13 months - not walking or talking yet

PsyDr04 · January 2013

DS will be 13 months old on Sunday. He had his 12 month well baby checkup today (a little late). Pedi asked if he was walking or talking yet. He walks like a champ when he's pushing his little buggy or holding onto our hands, but is not doing so independently yet, preferring to crawl. He can crawl up the entire staircase by himself and is learning how to get down from things that he crawls onto. He does not stand by himself and no words yet either, just lots of babbling with inflection, change in volume, like he's really trying to say something. He can say "mamamama" and "dadadada" but not like he knows what he's saying, in other words not associating those words with me or my husband. He has met all other developmental milestones on time and our pedi told me not to worry, but if by 15 or 16 months he is not walking or saying any words, we may want to have him evaluated. How can I not worry when he says this?

Yes, I know all babies develop at their own pace. I guess I am just looking for some anecdotal evidence that I am not the only one in this boat?

Caseyk1127 · January 2013

I wouldn't worry sounds quite normal to me. DS started walking at 14m1d ... Before tha he roamed around with his push toys. One day he will just let go and walk. It was pretty much the same time all the kids in his daycare class started too. He also still at almost 17 months doesn't say alot of words ... Actually he talks more at daycare then at home. The pedi said between 18-20 monts we'll see a burst in language.

Cherryblossoms07 · January 2013

Sounds a lot like my DD. She didn't walk independently until around 13 months. She started pushing her walking toys around at around 11 months. She was manhandling those toys by 13 months; you could tell by the way that she flung them around while walking that she could have walked without them but she chose not to. It was like she wanted to perfect walking before she let go and she did. When she took off on her own there were no wobbly steps and she was running in no time after that. I can tell by her personality now that she a perfectionist. I think that is part of the reason she has speech issues now - she didn't want to try and fail. We had her evaluated at 2 and she didn't technically qualify for speech but they recommended therapy nonetheless since she was refusing to mimic. Since then she has come a long way with her speech! Other than being slightly less comprehensible than other kids her age she is right on target if not ahead of other kids her age in some areas. Having them evaluated is not the end of the world and it does not mean that there are any problems. They might just need an extra push because they don't like to make mistakes. I am glad I had DD evaluated and I just wish I would have pushed to have her evaluated earlier.

bugsmami · January 2013

We are a week away from 13 mo, but DS2 just started crawling a couple of weeks ago, and is getting better at cruising. He also just babbles (no real words except the occasional Mama), but he does sign some and indicates what he wants, recognizes words (like when I ask him where the balls is, he will grab it), etc. DS1 was several months ahead with all those skills, but he never slept, was more serious. DS2 sleeps much better, and is more laid back.. he's not in any hurry for sure

drpayne · January 2013

Sounds normal to me. DS didn't walk until 14 months.

ally510 · January 2013

My DD is 15 months and isn't walking. I'm pretty sure she can, but is just afraid to let go of her push toys and fall down. She walks forward, backward, and turns around with them...she just won't let go. My pedi said he doesn't get concerned until about 18 months. When she's ready, she'll do it. She has 30+ words, but when she was 13 months, she only had a few. Try not to stress over it...they all develop at different rates.

RayRay007 · January 2013

DD didn't walk until 14 months. I certainly wouldn't worry if they weren't walking, even at 1516 months. I think they say 5 "words" at a year is what they're looking for, but sounds like he's trying to communicate and isn't not interested in talking. These things develop so suddenly, I'm sure it'll happen before you know it.

mrsseguin · January 2013

Sounds normal to me...both my kids didn't start walking independently until they were 14.5-15 months. At 25 months DS said only 3 words...mama, dada and baby. We got his hearing tested and started the process of him to be evaluated. At 26 months, he started talking like crazy. At 13 months, I wouldn't be worried just yet, not even at 15 or 16 months.

JWSchwarz · January 2013

My niece didn't walk until 16 months. She was late in talking too, like around 18 months but partially because she is in a bilingual household and honestly sometimes first words are hard to pick out. They might sound more like half a word.

So anyway, fast forward and she just turned 4. She is fluent (at her age level) in two languages plus knows Russian pretty well and is taking ballet.

If you are worried about language development I think the best thing you can do is read a book to LO every day. I try to fit a quick book in before I take DS to daycare. It's 2 minutes but it is special for both of us and I know it will help him learn to talk.

suncherie · January 2013

DD pretty much only babbled (she still only calls me mom once in a great while and started saying Daddy and not baby-babble 'dada' not all that long ago) until she reached 15 months (if I remember correctly), and then she started saying all kinds of words..like a new one every week. Now (at 17 months), she's surprises us with a new word almost every day (a lot of times she's just repeating what we just said, but then she often uses it later). She did start walking before one-year, though...but it sounds like you have nothing to worry about. DD only had a push toy at Grandma's (there a few hours a week and it wasn't always out), so that might of helped her walk a little earlier than some since they say push toys can actually hinder solo walking. I always never really held her hand to help her walk (she walked while holing on to her playpen a lot). Try not to worry about it..I don't think you're doctor really should have mentioned the testing and instead maybe suggested tips: like no push toy and make sure you talk to your baby a lot to promote talking. My DD might not talk as much as some other kids her age since we pretty much stay home all day and I'm not naturally a big talker any way.

MouseInLux · January 2013

My friends DD just started walking at 19 months, it's no biggie at all.

AmandaP678 · January 2013

I didn't read any of these responses but wanted to assure you that it's perfectly normal not to be walking yet. The normal range is 9-18 months. My 18 month still isn';t walking yet, but he is working with EI.

Don;t worry LO will do it on their own terms.

PsyDr04 · January 2013

Thanks ladies. I am an anxious person as it is and being a first time mom has taken my anxiety to a whole new level!

lisamoe · January 2013

DS didn't walk until 13.5 months.

He only said Mama and Dada at one year, and saying Dada wasnt all the time.

Really, don't stress about it. Your LO will get there! In the meantime, get out your running shoes, because before you know it you will be chasing him everywhere!

rosesandpeonies · January 2013

my daughter didn't walk until 14 months 2 weeks and she didn't say any words until 15 months. Was only saying three words at 18 months. Now she speaks in small sentences and runs

lovemyminions · January 2013

My sitters little guy did walk on his own until 16 mons and our dd just stared talking well at 18 mons. No worries

Snapdragon750 · January 2013

DD wasn't walking at 13 months. DD wasn't even crawling at 13 months, and now at 19 months she walks better than her little friends who were walking before they were a year old (not that I'm comparing...). Also, 13 months is extremely within the normal range for not talking yet. Nothing to worry about!

new2011mommy · January 2013

DS only had a couple words and was not walking at 13 months. He would cruise with his toys, but did not want to walk holding my hand and had not taken any independent steps. He had been pulling up to stand since 9 months, but could only let go for a few seconds. By 15 months, he had a few more words and was starting to stand on his own without holding on. He was still not walking. At his 15 month appointment, his doctor said to call if he was not walking at 16 months because he would need early intervention. The next night he started taking steps and would do a few at a time. 2 weeks later, he just started walking one night and did not want to stop. He has walked since. He was a fast crawler so since he got around quickly, I think he had no desire to walk. He also had a word explosion and by 18 months had 27 words. He says so many words now that I lost count.

catycate · January 2013

DS didn't walk until 14 months and at 12 months, I think had like 3 words and all them were only understandable to me.

SheLovesMrHip · January 2013

Our 15month old only walks holding on to things. Our babies will do it when thwy are good and ready. :

PrimRoseMama · January 2013

DD is 15 months. She has a handful of words and is attempting to walk, but not quite there yet. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

PsyDr04 · January 2013

PrimRoseMama:
DD is 15 months. She has a handful of words and is attempting to walk, but not quite there yet. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

PsyDr04 · January 2013

PrimRoseMama:
DD is 15 months. She has a handful of words and is attempting to walk, but not quite there yet. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

PsyDr04 · January 2013

PrimRoseMama:
DD is 15 months. She has a handful of words and is attempting to walk, but not quite there yet. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

Thank you for all the feedback ladies. Just to clarify, I really don't have expectations at this point, at least I didn't until we went to the pediatrician's office for his 12 month appt and I started getting paranoid that he was delayed based on what the pedi was saying (even though he said not to worry right now). My little guy has done just fine up until now and so the logical part of me knows he will reach these milestones in his own time as well but the pedi visit just planted a seed of concern/doubt in my mind.

PsyDr04 · January 2013

PrimRoseMama:
DD is 15 months. She has a handful of words and is attempting to walk, but not quite there yet. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

Thank you for all the feedback ladies. Just to clarify, I really don't have expectations at this point, at least I didn't until we went to the pediatrician's office for his 12 month appt and I started getting paranoid that he was delayed based on what the pedi was saying (even though he said not to worry right now). My little guy has done just fine up until now and so the logical part of me knows he will reach these milestones in his own time as well but the pedi visit just planted a seed of concern/doubt in my mind.

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13 months - not walking or talking yet

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