Ahead in motor skills, behind in language? Should I be concerned?

collegegal · February 2009

DD just turned 1 this week. At her checkup, the pedi was excited at how many physical milestones she has hit. He did show some mild concern that DD hasn't spoken 2 actual words yet, though. DD started walking at 10mos, and as I'm looking things up, she is physically hitting gross and fine motor skills that I didn't realize until recently that were several months ahead. She babbles nonsense all the time, and says "mamamama" and "dadadada", and has been for awhile. I'm confident that her receptive language skills are there, because she will bring things to you, hug and pat her doll and "ahhh", point to a food item or drink while opening and closing her mouth as though she is eating... The words just aren't there. I've started working on sign language with her to see if it will help. She seems to understand things, I just don't know how to get her to talk. She does point at our dogs and make a D sound, but nothing close to doggy or puppy. She will wave, and make a "aaaaa" sound when you say "hi".

I'm not sure if it is related or not, but she had a lot of problems with reflux for awhile and was on Zantac twice a day for a few months. She hasn't been vomiting, but she gags on anything soft and slimy, like pasta or mashed potatoes. She gags on Stage 3 baby food. Once in awhile she will jam her fingers so far back in her mouth that she gags herself. I'm wondering if her reflux is acting up again, either. She's also had several ear infectiosn since 4 mos, but he said it looks like her ears have completely healed up.

Anyone else have a kid that is a "do-er" but not a "talker" ? Should I be worried yet?

Cyrbia · February 2009

Yep, Clayton goes and goes...and goes but doesn't say any "real" words yet. He has sounds that make words though like "sss-at" for What's that? and ssss-is for What's this? We don't worry about it all.

Just keep talking to her. If she's not saying any words at 18 months then maybe look into it a bit. There are many children that don't speak or walk or what ever else the books "say" until they're as much as two and they're grown up now and running companies.

chihuahua26 · February 2009

At one year, they are supposed to be saying their first word, other than mama or dada. But with anything else, there is no definite time period that it must happen in. If she's not saying any words at her 15 month appt, then I would say some investigation needs to be done. Just keep working with her.

I have the opposite child. He's 14 months old and is just now starting to walk by himself and started crawling at 12 months old. BUT, he can say about 20 words. Every kid is different. Dont' worry!

rach9305 · February 2009

Don't worry..It's all within the range of normal. Great that your daughter has good receptive language skills. I'm a speech language pathologist and work with young children if that makes you feel any better

KristinKD · February 2009

DD is exactly the same -- except she's 14.5 months and still not talking! She was early with all of her other milestones, and she comprehends extremely well, she just isn't saying any words. She learned to point very early, and I think she's been satisfied with getting everything she wants that way, no matter how many times I say "water" or "up." She never had any problems with reflux or ear infections, so I can't say whether or not they're related in your daughter's case.

Up until recently, I wasn't too concerned because DH and I were both late talkers, but I am starting to get more and more anxious about it. I plan to bring it up at her 15-month check-up, but I think it's not until 18 months that it becomes a real concern. I just can't wait for her to start talking!

collegegal · February 2009

Thanks, ladies.

And Rach, yes, it does make me feel a little better that you're a speech language pathologist. I'm a medical social worker, so maybe I'm just hyper aware of wanting her to be healthy and "normal" since I see all the "abnormal" all the time.

We read to her and identify things and talk to her and tell her what we are doing. MIL said that DH was like that as a kid, he would sit back and just absorb things before he warmed up and started talking, and he's a pretty smart guy, so hopefully DD is just following in his footsteps!

Tess12 · February 2009

I also have the opposite: ahead in verbal, behind in gross motor. The doctor said she was just concentrating all her efforts in the one area and would come around to the other stuff eventually.

franciscaz · February 2009

Everything you just described sounded perfectly normal. If your DD was that way 6 mos for now I might be concerned but she sounds fine!

ms_mellor · February 2009

I just read something somewhere (which of course I can't find again) that said that if babies are way ahead in one area, they are often a little slower (or really right on time) in others...like a PP said, they focus all their efforts on one area. My guess is that a few months from now you'll be wishing you could go back to when she didn't talk!

LoriFalce · February 2009

Cyrbia:

Yep, Clayton goes and goes...and goes but doesn't say any "real" words yet. He has sounds that make words though like "sss-at" for What's that? and ssss-is for What's this? We don't worry about it all.

Just keep talking to her. If she's not saying any words at 18 months then maybe look into it a bit. There are many children that don't speak or walk or what ever else the books "say" until they're as much as two and they're grown up now and running companies.

Joseph does "Izzat?" all the time, and people snort at me because I know that's what he's saying. It is obvious that he's asking what something is.

FWIW, my sister didn't really talk til she was 2. And what I wouldn't give to sew her lips shut today.

tiffanysbride · February 2009

Sounds totally normal to me. DS was walking at 9 months and for a while didn't really babble, he would only say da and mam. He understood us to some extent b/c he would get books, give hugs, etc. Then right around 1 year he started pointing and saying cat. Now we have added, ball, hot, bye and hi.

I was told that assuming there are no medical reasons to be concerned often children focus on one skill at a time, physical or language. Your DC sounds perfectly fine!

Laroogirl · February 2009

We are the same way. He has been walking since 11 months and says only a few things. He only says them when he wants, not always when asked. He says mama, dada, and dot-dot for dog-dog. He can say hi and ta-da. It still sounds like baby babble for the most part though. He understands no, sit and will get a book if asked. I am not worried yet.

wellfleet04 · February 2009

At her one year appointment, Kate had maybe 3 words, two of which were mama and daddy. By 15 months, she had at least 40 words, and by 18 months had hundreds (I stopped counting at 50) and spoke in sentences. She's "ahead" in verbal, but didn't walk until she was 18 months old, and even given that, at 12 months she was not really saying much. I would not be worried at all yet. My pedi asked if she was saying anything at 12 months, but said it was not a concern until 15-18 months.

byrne15 · February 2009

i could have written this exact same thing. ds is very active, hates to eat and makes noise but doesnt say anything with a purpose.

i am not worried....every baby is different

bbowie · February 2009

It's totally normal. My son did all the physical stuff early too (walking at 9.5 months) but no words yet and he's 15 months. I mentioned it to the pedi just a week ago and he said it's fine. It's hard not to worry when other children their age are talking.

jennhawk · February 2009

My dd is the same-started walking at 9 months, and is now climbing on everything. This may or may not be the case with your dc, but my dd actually tries to say more than I think I would give her credit for if I didn't listen VERY closely. My dh noticed the other day that she says, "goo ja" now when she claps (good job), which I hadn't noticed. So maybe all the babbling is closer to words than you think. I agree with all the pp-don't worry and just keep talking, reading, signing.

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