Talking at 17 months???

Aprilmegan3

I took my son to the doctor at 14 months for a checkup after he had gotten an ear infection. After confirming that he was getting better, I asked her about him and speaking. She told me that he should be saying at least 10 words by his age at that time. She then told me that if he's still not saying words by the time he is 18 months old (which is next month) that she wants to see him again and see about speech therapy. 

My husband of course was pissed off. "That doctor is a quack" "She called my son stupid," ya know, the whole over protective dad spiel. Now my son understands commands. He knows to stop when you tell him no (most times), he can bring things to you when you ask, he points to things he wants, babbles constantly, and is so super smart it amazes me. He's just not saying actual words. Except "dada." Meanwhile, I have friends who have younger babies who are apparently geniuses and have mastered the english language already. (supposedly) At first I wasn't really concerned, but the more I read about it, the more it seems like my son should be saying more than just "dada." 

I know all kids do things at different times, but I was just wondering what everyone else thought... 

BabyKsMommy

My DS, 18 months, honesty has 1 word and its "up" not mama or dada. His 18 month appt should be coming up so ill ask then but I'm not super worried. Once they catch on he will probably start saying a lot of words.

My DS also knows commands and will try to repeat what you are saying. He's trying but I think he just needs more time.

drpayne

There are so many variations of normal. I think it's pretty soon to be talking about speech therapy...
Seems like an overreaction. We did see an ENT around that time and DS ended up with tubes. His speech took off after that. Even without a reason though, there are still plenty of kids who just don't talk much until later.

Cherryblossoms07

I don't see any problem with having them evaluated for speech therapy at 18 months if they are not saying words. 

We held off with DD because we kept thinking that she was going to have a speech explosion sometimes soon and her pedi was never that concerned.  Finally at 2, I pushed the pedi for an evaluation because DD was beginning to be noticeably behind (she could understand everything said to her, but had problems expressing herself).  She was diagnosed with an articulation disorder and started receiving speech therapy at 2 1/2.  Speech therapy has helped her tremendously.  If DS doesn't start saying words soon we will have him evaluated also.

IMO, it is much smarter to get them evaluated and get them help so they don't fall behind later.  Plus, not expressing themselves doesn't necessarily mean that there is something wrong with them.  There are many very bright people that didn't speak until later - Einstein for one.   

Five_letter

An evaluation and early intervention (if needed) would be wise. 

mommy0411

I would definitely get him evaluated by EArly intervention it's completely free for the evaluation and they will either offer services that will help your DS get caught up or tell you she isn't behind.nbsp;Just so you know, my DS only had one word at 18 months and it has turned into a whole host of problems i knew he was different from other toddlers but i didnt know why. When he finally had his evaluation at 20 months it takes time to get an evaluation his language was 55 delayed he does have a lot of other delays as well. The big difference with him is he also has a receptive language delay and only understands the most basic requests that are in his routine and doesn't have any clue how to express yes and no among other things.Since he has had aleast one ear infection, they will probably recommend you take her to a Ear Nose and throat doctor to get his hearing checked and also to make sure he doesn't have fluid on his ears. That can also case speech delays and is a good place to start when ruling out reasons for the delay.Good luck and let me know if you have questions! nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;

erbear

My kid is verbal (both of them were) and had pretty extensive vocabularies and 2-3 word sentences at 17 months. BUT there's a huge range of normal with speaking. My nephew (6 weeks younger than my daughter) says maybe 3 words at 22 months.

Honestly, he'll have a huge word explosion at some point. by 3, they're all about the same anyway. I don't think I would stress about it.

siennasmama

My 15 month old is very verbal, BUT she doesn't walk or stand, or show any interest in doing either...our pediatrician said that many babies are more proficient in language but less in gorss motor, or vice versa.  Try not to worry...I feel like we are surrounded by babies her age and younger who have been walking for months, and it's hard not to compare! From what our pedi said, all kids hit milestones at different paces, and there is a very wide range of "normal".

AMcLaws

I think 10 words by 14 months is a little much. I don't remember my DD being at 10 words, but I could be wrong. She's 17 months now, and has a decent vocab going, but is still doing plenty of babbling

kcisthebombdotcom

Your pedi is correct in being proactive.

There's nothing wrong with getting a child evaluated for a speech delay at 1 1/2. One word at that age would definitely qualify (the minimum they want to see is 10 words). The benefit of starting the process early as it does take some time to get someone scheduled to come out to do the evaluation/speech therapy to start if required. If you get the ball rolling and your child has that language explosion, you call and cancel. If you wait until your child is 2 and you wait 2 months for an evaluation then another 3-4 months for a therapist to become available your child is 2.5 when you start therapy. Children age out of early intervention at three so that means you only 6 months that you'd receive therapy then you'd be stuck with the usually limited services a school department provides if your child wasnt able to catch up that quickly.

It seems like in many speech question posts there's this assumption that if the child understands language that means everything is fine. There are a long list of language disorders that present without a receptive language (ie what the child understands) delay. A speech therapist can weed that out. Delayed speech rarely is an indicator of intelligence as well so your DH shouldn't imply your pedi thinks your child is stupid.

10 words at 14 months probably falls into "average". The minimum is 3 words at that age. Some kids who are ahead of the curve are going to have lots more--there really is such a wide range of "normal". Less than 10 at 15 months isn't that concerning though. At 18+ months it's worth exploring though.

GL

mldain

erbear:

My kid is verbal (both of them were) and had pretty extensive vocabularies and 2-3 word sentences at 17 months. BUT there's a huge range of normal with speaking. My nephew (6 weeks younger than my daughter) says maybe 3 words at 22 months.

Honestly, he'll have a huge word explosion at some point. by 3, they're all about the same anyway. I don't think I would stress about it.

This. I worked at a preschool center for years that had kids 18 mos to 5 years old and there are so many ranges of normal. As long as they are talking coherently by 3 your child should be fine.

My DD mimics phrases and uses them in context. Although she wont make her own sentences.  Try some baby sign with your child that could help with any communication issues.

rainstar752

I wouldn't worry right now.  There can be a huge language burst between 14 and 18 months old.  DD only had 2 words at 14 months (dada and mama) and by 18 months she had nearly 100.  Now, if by 18 months your LO still has less than 10 words, I would get him evaluated, just so you can get him some early help if needed.

hmontty

At 18 months, DD was saying maybe 6 words, and those not real frequently. I was concerned and asked a speech therapist, who said she was fine, especially since, like your LO, she was clearly UNDERSTANDING things, just not speaking.

The ST said that at 18 months, they are concerned about children with no words at all and who are not really attempting.

If DD was saying just one word at 18 months, I might actually just bring her in for an eval. Why not? But odds are your child will start up one day and surprise you.

Our DD is now 21 months and is adding a couple new words a week, plus her comprehension is now astounding me daily (I thought she understood well at 18 months, but now it's ridiculous). She is clearly extremely bright and an amazing problem solver.

 I should also add that DD went to physcial therapy at 18 months for a gross motor delay (she was not yet standing), which was partially due to her low muscle tone and partially to "confidence" issues. Within 6 weeks, she was walking, and now, at 21 months, she is working on running. Therapy was a godsend for us. She is now caught up with her peers.

So yeah, I would try therapy. 

Also, PP, 100 words used clearly, consistently, and correctly in context at 18 months? Really?

katiewhompus

I think an eval is wise at 18 months, but don't worry until then. At her 15 month check-up Dd's words were "mamma" "dadda" "no" "doggy" and "nana" (banana.

Now she probably has over 30 words (not said perfectly, but clearly enough to be understood and correct in use).

I also highly recommend signing. I feel like it has greatly helped Dd with understanding the concept and then adding the vocal aspect after. 

luvmyducks

Every baby is different, but there couldn't be any hurt in trying some EI for speech.  I'm sure he is fine and just waiting until he is ready to talk more, but again, EI can be a great asset.

camedowncrushing

My DD is 16 months, and we are receiving speech services from early intervention.  At 14 months she would only say dada.  I noticed she wasn't babbling any other sounds, and wouldn't try to mimic me at all.  She wouldn't attempt to make animal noises, or say "ba" "ma" or "o" or "oo."  I called basically wanting some reassurance that everything was okay. 

Our pedi said the first step was to have her hearing checked.  That went just fine.  Then I brought her into our pedi's office.  She asked me some questions (one was if DD would babble into a pretend phone which she doesn't), and had DD walk out into the hall.  At the end of the visit  she told me that I should call early intervention.  As a PP said sometimes these things take a while to set up.  We had the evaluation done rather quickly so we were lucky.  DD's receptive language was amazing, but she has a speech delay. 

In my opinion I would recommend having the evaluation done.  It can't hurt, and I can't think of any reason you would regret it.  If you don't get it done, and a few months from now she still only has one word you will probably be saying to yourself that you wish you had called earlier.  

janicemarieh

I don't know much about this personally (DD's just turned 1), but I just happened to get an email from Mom365 that says this:

13 through 18 months

The goal The more words they know, the better toddlers can successfully navigate the world - and the people - around them. During these months, babies' "receptive language" - what they understand - expands rapidly. As it does, toddlers can follow directions and become more active participants in their daily routine.
What's on track 
She's learning what so many words mean, and is proud to show off her knowledge by labeling parts of her body (head, belly, hands, feet, etc.), pointing to pictures in a book when they're named ("Where's the dog?") and following one-step directions. Understanding more means she?ll be able to better anticipate changes to her routine, too. Her vocabulary is rapidly growing and she says more words every month, even if they don't sound perfect yet. More beginning consonant sounds are also being added to her repertoire. By the end of this period, she may speak about 20 to 60 words but understand almost 200! 
What to watch for
? Not saying 3 to 5 words by 15 months
? Not seeming to know the function of common household objects (brush, phone, utensils)
? Not knowing how to get your attention to show you something of interest or to request help by 18 months

? Not imitating actions or words by 18 months. 

 

Just thought I'd pass it along FWIW. 

erbear

hmontty:

Also, PP, 100 words used clearly, consistently, and correctly in context at 18 months? Really?

This is not unbelieveable at all. Both of my girls had that vocabulary.

kcisthebombdotcom

erbear:

hmontty:

Also, PP, 100 words used clearly, consistently, and correctly in context at 18 months? Really?

This is not unbelieveable at all. Both of my girls had that vocabulary.

Agreed. 100 words isn't that far outside the "average" of 18 months.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/one/language.html

kristennd

A lot of this is regional. Some people on my birth month board were told intervention would start at 18 months and some were told 24. LO is 20 months and has no words at all, but we're in a 24 month area and also our doctor isn't at all concerned.

kcisthebombdotcom

kristennd:

A lot of this is regional. Some people on my birth month board were told intervention would start at 18 months and some were told 24. LO is 20 months and has no words at all, but we're in a 24 month area and also our doctor isn't at all concerned.

I think you were given some bad info. Early intervention can start anytime from 0-35 months. Kids age out of the program at 3 but sometimes special exceptions are made. You can call early intervention at any age without your doctor's referral even if your doctor isn't concerned about their development. You don't have to wait until they reach some particular age (though if they're 3+ or close to it you should contact your school district). We started the process with my second child prior to 18 months.

Pediatricians take one course in med school on early childhood development. They cannot accurately diagnose if your child's speech is ok/not ok. They can ask you a list of questions at your well visits that will hopefully catch some of the bigger issues like autism. Many of them are really unknowledgable in this area though.

People should trust their gut as a parent--your doctor isn't necessarily right on stuff like this. My friend's son got diagnosed with epilepsy after her pediatrician said he was fine and he was just a late bloomer. She wishes she got help for him earlier.

Babalonia

Well I don't sit and count but I can tell you that my 20 month old is not saying 100 words.  He says a few new words here and there but not 100. I'm not really to concerned as of yet.

lana22

my son is 13.5 months and i just asked the dr the same question at his ear infection recheck this am. he has said mama, dada and up, but very sporadically. he babbles and makes lots of sounds, but no other clear words. the dr seemed to think i was overreacting (with my concern) and that as long as he is pointing, understanding things i say, and saying at least one word, he was in the range for normal.

RayRay007

DD only had a few unprompted words at that age. I was starting to wonder because apparently my aquaintance's slightly younger DD was speaking in full sentences (eye roll). Anyway, her language has exploded in the last month (at 21 months). Just wait!

ETA: I don't meant to imply you should skip an assessment. There is nothing wrong with that and I would encourage it. I'm just saying that it may very well be nothing and your LO will be talking in no time.

BrittanyMc

I will go against what everyone else is saying here. Ds didn't say anything but mama and dada and about 5 other words until he was 2!  I was concerned but decided to give it time, he turned 2 and a switch went off.  He was speaking full sentences.  Now at nearly 5 he is so smart, you would never know he was a late talker. Dd babbles a lot more than Ds ever did, but she still isn't walking so there is that:) If you need to do EI to ease your mind, go for it. But I am team, they do things when they are ready.  I think my feelings on this are quite unpopular, but I still stand by them. 

phdprocrastinator

Here's the thing: It's really hard to tell the difference between late talking and a speech delay at 18 months (https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/lateblooming.htm).  I think your doctor is wise to let you know there may be a concern.  Like PP have said, your son may end up having a language explosion in a couple months.  BUT, if he doesn't, and you wait until he is 24 months to begin the EI process, you've lost 6 months of therapy - and generally the earlier intervention, the more successful it is.  If I were in your shoes, I'd start the process.  Then again, I'm a worrier with a special education background (it drive DH crazy!).

rainstar752

erbear:

hmontty:

Also, PP, 100 words used clearly, consistently, and correctly in context at 18 months? Really?

This is not unbelieveable at all. Both of my girls had that vocabulary.

Yes, really.  It's not that crazy- I know babies at 18 months who were saying way more than 100 words, and some are even using sentences.  There is a wide range of normal. I think anything from 10-200 words is pretty typical at 18 months.  I don't think the actual number matters so much as whether the child is progressing and trying to say some words, and able to understand words even if they can't say them.  My point was that if your child isn't saying much at 14 months, that is doesn't tell you much about what they might be saying at 18 months.

kristennd

Okay, I will rephrase. Our insurance won't cover EI before 24 months. 

Our doctor isn't even a pediatrician. But he has three young children of his own and one didn't start talking until 25 months and then it was your basic no-intervention-required explosion, so I do appreciate his mellowness. My gut is already to not worry about it, regardless of his take.

 

KC_13:

kristennd:

A lot of this is regional. Some people on my birth month board were told intervention would start at 18 months and some were told 24. LO is 20 months and has no words at all, but we're in a 24 month area and also our doctor isn't at all concerned.

I think you were given some bad info. Early intervention can start anytime from 0-35 months. Kids age out of the program at 3 but sometimes special exceptions are made. You can call early intervention at any age without your doctor's referral even if your doctor isn't concerned about their development. You don't have to wait until they reach some particular age (though if they're 3+ or close to it you should contact your school district). We started the process with my second child prior to 18 months.

Pediatricians take one course in med school on early childhood development. They cannot accurately diagnose if your child's speech is ok/not ok. They can ask you a list of questions at your well visits that will hopefully catch some of the bigger issues like autism. Many of them are really unknowledgable in this area though.

People should trust their gut as a parent--your doctor isn't necessarily right on stuff like this. My friend's son got diagnosed with epilepsy after her pediatrician said he was fine and he was just a late bloomer. She wishes she got help for him earlier.