As some of you know our pedi is pretty strict about meeting certain milestones and Matt "has to" say 20 words by his 18 month wellness visit. The criteria for what a word is is that someone outside the family could understand what he is saying. Animal or car noises don't count.
So here is the list with a month and a half to go:
1. Mama
2. Dada
3. Bubble
4. Apple
5. Oh
6. Uh oh
7. No
8. Bye
9. Te amo
10. Agua
11. Donde
I feel like I am cheating with the "Oh" and "Uh oh" but 20 words seems like a lot! He is really close with "more," "up," and "diaper."
I just hope that one of those major breakthroughs people talk about with kids speaking to happen for Matt at 17 months.
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I'd be a little miffed at the pediatrician for all the pressure, that seems so arbitrary. Plus I've heard that multilingual kids pick up words more slowly at first.
I think he'll totally make it, but man. That's a lot of pressure!
I know!! At the 15 month appointment when he said "He needs to be saying 20 words at the 18 month wellness visit" I should have asked "Or what?"
That's pretty intimidating. Matty's doing awesome and, per the above post, I'm thankful that our pedi isn't so rigid about his developmental guidelines otherwise I'd be a nervous wreck.
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Don't worry, he won't quiz him. So if he is only saying 18 words, then "yes, Dr, he is at about 21 words.' Make sure you don't have a quilty look on your face.
I think once he gets it, he's going to suddenly start saying alot. How about banana?
He's doing great! Really he is.
"Oh" and "uh oh" are not cheating, and personally, I think animal noises should count. I also think the pedi's criteria that other people should be able to understand the words is ridiculous. If you and your DH can understand him that's really all that matters at this age. There''s an SLP who posts a lot on the SAHM's board, and she had a really great post about vocabulary vs. pronunciation a few weeks ago. The gist is that they're two different skills that develop at different ages. I think I remember reading in various places that only about 50% of what the average two year old says is understandable to a non-primary caregiver.
I still think your pedi has gone a bit overboard here. I like what MrsZee said about 50% of what the average 2 year old saying being understandable. I barely understood my nieces and nephews when I was dating my DH. And the older two were both 3-1/2!
I think he's doing fabulous with his words. Don't stress too much.
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Wow, Try not to stress. I have never heard the 20 words by 18 mths milestone before. My oldest wasn't saying hardly anything by the time she was 18 mths old and she was a National Merit Scholar in High School. It has been my experience that we want them to talk so bad then we rejoice when we get a little silence.
He does sound like he is working his way to 20 words.
Oh wow - that makes sense. There are so many words that DH and I know what he means but others wouldn't.
I. LOVE. THIS. IDEA.
No he isn't saying banana yet but we haven't given him bananas lately. He has been on a grape kick. I will try it tomorrow!
If he has other words that aren't on your list (because only you and DH understand them) then I'm sure he probably hit the 20 word mark already. When Stella first learned to say "squirrel" it was the weirdest sound--no one else would have even thought it was a word--but she would use it in a sentence like "I see a [weird guttural sound] and we knew she meant "I see a squirrel." Definitely don't stress about it, and when the pedi asks if he's saying 20 words I would absolutely say yes