I was going to post this in toddlers, but after reading a thread here on late talkers, I thought I'd post here. I'm not sure that DS is gifted, but I suspect that he may be. I believe my 3yo dd is; Dh and I both are.
DS is 16 months and seems happy and fine in most ways. I've begun to be a bit concerned, though, that he doesn't talk. He can say "ma" and "da," but it's not consistent. He laughs, cries and squeals when he is excited, but often he is so quiet that I lose him in the house (these times he is usually undertaking some project in the real or play kitchen or trying to work the fax machine). Although he doesn't talk, he does sing, on the syllables "ma," "da," or "aaa." He has been doing this since four months old. At first it was three notes on the same pitch in a certain rhythm. Now, a year later, he has what sounds like a couple of made up songs and a repertoire of about eight songs that I and anyone else can recognize. The pitch and rhythm are perfect, and he even has a sense of "phrasing," singing some parts louder or softer, slowing down at the very end, and so forth. He has also pounded out rhythms with hands or sticks since he was about six months old.
I have tried to encourage him to talk, but he has no interest. My daughter was speaking in sentences at his age, so I have to remind myself that he's a different kid. He won't repeat sounds I make, or if he does try, they just come out sounding like "da" or "ma." He almost seems to have an aversion to the spoken word. If I try to read to him, he closes the book, sits on the book, or just starts singing. He also sings to communicate when he is angry or frustrated. He also wake up in the middle of the night, singing.
On the one hand, I want to encourage his love for music. On the other hand, I am concerned that he's not talking. Do I need to be looking into some kind of early intervention? Encouraging him to learn and communicate through music? Both? Have any of you ever experienced anything like this? Is this more common than I think?
DS is 16 months and seems happy and fine in most ways. I've begun to be a bit concerned, though, that he doesn't talk. He can say "ma" and "da," but it's not consistent. He laughs, cries and squeals when he is excited, but often he is so quiet that I lose him in the house (these times he is usually undertaking some project in the real or play kitchen or trying to work the fax machine). Although he doesn't talk, he does sing, on the syllables "ma," "da," or "aaa." He has been doing this since four months old. At first it was three notes on the same pitch in a certain rhythm. Now, a year later, he has what sounds like a couple of made up songs and a repertoire of about eight songs that I and anyone else can recognize. The pitch and rhythm are perfect, and he even has a sense of "phrasing," singing some parts louder or softer, slowing down at the very end, and so forth. He has also pounded out rhythms with hands or sticks since he was about six months old.
I have tried to encourage him to talk, but he has no interest. My daughter was speaking in sentences at his age, so I have to remind myself that he's a different kid. He won't repeat sounds I make, or if he does try, they just come out sounding like "da" or "ma." He almost seems to have an aversion to the spoken word. If I try to read to him, he closes the book, sits on the book, or just starts singing. He also sings to communicate when he is angry or frustrated. He also wake up in the middle of the night, singing.
On the one hand, I want to encourage his love for music. On the other hand, I am concerned that he's not talking. Do I need to be looking into some kind of early intervention? Encouraging him to learn and communicate through music? Both? Have any of you ever experienced anything like this? Is this more common than I think?