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Toddlers: 24 Months+
starting to worry about speech (26 months)
DS has been really slow to speak. In the past I haven't worried - he understands what we say, he hit all the physical developmental milestones really early, and his pedi felt like as long as we saw progression between his 2 year appt. and 2 1/2, it was okay. This past weekend I got together with some girlfriends and their kids and now I'm concerned. Granted, their kids are girls (and go to daycare - DS stays home), but they are 19 months and 22 months and talking full sentences. I guess it just made me think DS is farther behind than I thought.
DS doesn't speak sentences and doesn't really use two words together. He is picking up a lot of new words lately and not super simple words (yellow and moose are his newest) .... but still, I'm feeling anxious and not sure whether to just trust his pedi when she says it's okay.
I guess I'm just wondering where other 26 month old boys are at, and whether anyone has any tips for encouraging speech? We read a ton, I talk to him allllll the time, we get out and do social activities with other kids .... I'm just worried.
the bug & bee blog
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
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Re: starting to worry about speech (26 months)
My guy is 27 mos and has been very delayed in speech--finally got him in to speech therapy in October and it's working, but slowly since it's just 1x a week. He's in daycare 2 days a week since I work part-time and that doesn't really seem to help him.
Basically what she recommends is massaging around the cheeks---getting him to do stuff with his tongue (she uses a device that taps different parts of the tongue as well)--but even just sticking it out and making noises helps.
She also uses lots of "sounds" when she plays with him (therapy is all play). So stuff like "bang bang" (using a hammer or the hand) or "pump" for pushing something in or "pop pop" for popping bubbles. He's really done well with that stuff now---so it's working.
And she will get very excited when he says the word--so I've been showing just as much excitement. It's tough when you see other kids chatting it up--I hate it b/c I want to chat with him too.
My new "mom" blog: http://realityofamommy.blogspot.com
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Notes:
I SAH with DS and he started using two and three word phrases at two years old. Compared to girls his age, he lagged...but he seemed on track with other boys so I didn't worry.
If you don't notice your DS starting to use short phrases soon, then I would consider getting him evaluated. Even though you want to trust your ped, he/she isn't seeing your child every day so it's best to go with your gut.
DS will be 2 on the 28th. He says about 15 words and said his first sentence (kind of) yesterday which was - "Meme, hello, please" (He wanted to call his meme.) Honestly I worry about his speech development sometimes. He communicates very well without words. He still signs a few things and he sings songs for certain things (when he sees letters he hums the alphabet song, when he sees Elmo he hums "Elmo's World", etc.) It will be interesting to see what our pedi says at his 24 month appointment.
I understand feeling concerned and comparing your LO to others' kids who have a more advanced vocabulary. How many words does he say? Honestly I don't know what's "normal" for this age because I try to go off DS instead and what "they" say is normal, KWIM?
S is 26 months and just recently (very recently) started using 2 words together - i.e. "sit down," "shoes on." He's not even close to full sentences! Does your son have a lot of words? Does he show an interest in repeating what you say? I know with S, that's why I haven't really worried (his pedi isn't either) - he says new words all the time and loves to repeat. We speak to him in full sentences and encourage him to "use his words" constantly. He does go to DC full-time and his teacher says she doesn't see any cause for concern at all. Every kid is different, and there is supposed to be a difference in gender as well. I know it's hard not to worry - as moms we're pre-programmed to worry!
DS is 25 months and talks a lot. He picks up 5-10 new words a day and can speak in 4-5 word sentences. He doesn't always though, a lot of times when we are out with others he won't talk that much. He does however string 2 words together all the time like "Thank you, Soccer ball, Soccer game, More Milk," then he will say something like "Tristen brush his teeth" and it takes me back. I would say that he is a little a head of boys his age, I'm curious to see how much more he will say between now and 2.5. The girls he hangs out with are about the same as him. I should also say I am a SAHM as well. We do a lot of "Can you say...." and help him sound out the words. So when he learns a new word if he is saying it wrong I will say it over and over, so when he does say it right he kind of sounds weird.
I can't tell you that your son his behind or that you should seek help because I truly think that all kids learn at different paces. And of course I don't know your little man. But as a mom if I felt something was wrong, I would talk to his Pedi about it and express my concern. It can't hurt!
DS is 28 months, so a bit older. We had his two year check and apparently they flagged his speech without telling me, b/c when I went in last week they immediately commented on how little they could understand.
He speaks 2-3 word 'sentences' all the time now but only started around 24-26 months, and has done up to 4-5 (which started around 27 months I think?). His vocab is big, his understanding is fine, but they're actually worried about his clarity/enunciation. I guess it's always something, right? He's about average for a lot of his friends, although some are talking like miniature adults. The nurse we spoke to on Thursday said he's the low end of normal for his speech. (I thought lisps, missing consonants in words, etc was normal until 3-5 years, so I was a bit confused by their sudden concern...)
Anyway, they said they'd follow up at 3, around his birthday. Apparently though, I'm meant to slow down in my speech to him, as I talk very fast, and try to be clearer.
Griffin wasn't talking much at all when he turned 2y/o so i had him evaluated - the speech therapist said he was fine - he understood everything (which is more important than talking at that stage) and would sign quite a few words, did animal sounds, etc..... 2 weeks later he exploded with words- and by 2.5y/o he was talking so much more... now he doesn't stop and talks in spanish all the time, too!
but if it will make you feel better- an eval is not a bad thing.
my twins don't really talk at all at 17mo - and their friend who is the same age, and a girl, is talking like crazy - but i know how it goes so i'm not going to stress.... if they are 2.5 and still not talking i will have them evaluated - but they understand everything so i'm not that concerned (they also sign a few things and do a few animal sounds).
boys take a lot longer most of the time - don't compare to girls for sure, lol
My DS is 26 months and I'm a little concerned with his speech too. On the one hand, I try not to worry because he clearly says over 100 words, and he gains new words every single day. But, on the other hand, he isn't really stringing two words together. He'll either combine the words (i.e. he says min for come in and mere for come here) or he'll say the last word (i.e. if I say are you being a good boy, he'll say boy.) When I see kids his age that are talking in full sentences or at least stringing two words together, it makes me feel like he may be behind.
I mentioned it to the pedi. at DS's 2 year well visit, but she said she wasn't concerned, and in fact, she was impressed he said well over 100 words. She said a lot of kids don't start talking in sentences (and even string words together) until 2.5 and its completely normal. I'm going to wait until March when DS is 2.5 and see where we are at that point. If he's still not stringing words together, I'll talk to his pedi again and go from there.
DS is a late talker. He was accepted into EI for speech once a month around 1 and a half,-18 months he had only 3 words, then at 22 months he had 10 words, then at 24 months was speaking about 65 words and a few 2 word phrases. His speech exploded at 26 months and he now speaks in sentences. It was as if one day he just woke up and started talking. He uses "I want more apple juice.", or "I want the beast"(tv show). I spilled. I need a napkin. He is still hard to understand some times so I worry about that. I just can't believe how the rate and acquisition of speech has varied so much with him. He now repeats me if he hears a new word and will try to say anything. I think singing helps too, he sings all the time and really enjoys kids' songs. Also, one thing the therapist did was point to her mouth when repeating words to him to call attention to the shape of her mouth. EI is free and they come to your house or daycare to have the speech sessions. It is fun for the child too.