Can you understand all of your LO's words perfectly? Like when Kellen says Uh Oh I know that is what he is saying because he just dropped something but it sounds more like Uh Ah. And when he says clap clap it sounds like cap cap.
I feel like I am very tainted when it comes to speech because Logan was very abnormal (he could say "I got you" and "Bye bye Dada" on his first birthday) I am trying to remind myself that he was NOT normal and to not worry about Kellen but his words just aren't as clear.
So, when you are counting your LO's words is it only words they say every syllable of or just ones that they know what they are saying (like when he says "cap cap" he is clapping)
ETA- I should add that I am not really concerned I just want to figure out what to tell the ped when she asks how many words he says at his 1 yr.
Re: S/o Words
I go by when they say something consistant even if its one syllable. Like DD says uh-oh but its just oh and she says ma instead of more or da instead of that. None of those are actual words but I know thats whats she's saying because she says it consistanly with what she doing or wanting.
I was being kind of pedantic about it, then the DC said (not DS's teacher) "he has such good manners mom!" and I was like, huh? I knew he said "thank you" appropriately, but figured no one else could understand him... "ten oo". But I would say be more liberal - he dropped a toy over the gate, another teacher handed it back to him from the hall and he said it and she knew what he said.
If it sounds like the words, count it!
Maybe I have a very loose definition of what a word is, but to me it's a consistent sound used to describe something that has some semblance of a relationship to the actual word. I think it's really about communicating, and if you can understand it, then it's a word.
For example, my DS used to say hem when he needed help with something. I don't think anyone else really understood that "hem" meant "help," but we totally knew what it meant, and he consistently used it in the right context to communicate that he needed help with something, so I considered it a word.
But if it were my kid and they demonstrated an understanding of the word and said it close enough that I knew what it was, I would count it.
This. Paul says "keeee" for kitty, and nah nah for night night and I count them.
Yep, yep, yep - all of this.
My favorite parenting books (Baby 411, and then Toddler 411) go by this same rule of thumb. If I'm remembering correctly, it says by age 3, strangers should be able to understand 80% of what your child says.
Those are the BEST books!! They are now my go-to gifts for anyone expecting a baby. Oh, and Baby Bargains, which was written by the same authors. That book was like my Bible when trying to navigate through all the baby gear options!