Speech and Development Question

Dear M.,

Yes, yes, yes, it is the way that 'they' do it, that is, learn to speak and understand language. Just think not long ago, he couldn't make intelligible sounds, and he had to learn how to move his tongue and lips and the inside of his mouth to mold the words. Now he is experimenting and enjoying doing it his way. Don't you like to do things your own way? Sure you do. Just relax and love those first words.

My son died 3 1/2 years ago at the age of 46, and I now love to think of the baby words that he said it makes me laugh and smile and love him so much, and feel close to him.

Also, my gr grandson could even say sentences, well you know short ones, but they were truly sentences with a meaning - then he dropped the whole thing and didn't seem to try to talk, but he knew a lot, one could tell by his facial expressions they were precious. Finally just before he was 2 1/2 he started talking more and more. Now he sings twinkle twinkle little star to me over the phone. So, enjoy those baby words. You might need them some day.

C. N.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi, Sometimes my children would use baby talk in play or when they want/wanted more intention. I think your best solution is to contact your pediatrician so you can be reassured. He could have ear infections or something else going on.

1 mom found this helpful

Totally normal--please don't be in a hurry! (the reason many kids seem to say "dada" first is because 'd' is one of the first sounds to develop. It's not about a preference for dad!) Many speech sounds don't develop until much later (like it's normal for kids to have difficulty with 'r' until the early school grades!) What we first take as speech can seem to regress as kids develop more vocab & sounds.

I wouldn't worry. My son went through the same thing. I just ignored it and continued to talk to him normally. He picked it up. Sometimes I tease him with those words.

He would say becercial instead of commercial, bemessa instead of Melissa and my favorite was square instead of squirrel.

If he had problems in preschool or kindergarten, then I would worry.

Hi- I used to be very lax about this kinda stuff...as in he'll talk when he's ready but then our second son (now 2.5yrs) wasn't talking as much at 16 months as I thought he should be. He was (& still is) a VERY physical boy....very agile & an amazing climber so we just thought he was more gross motor than fine motor. By his 18 month appt. there was no change so I took him to our local regional center & had him observed. He has a slight speech delay & now recieves speech therapy one day a week at home. A big flag for us was that our son wasn't repeating anything we said. At this age, kids repeat just about everything they hear or they try to & our son wasn't....how about your daughter? Mention it to your ped & get the process started. It took a couple of months to get the appt & then a couple more to get a therapist & services so I suggest you get it started. Do you take your daughter to any playgroups or classes? If not, you might want to start so she's around as many talking kids as possible to encourage her speech. We started our son in preschool (6 months earlier than planned) & that along w/speech once a week has GREATLY improved his speech. He's now stringing together 3 word sentences. He still mostly has his own approximations for words but is understandable to others. Our therapist thinks he knows the correct way to say the word but it comes out wrong once it get from his brain to his tongue. Now that he can communicate better, he also has less tantrums cuz he's not so frustrated. I'd say this is definately worth talking to your ped. about. Hope this helps & good luck!

Hello, yes it is normal for your 16 month old to be words with b or d (dat for example) It is very difficult for toddlers to use consonant blend sounds such as "th" as in that. It will come with time. If your child is pointing and trying to say words and mimic, it is normal. With regards to saying less words than he did in the past, I would definitely have his hearing tested. you may want to have him tested for autism or other developmental issues. It's worth it to have a full scale developmental assessment done if you are getting a sense that something might not be on target.

Hi M.
I have 4 children ages 15,11,4, and 2. My sons who are 11 and 4 have had difficulty
making themselves understood. My sons would point to the item or grab my hand
and bring me to what they want. My 4 year old still can't say elephant or monkey clearly
instead he will make a elephant sound or a monkey sound. Your son is still very young and
may start talking clearly at 2 to 2 1/2. B and D words are easy for them to say and
often times at that age they just like hearing themselves babble. This wouldn't concern me
until my child is 2. You can talk to your doctor and they can do a hearing test and some
insurances will pay for a speech therapist for a older toddler. The school district is
required to assess your child if you call at age 3. My 4 year old has a speech therapist and is having a hard time making himself understood. There is nothing wrong with him he knows his ABC's and can count to 30. My 11 year old gets all A's and
his speech wasn't real clear until first grade. The speech therapist reassured me that
this is normal.
God Bless J.

Hello -- Totally normal. A lot of kids "forget" words between the ages one and two. He's practicing the sounds and words that are interesting or fun for him. After he turns two he will "suddenly" have this enormous vocabulary, and start speaking in sentences, and you won't be able to keep up!

Hi M.,
I have to say I had the same concerns and my son is 2 years old Oct 10th.
I was thinking when will I understand what he is saying. His babysitter is spanish and speaks alot of spanish to him which is great, but the dr said it's normal as long as he is putting 2 or 3 words together. Your son will be fine, I also heard that boys walk & talk later than girls do. So My son now that he knows words sometimes talks a lot. It will come in time continue to do what your doing, talk to him and he will mimic you but thats' how he will learn. Continue with reading the books and asking him what things are, We did that since he was 1 years old and now he points to the items in the book and tells me what they are....

Hi M.,
It sounds like you have a very smart child doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing at this age! At 15 months, learning how to put sounds together is such a big challenge during the day of a toddler. Don't worry right now!My brother didn't speak words till he was almost 3! He's got his M.A in Geology and is a very successful adult.
Each child learns at their own pace. My son was a runner and didn't really talk till he mastered running, at about 2 yrs. My daughter talked a bit earlier because she wasn't focused on such the physical part. I hoped this helped. Sounds like you're doing great job!

It is absolutely normal. Just make sure you encourage him to say more words. My daughter is right at the same age, and some of the words she learned she has stopped saying. But if I know she can say something (cracker, for example) I pretend I don't know what she wants if she's fussing and pointing until she actually says the word, or I'll say "cracker, you want a cracker" but not give her the cracker until she says it. Of course, if she's totally upset about it I don't make her, but it helps. Also, make sure he is still being social (making eye contact, talking to you, and in general interacting with people) and developing socially, because if this declines it could mean something more serious. Talk to your pediatrician if you're still concerned at the next checkup.

Hi there! I have a 16 month old son and he does the same thing. He had a few words at around 12 months old, but stopped saying them shortly after. He didn't walk until 14 months old and I thought he was concentrating on walking, rather than talking. He has recently been picking up many words, but they are all B & D words, too. He likes to say ball (ba), Bop (his favorite plushy), bubble, button (buh-buh), dis and dat. He used to be able to say our dog's name perfectly (Marbles) and now he just calls her Bes. I talked to the pediatrician at his 15 month appointment and she told me that there is usually a very large jump in language between 15 and 18 months. She also said that if he didn't have many words at 18 months, then she'd run some tests. I would talk to your son's pediatrician to see if he/she could set your mind at ease. Sorry I couldn't help you with answers, but I thought you'd like to know that there are others who are going through the same thing. Good luck!

At 16 months, if your son is saying even a few words or word approximations, he is doing fine. Most kids at that age can only say a few types of words (b and d words). At that age, my son called everything "da" and "di." If he is able to do some animal sounds and say at least 10 words by 18 months (even if they are very unclear but you know what he means), he is fine. Wait until he is at least 2. If you are still concerned about his limited sounds and limited talking, then have him evaluated, but he sounds very normal to me.

I honestly would NOT just blow this off. Definitely talk to your pediatrician about this. A child that reverts can be a sign of Autism. I have 4 members of my family with Autism so I am speaking from a lot of experience. Please know I am not trying to scare you. But early detection with Autism means getting help early. The earlier you can help an Autistic child the better off they will function. And no, I am not saying your child has Autism for sure. But his reverted speech is definitely something to monitor closely.

Hi

My first thought is that he may be losing some hearing as I am deaf myself. My deafness is hereditary so I was born deaf like my siblings and all of my cousins, my parents, grandparents, and great-grandfather. Not to scare you, and it may not be the case, but it's a good idea to have his hearing checked as he may have an ear infection or wax in his ear. The reason for my mentioning my deafness that runs in the family. Many parents are grieved when finding out their child is deaf. That's understandable and normal, but many receive information from doctors who are clueless about deaf and deaf culture. I just want parents to have an open mind and collect as many info and facts as possible. In case you are wondering about my son. He has normal hearing. His father has normal hearing and my son had 50/50 chance of deafness. I wouldn't have minded if he was deaf. We lead productive and meaningful lives. We have houses, professional jobs, etc. Let's just hope your son passes his hearing test. The reason for my suspicious about him losing his hearing is because of his speech and pointing out to things. Your son should he is actually losing his hearing. There are amplifications that may benefit him as well as therapies. He will do just great with your love, support, and guidance. Always treat him like you would with another child or like what you've done with him in the past with minor adjustments. Good luck and do let me know of his hearing test results.

Your lucky he even talks at 16 months old. Dont jump and dont listen to anyone telling you that this is not normal. Its perfectly normal. Some kids talk better at an early age then others. But it doesnt mean that they need a doctor or help or a speech therapist. Remember hes not even 2 yet. My 2 year old just started talking and hes 27 months. Hes trying to make out words and sentences, im not sweating it. My older son didnt talk until age 3. Hes 5 now, and his volcabulary is alot better then most kids his own age. Give him a little more time. Good Luck!
A.!

It's probably normal, but if you have concerns (you will know your child best), check with his doctor. And if you still feel that something is not quite right after the doctor told you it's normal, ask for a specialist to check on autism. Never ignore a mother's instinct.
Good luck.

Hi, M.. The part of your question that indicates "NOT normal" is that he's regressed from where he once was. I have to second Kathy S. on getting him checked for Autism and other physical possibilities, just as a precaution. I like to err on the side of caution, where a child's health is concerned. Around 18 months is the age that many/most Autism cases show up. From what I've learned, there is a SMALL window of opportunity in which to cure it. If his development was consistently delayed or advanced, I would say, relax. But you're describing a regression/disruption, which is cause for question.

J. Smithson
Loving Hands Learn 'n' Play
http://www.lhlearnandplay.com