9 month old speech???

nbatchen · February 2014

So we had our 9 month appointment today and all went well. The only thing the ped was concerned about is LO's speech. He won't say mama, dada, baba, etc. He told us to point things out and make sure we are talking to him most of the day to try and encourage his speech. If there isn't much improvement by his 12 month visit we will have to go to a speech therapist. Is any one else's LO having this problem? Any one have any suggestions how to help encourage him? TIA ladies!

emmy236 · February 2014

Wow that seems really young to worry about speech. Our friend is just now getting her 3 year old twins into speech therapy which is about the youngest I've heard it done. But I'm not an expert and I guess the earlier the better the chances or correcting it quickly.

fancefpp · February 2014

They want to see one word besides mama and dada by a year. Most conservative peds will suggest EI eval at 18 months if kids aren't saying minimum words....I think 10 by 18 months. My DS1 is in speech because he was a late talker. He's caught up but we still see our EI therapist until he is reevaluated.

ALP514 · February 2014

I don't have personal experience with this subject matter but I did work at a daycare center and we had speech therapists come in for children as young as 18 months.

Try a lot of singing and finger plays. Just talk your head off! If someone came into my house when its just me and LO they'd think I was nuts lol. When you're feeding him point out what he's eating, the utensil etc. I was nervous that A wasn't talking on time , which was not the case but in my mind it worked! Good luck!

nbatchen · February 2014

He makes sounds like aaa and baaa but won't string them together like babababa. I am hoping he is just a little delayed because he has been spending his time trying to learn how to walk.

kmcd23 · February 2014

We haven't had our 9 month yet. G only says ah-ba, babababa, and mmmmmmmaaaaaaa. No mama, no dada.

kelseyhh · February 2014

Do you fill out the Ages and Stages questionair before your visits? We fill them out answering what LO is able to do at the time. He is not doing a lot of the things other babies are on this board, but my pedi says that as long as his development falls within the white or higher gray section on the answer sheet, that everything is fine. Babies don't master all things at the exact time as other babies.

kcwnc · February 2014

We've never had to answer any questionaires. I saw alot of those mentioned on the 9mo check in. The pedi usually just asks. The only thing he asked about that LO isn't doing is waving or clapping. I had no idea we were supposed to be working on that!

coffeeandbooks · February 2014

I think it is way too early to worry...I am surprised at your pedi...are they a young doctor?

Kristin112181 · February 2014

I'm a Speech Pathologist and I have never qualified a 9 month old because of this.

MisN · February 2014

To ease your concern, both my girls never really babbled before 9-10 months. DD1 had a few words (with meaning) by her first birthday and literally hundreds by 18 months. Until this week, DD2 was really only squealing and sometimes saying "ahhhh". Generally she is pretty quiet but then this week (9 months) I am starting to hear some new sounds like mama and gaga...music to my ears as it is hard not to worry even having been through this once before!

nbatchen · February 2014

Thank you ladies! You have definatly made me feel better about all of this!

FmrAFBrat · February 2014

They should have 5 words by 18 months. My ODS had a speech delay, but has had speech therapy and is doing much better. He won't shut up now. But at 9 months it is way to early to worry.

jayro10 · February 2014

M isn't saying any words yet, but I'm not concerned, and I'm a speech language pathologist who works with preschoolers. It will happen. Don't worry!

jillnnate · February 2014

My daughter has had a speech therapist since she was about 7 weeks old due to some problems at birth. She has also had a physical therapist since that time. She sees the speech therapist once a week for 30-45 minutes and I cannot see much difference in her speech compared to other kids at daycare. She does seem to babble more than others but I don't believe that has any thing to do with therapy. I don't think it is anything to worry about IMO.

Kashy · February 2014

jgp13 said:
I'm freaking loving my ped right now. He's so chill. I hate that some of you mamas are getting unnecessarily freaked out.

Our Dr is pretty chill too. We had the 9 month check today and they pretty much just asked asked about all the new things he can do. Not one thing mentioned about his speech or words he can say.
He was babbling away and the Dr just laughed and said he should be talking up a storm next visit.

jillnnate · February 2014

When she started, she would basically show her bright colored objects and say the colors to her. Sometimes they would play with rattles too, not really sure what that helped with. Lately they are working on the sound of different consonants. For example last week she brought some little farm animals with and would show her a pig, then say pig, then p p p pig and then make the oink sound, then go to another animal. They are also working on some sign language with her which has nothing to do with her speech but they incorporate that into the plan because they teach it at DD's daycare. In May, they will be doing an assessment to see if she needs another year of speech therapy or just the physical therapy at that point.

jayro10 · February 2014

*puts on speech language pathologist hat*
There is a lot more than talking that an SLP works on. So I'll give the example of a baby born with Down syndrome. We know the baby is going to be globally delayed as a result of Down syndrome, so the goal is to maximize their potential starting as soon as possible. There are lots of pre-communicative behaviors that are necessary as a foundation for speech and language skills. Eye contact, response to sound, joint attention, early play skills...all of these things (and more) are language skills even though they don't involve talking. An SLP working with a baby would most likely be focusing on these things, and then babbling once it was appropriate.

SLPs also address swallowing and feeding issues with people of all ages. So in the case of a baby who was on a feeding tube, the SLP would work on feeding by mouth while weaning off the tube. Another example would be a toddler who has sensory or muscular problems, the SLP would work on tolerating different textures and improving intake of solids. There is so much more than babbling that an SLP might work on with a very young child.
*takes off SLP hat*

jillnnate · February 2014

It started with a visit from a PT for brachial plexus and other complications she was born with. The PT asked for a ST to do a consult and they have been working together since.

9 month old speech???

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