Seriously, why isn?t this kid talking?? Help!

happ17

Not ONE word. ONE. PAC used to say mama or dada or apple and stuff, but now he doesn?t at all. He just points, or makes random noises like ?ayah? or ?yeayeayea? or ?nananoo? ?deedee.? I  just don?t get it. Is it because he?s hearing 2 languages at once? He understands everything we say in both languages, but doesn?t talk. He?s going to be 18 months next week. I?m starting to get a bit worried.

He doesn?t have a problem with hearing, and he?s social?like makes eye contact and interacts with us very well. Developmentally, there are some things he does that are beyond his age, at least cognitively. But this talking thing is just throwing us for a loop. At his 15 month appt, pedi said he?d address it at his 18 month appt. I just don?t know what to do.

We try to encourage talking, like don?t give him what he wants but try to make him ask for it. That just ends up in his getting frustrated and crying or shouting. Ugh. Do you think we have EI in our future?

hikerbeth

Deep breath.  I'm guessing that hearing two languages slows down his expressive skills a little (I've witnessed it firsthand with friends' kids who are learning 2-3 languages simultaneously).  Also, 18 months is still young.  I swear my DD went to bed one night around 19 months saying a few words and woke up speaking sentences. . . it happened really fast and it was a little after 18 months.

Keep talking to him.  Narrate EVERYTHING.  And talk to the doctor at the 18 month appointment.  Good luck!

LittleMamaB

Miles said VERY little before 18 months...a couple of dadas and mamas here and there. He is twenty months old today and easily has 25-30 words. And he talks in sentences all the time...not sentences that we understand, but sentences nonetheless. His pedi asked us if he was using inflection when he babbles (think raising at the end of a sentence for a question or excitement emphasizing some words) and told us that is a strong indicator of soon-to-come speech.

Honestly, from what you described, PAC sounds right on target to me.

GinandTonic

My DS said VERY little until 2 and then it suddenly exploded.  The pedi was more concerned about his improvement than him being behind.  In other words, did he have more words at 2 than at 18 months and he did.

Now, we're ending up in speech therapy for his pronunciation, but I think that's just because he started so late.  Part of me kicks myself for not getting him started sooner (like if I put him in therapy at 2, he'd be done by now), but most of me feels like he'll get it all eventually.

Try not to worry too much!

Alibabs

Liam used to speak proper words then went through a phase where he would only say the begining of the word. It was really frustrating but he eventually got over it. I'm sure he's just experimenting with language.

binnyskitch

DS is 20 months and learning two languages (spanish).  He really only started talking just a couple of months ago.  At his 18 month checkup, I asked the pedi if learning two languages can delay talking and she said absolutely.  DS does say a lot of "words" right now, but like you I often have no idea what he is saying.  DS says "ah-yah" all.the.time.  However, in spanish, it means "there".  Is it possible these noises are actually words in the second language?   I say don't worry at all   But, I know...easier said than done.

AZ_Erica

I would wait until he is actually 18 months.  DS said nothing at 17 months.  at 17.5 months he started saying a lot more.  he still doesn't say a ton of words, a dozen maybe, but he understands everything and is picking up new words so I am not concerned...yet.

Temp970088312507122

DD really didn't have any words until 17 months and she was only learning one language. But the sounds you said he's making sound exactly like the sounds she used to make right before she started talking. I can still hear "deedee!" over and over again in my head! And now, I even kind of miss it.