For those who worry...

Stacyc625

that their child isn't speaking enough or soon enough.

One word....

 

DON'T.

 

I distinctly remember constantly second guessing myself about Gisele and her verbal abilities. At one year she had 2 words. She gradually added to her vocab.

And now- she just doesn't SHUT UP. Non stop. All day long. Major jabber jaws on my hands.

I swear I NEVER thought toddler blabber would be so EXHAUSTING.

At the end of the day- I just want silence. Pure and utter silence.

So don't worry- they will talk. Sooooooooon enough.

 

 

hellopoppyseed

Haha I can't imagine! But last night I had one of the first 2-part interactions with my 15 mo. He was playing and I said, "C, are you ready for night night?" he looked up and said "Wha?". I said, "Are youready for night night?" and he says, "No no." Aarghh I couldn't believe it. We are having conversations!

Stacyc625

hellopoppyseed:

Haha I can't imagine! But last night I had one of the first 2-part interactions with my 15 mo. He was playing and I said, "C, are you ready for night night?" he looked up and said "Wha?". I said, "Are youready for night night?" and he says, "No no." Aarghh I couldn't believe it. We are having conversations!

It just gets more and more fun as they grow older. And then you see opinions form and THEN that is where the talking gets tiring. lol

hellopoppyseed

I just realized that I need to use my lawyer training and stop asking questions where I don't know what the answer is going to be. Hah how's that for using my education?

Mrs.Hizzo

Ditto. I was SO worried about Finn. He barely had six words at 18 months, and I was just sure there was a huge problem. Now he runs his mouth constantly, and his teacher said to me a few weeks ago, "Finn talks like a ten-year-old" which I thought was pretty funny considering that a year and a half ago, no one but me could understand a single word that came out of his mouth.

Stacyc625

hellopoppyseed:

I just realized that I need to use my lawyer training and stop asking questions where I don't know what the answer is going to be. Hah how's that for using my education?

YUUUUUP. Yesterday I said, ok Gisele are you ready to go up and take a nap? (that was a dumb question- but it was more in my prep phase/transition from lunch to nap) and she said, 'No mommy, its a sunny day, no nap. Nap later, m'kay?' ..... 'No m'kay, gisele'

Stacyc625

Mrs.Hizzo:

Ditto. I was SO worried about Finn. He barely had six words at 18 months, and I was just sure there was a huge problem. Now he runs his mouth constantly, and his teacher said to me a few weeks ago, "Finn talks like a ten-year-old" which I thought was pretty funny considering that a year and a half ago, no one but me could understand a single word that came out of his mouth.

YES!! That was exactly Gisele- around 18 months she had around that amount. But babbled non stop. Now she just doesn't STOP. ever. Our mother's helper just cannot believe how much she talks and reasons and blabs.

hellopoppyseed

Stacyc625:

hellopoppyseed:

I just realized that I need to use my lawyer training and stop asking questions where I don't know what the answer is going to be. Hah how's that for using my education?

YUUUUUP. Yesterday I said, ok Gisele are you ready to go up and take a nap? (that was a dumb question- but it was more in my prep phase/transition from lunch to nap) and she said, 'No mommy, its a sunny day, no nap. Nap later, m'kay?' ..... 'No m'kay, gisele'

Hahahaha! It is scary how smart they are!

lujain

I'm glad that things turned out fine for your kid, but I don't think you can generalize from your kid into making universal statements about all kids everywhere.  My daughter is 17 months and has zero words, not even mama or dada.  Of course I hope she will catch up to her peers and be fine, but I have been dragging her to therapy because it can only help her and not hurt her situation.  Serious speech disorders do exist.  Speech therapists are employed for a reason.  And the window to get free services through EI ends when the kid turns 3.

mandymack

Awwww... ahahaha!  Little jabber jaws! 

Seriously, wait until they are 4yrs and not only understand just about everything they hear and that you say but they want to know WHY and ask; "what does that say (before they can read)" all.the.time.  Silence is golden in my house, I would pay for it at times!

Shelly203

DS just turned four, and DH and I are always saying, "Remember when we were freaked out that he wouldn't ever talk?"  I was so worried when he was around two and even talked to his pedi and got a speech evaluation.  And I remember asking my mom, "Do you think he will ever ask why questions?" because all his little friends were doing it and I thought he was behind.  I distinctly remember the first why question he asked and I was so excited.  I must answer a million why questions every day now, and I'm not nearly as excited about them.   And he just talks non-stop.  The only time he stops talking is when he was asleep.  So yes...don't worry...your time will come.

Notwifezilla7

lujain:

I'm glad that things turned out fine for your kid, but I don't think you can generalize from your kid into making universal statements about all kids everywhere.  My daughter is 17 months and has zero words, not even mama or dada.  Of course I hope she will catch up to her peers and be fine, but I have been dragging her to therapy because it can only help her and not hurt her situation.  Serious speech disorders do exist.  Speech therapists are employed for a reason.  And the window to get free services through EI ends when the kid turns 3.

I was going to say the same thing. I think sometimes mother's intuition can misinterpreted as worry.

We had DD assessed at 22 mo because she had very few words. While she ended up testing fine, I was so glad the services were available had she needed it.

 Having worked in special education with children who have limited to no expressive language, and/or other delays in communcation, I have seen first hand the struggle and frustration these little kids have to endure. I've also had to work with their parents and saw how the stress of not being able to communicate w/your child affected them.  I guess this is one of the reasons I have never felt this way with Mo. I am thankful, even as I clinch my jaws in frustration, that my kid can articulate her POV or that she wants the orange cup w/red lid or to watch YGG again.

Daisy77

Notwifezilla7:

lujain:

I'm glad that things turned out fine for your kid, but I don't think you can generalize from your kid into making universal statements about all kids everywhere.  My daughter is 17 months and has zero words, not even mama or dada.  Of course I hope she will catch up to her peers and be fine, but I have been dragging her to therapy because it can only help her and not hurt her situation.  Serious speech disorders do exist.  Speech therapists are employed for a reason.  And the window to get free services through EI ends when the kid turns 3.

I was going to say the same thing. I think sometimes mother's intuition can misinterpreted as worry.

We had DD assessed at 22 mo because she had very few words. While she ended up testing fine, I was so glad the services were available had she needed it.

 Having worked in special education with children who have limited to no expressive language, and/or other delays in communcation, I have seen first hand the struggle and frustration these little kids have to endure. I've also had to work with their parents and saw how the stress of not being able to communicate w/your child affected them.  I guess this is one of the reasons I have never felt this way with Mo. I am thankful, even as I clinch my jaws in frustration, that my kid can articulate her POV or that she wants the orange cup w/red lid or to watch YGG again.

I think what Stacy is saying is that you shouldn't ALWAYS jump to the worst case scenario, as some parents tend to do.  My niece sneezes and SIL immediately assumes it's pneumonia and rushes her to the doctor.  Seriously.

DD#1 needed speech therapy well into grade school.  Every little kid is different and things can change very quickly with them.  I think sometimes as parents we're so "Is there something wrong with my kid?" that when they aren't following a certain timetable, we panic that that something is wrong when that is not always the case.   

Stacyc625

Daisy77:

Notwifezilla7:

lujain:

I'm glad that things turned out fine for your kid, but I don't think you can generalize from your kid into making universal statements about all kids everywhere.  My daughter is 17 months and has zero words, not even mama or dada.  Of course I hope she will catch up to her peers and be fine, but I have been dragging her to therapy because it can only help her and not hurt her situation.  Serious speech disorders do exist.  Speech therapists are employed for a reason.  And the window to get free services through EI ends when the kid turns 3.

I was going to say the same thing. I think sometimes mother's intuition can misinterpreted as worry.

We had DD assessed at 22 mo because she had very few words. While she ended up testing fine, I was so glad the services were available had she needed it.

 Having worked in special education with children who have limited to no expressive language, and/or other delays in communcation, I have seen first hand the struggle and frustration these little kids have to endure. I've also had to work with their parents and saw how the stress of not being able to communicate w/your child affected them.  I guess this is one of the reasons I have never felt this way with Mo. I am thankful, even as I clinch my jaws in frustration, that my kid can articulate her POV or that she wants the orange cup w/red lid or to watch YGG again.

I think what Stacy is saying is that you shouldn't ALWAYS jump to the worst case scenario, as some parents tend to do.  My niece sneezes and SIL immediately assumes it's pneumonia and rushes her to the doctor.  Seriously.

DD#1 needed speech therapy well into grade school.  Every little kid is different and things can change very quickly with them.  I think sometimes as parents we're so "Is there something wrong with my kid?" that when they aren't following a certain timetable, we panic that that something is wrong when that is not always the case.   

well said, thank you.

Notwifezilla7

I can appreciate what Stacy is saying and all too many moms rush to think something is wrong when things are fine. But in the same boat, there a quite a few moms (and/or dads) who are in denial that something may be wrong w/their LO or think something is wrong yet do nothing. I think it would remiss not to acknowledge that.

HarrietNJMommy

Now that I've been through it, I say the same thing, but as a first-time mom I can tell you that you do really worry if all the other kids are speaking and your kid isn't.

I can tell you that a few months ago my friend commented how much her daughter was saying and how L said nothing (her daughter is one month older than L). And to tell you the truth, her daughter was pretty average with speech. When L turned 2 last month, all of a sudden, he had a verbal EXPLOSION!!!! She couldn't believe that he was speaking in sentences. They are pretty much at the same level now......and her daughter started really speaking 6 months ago..... 

jenifairies

I feel you. Alaina doesn't shut up, either. At night after she's gone to bed and DH starts talking I want to tell him to just can it as well so I can have some SILENCE.

susanmosley

Stacyc625:

So don't worry- they will talk. Sooooooooon enough.

 

But sometimes they won't.  And sometimes parental concerns are very valid.

I know what you meant Stacy, but I wouldn't be a responsible SLP if I didn't encourage mothers with concerns to have their children checked out.  I know you were being silly, but some kids WON'T talk, need a lot of help to talk, or need a little push get started.   

I get nervous for the concerned mother who will let things like this pacify their gut instinct.

Again Stacy, I know what you were meaning, but I couldn't help myself.