some kids her age might excel in one or two things that are ahead of her but behind in everything else. It will be interesting to see how she does when she's old enough for school. The main thing I have noticed with pretty much every kiddo her age is that no matter how old they are when they hit the next milestone, once they figure it out (walking, talking, potty training, etc.) it happens fast and they master it pretty quickly. Have fun with your amazing little girl! :-)

My second child was walking at 8 months, and climbing at 9 months! I mean pulling out the drawers in the kitchen to get the ceral climbing! He is 5 now, he did not have a probelm with speaking late. One thing with children who have older siblings is they can tend to take longer to talk if their older sibling do all the talking for them (ie youngest points to what they want and older sibs get it for them). Each child's development is very independant.

Don't worry; both of my girls were walking very early too and they started talking at the normal age. It seems like your home is a busy one and maybe Gillian hasn't felt like she has needed to talk yet.
P.S. You sound like a fantastic person and have quite a busy life. God has really blessed you!

J.

There was no truth to that in my home.

My oldest walked at about 7 1/2 months, talked at 11 months, and was potty trained by 1 1/2. What is funny is that my second did not walk until 12 months and did not really talk much until he was 2.

enjoy the heck out of those munchkins

I have never heard that saying, but it does make sense. My oldest when he was 9 months old was just about ready to walk. I remember being in his 9 month check up and talking to the doctor that I was concerned that he barely said 3 words and my friends daughter had a 20 word vocab at 9 months. As I was saying this, my son was climbing up everything. The doctor told me that kids tend to be one or the other, motor or verbal to start and will focus on one over the other. True my son walked at 10 months and my friends daughter was closer to 14 months before she talked.

With my second son, he was even later talking due to having a big brother who was more than happy to speak for him. My third has had no problem talking or walking and has just been trying to keep up with his brothers.

Maybe, each child is different. One of mine talked late and walked early. The other walked a bit late and talked early. Both ended up in the gifted program in school. Each child will be what each child is. Remember to immerse your self in the motherhood you have before you. Blessings.

Both my boys walked around age 1, which is average, however the oldest didn't talk early and still at age 21 isn't much a talker.
The youngest talked full sentences very early on and still at age 18 can talk you under the table!
I have never heard that old saying and don't think it's true.

My children certainly proved the saying --- all 3 talked between 8----10 months - but walked really late - and my ddarling grandson ( who is now 9 years old) walked at 9 months- but didn't talk much until 13 months - and was a bit slow - verbally - until close to 2 - the WHEW - he's never stopped-- lol. If you want you might get some books or videos from the library with baby signs- it's fun for babys and these ''easy movers' often love to use the simple gestures - but only if it's fun- you have PLENTY on your plate--

many blessings,
J.
aka -- old Mom