Is my DS "normal"?

[Latte Mama]

I'm a tad worried. Or maybe not. My DS isn't talking yet and I think that is the biggest concern I have though not the only one. He's 16 months for reference.

I don't know, it seems that I read so many posts of other toddlers his age doing things that he's not . I know that all kids advance differently but when your kid is the one that is behind it makes you feel bad.

As far as physical stuff, he's doing well. He walked early at 9 months and he's extremely active. He's a fantastic climber, really amazes me at the things/heights he can get to. But the intellectual stuff concerns me. He definitely understands at least half of what we tell him. He has on occasion said a word or two ONCE but never again. For example, he has said "mama" a few times but hasn't said it in weeks. A few months ago he repeated "football" as "fuhbah" but only once. Last week he was quite upset that I was leaving for work. As I was moving towards the door, I said "I've got to go to work". He repeated "go goo ger"? It was so cute but he will not say anything on any kind of regular basis!

He does interact well with us, always makes eye contact. he's very affectionate. He's learned some signs but also doesn't use them regularly. He KNOWS them but won't use them unless he feels like it. I almost think that he knows some words but just doesn't feel like talking right now if that makes sense!

I have a magnetic board with letters and numbers which I use with him. He's not interested in much but running away with the letters . I just want this to be ok and him to be ok. I'm really not in a rush for him to talk, I just want to know that he WILL catch up at some point. I'm tired of people asking me why he's not talking .

So, is my sweety ok? Should I even be concerned at this point? Should he be more advanced at this point?

[Pen_esque]

Wow, are people really asking why he's not talking yet? WTH? He's just a wee baby still!

While some babes will talk sooner, 16 months is still quite young and it's 'normal' for a baby that age not to talk yet. Enjoy your sweet natured climber and relax. Just keep talking to him and the words will come.

My niece is 18 months and has only said a few words. Like your DS she's very physical and daring. We're not worried about her at all. Well, maybe worried that she's going to climb on the roof, but not about her language. Her brother was much more verbal at that age, but a bit wobbly on his feet. They're all different.

FWIW my dd is 15 months and only uses a few words and not often.

I totally get what you mean about him knowing words but that he doesn't feel like using them. I think DD is the same. It's all going in and it'll come back out again when they're good and ready.

[lifeguard]

Ds is 1 month younger & sounds pretty much exactly the same as yours. I think talking will be fun but when I see him close to other babies the same age he is definitely well ahead in other areas.

Boys in particular can be a little behind verbally but according to the info given out by public health here they are very much within the "norm".

[elmh23]

Does he babble?

We had ds evaluated at 16 months for speech delay. He didn't open his mouth to make noise, didn't babble (hadn't really made any noise except a little grunt at that time.) He wouldn't sign even though I had been trying that for a couple months.

Honestly, reading about your child, knowing what I know now, I'd probably have him evaluated by your local early childhood intervention group and see what they say. It might be nothing, but it could be something, especially since he doesn't seem to retain the words he has tried.

Sorry if this scares you. It was a very scary time for me when we were going through this with ds. He's now almost 3 and just started using sentences and we are simply thrilled!

[HappyMommy2]

I think you should always trust your mama's intuition. We have it for a reason!

This sounds normal to me too, but something is making you ask and perhaps you can't exactly put it into words.

Have him checked out, and you will gain either peace of mind or an action plan.

[Kagrish]

I have a boy born 9/08 also. He says "mama" and that's about it. He does try to imitate "yum" as "mm". He does babble quite a bit. Your little guy sounds normal to me!

We have other kids around DS' age at church who are running and doing things I haven't noticed my DS do. So I understand that you feel worried. I have been there!

[Materfamilias]

He sounds fine to me. Sounds like he knows how to get his needs met so maybe he's not feeling an urgent need to use words or signs to communicate.

[nia82]

That sounds fine to me. Understanding what you say is a very important thing and he obviously does!
DS doesn' talk yet, he babbles a lot and once said mama (gosh that was a long time ago!). When you ask him where this or that is he will look at it (in both English or German), he understands stuff like go get the cat/ball eat a bunny (annie's crackers)... So I don't worry at all, after all he's learning two languages in our house anyways.
I know that there is a lot of pressure, but those one size fits all approaches are just not right. Some kids truly are early or late talkers. I wouldn't fret it just yet. I'm not worried either, and DS is not repeating sounds or words I say.
Anecdotal, but my dad and one of my sisters didn't talk coherently until they were 3.5 years old. Both got graduate degrees, so it's no sign for anything. I don't like the term delayed anyways, cause every kid is just different!!!!!!!!

[Latte Mama]

Thank you all for the thoughts! DS does babble, BOY does he babble. Sometimes when I'm having a mean mama moment and using a scolding sort of tone with him, he scolds back at me! I've had to stop pointing my finger because he picked that habit up too.

I think this all these feelings kick up in me when I read things like toddlers his age knowing all the letters and stuff like that. Then I'll be thinking that my kid can't even say a word yet. Then the anxiety creeps in. Maybe I need to skip over some posts .

I posted a bit about this 3 months ago so I hope I'm not back in 3 more months posting the same thing .

[thelocaldialect]

Originally Posted by Latte Mama

Thank you all for the thoughts! DS does babble, BOY does he babble. Sometimes when I'm having a mean mama moment and using a scolding sort of tone with him, he scolds back at me! I've had to stop pointing my finger because he picked that habit up too.

I think this all these feelings kick up in me when I read things like toddlers his age knowing all the letters and stuff like that. Then I'll be thinking that my kid can't even say a word yet. Then the anxiety creeps in. Maybe I need to skip over some posts .

I posted a bit about this 3 months ago so I hope I'm not back in 3 more months posting the same thing .

I can totally relate to that feeling. I had to stop visiting the due date club I'd joined with my son for awhile because I got tired of hearing how other kids could count to 10 in Spanish and English and my kid hadn't even said "mama" yet. My son, for what its worth, started talking at about 18 months and he really took off from that point. He's 2 years 2 months now and has a pretty large vocabulary and has started putting together very simple 3 word sentences and phrases. He still can't count.

People all said not to worry, he's fine, but I did worry! He was my first and I had no idea what was normal. I loved my due date club, but it was sort of unhelpful at that point in life. Parents online tend to exaggerate their kids accomplishments and there is a sort of race to the next milestone, and the ones with advanced kids post about it a lot more than the ones with typical kids, so it can seem like every other kid is performing these amazing feats of baby-dom. That's been my experience anyhow, especially on more mainstream parenting boards.

Anyhow, just wanted to say I've been there. Your little guy sounds a lot like mine. You'll probably see his language start to take off over the next 6 months or so (and most people will tell you that if he doesn't have any other warning signs or red flags, not to be overly concerned about late language development until 2 or so), but if your gut ever says something is up, you can always get him evaluated for your peace of mind.

[mamadelbosque]

DS1 essentially didn't talk till he was two. Around 22 months he started to say 'mama' regularly along with one or two other words (that I no longer remember)... Around 24 months he suddenly started talking. He's now 34 months and talking in full sentences just like any other near-3yr old. At 16 months? He didn't say anything. Ever. I wouldn't worry int he least.

[MissE]

Your DS is completely fine. He seems to understand you and that's important. My DS is almost three and still not a big talker. I just recently got a 'status update' letter from another mom (I should have thrown it away) stating that her DS (same age as mine 3yo) said the entire 'pledge of allegience'. Gosh...I'm glad when DS can tell me that he wants to go to daycare and would like to take his dinosaur inside with him. DS didn't start speaking understandable words until he was two years old. Still then he would drool a lot, which - I think - is a sign that the muscles that make the words sound are just not as developed yet. He has stopped drooling over the past year as his speach picked up.

However DD is now 17mo and she is a TALKER. I'm surprised at how much she can already say in both languages (also English and German). The other day we went to the pediatrician and a nurse left the door open. DD came up to me and said "Mama...Tuer zu" (Mama..close door). So I told her to go close the door and she went and closed it. I'm amazed at her comprehension and ability to express herself at such a young age. Whenever I ask her where her sippy cup is she goes "I don't know". She hears it from DS and just repeats it I guess.

What I'm trying to show is that every kid developes at a different pace. DS at 17 months was very much into kicking balls, throwing things over the fence, chasing our dog, jumping on a trampoline etc...all those things DD can't do quite yet since she's busy leaning to speak.

He'll be fine mama..don't worry. Give him time, it'll all come together.

[Theia]

He's normal. Give him a few months. My DD is nearly 2 and babbles and stuff with me non-stop sometimes. She is doing some simple 2-3 word sentences and understands the concept of 2. But she's only been doing this for a few months. It's like one day they make the connection and just start talking. At your DS's age she was pretty quiet too. Just wait, it will be so much fun and so amazing when it starts for him. Reading books to your DS is really great. That was one of the things that really seemed to make an impact on DD first starting to verbalize.

[buttercups.nest]

People were the same way with me and my daughter. Eating solids, crawling, her flat head (hated her tummy), still drinking from a bottle, walking, talking.....all of these things she didn't do when she was 'supposed to'. It never concerned me a bit....she was a smiling, chubby, interactive, signing, reading baby. Now she is an independent, non stop talking, very understandable, busy 2 year old All we have to do is say a word once, and she'll repeat it! LOL I haven't gotten myself into trouble...yet

Just continue reading and talking to your little guy...talk about your day, the things you see, the books you read, what you're doing (dressing him, grocery shopping etc)...don't push him, things'll happen when he's ready for them.

[Latte Mama]

Thanks mamas, your words mean a lot to me.

[lexmas]

I just skimmed, but I know what it's like to be a mama who worries! I think he sounds fine. DS didn't talk in sentances until he was over 2 1/2...he would say a few words before that...he had tons of words but didn't string them together. Now he's a few months over 3, and he talks ALL THE TIME. He knows his ABC's, and is working on numbers, he reads a few words and can do basic math. Would a lot of people had him tested and in intervention and stuff, sure. But I knew, in my gut, that he was fine. So I let him be him and develop at his normal pace. If you're asking because you FEEL like something is wrong, then that's one thing. If you're asking because OTHER PEOPLE are making you feel like something is wrong, even though you believe he's fine, then I bet he's fine. Mama's know best, usually. You know your child, and if you feel like he's on pace, then he's on pace. He's your child, not those other people's child. Let him be him and he'll be fine. FWIW, I really wouldn't worry about these things at 16 months. He's still very very much a baby. I have no expectations for 16 month olds. Walking, kind of, maybe. That's about it haha.

ETA: and maybe he does know words and isn't sharing. DS was exactly like that. Knew all the words and could use them, but it was way easier for him not to. We had to prompt him a little to encourage him to speak in sentances, and as soon as he realized that he needed to do that, he did. Talking in one or two word sentances one day, literally talking in paragraphs the next. Same way about potty training, by the way. EC'd from birth but wouldn't be out of diapers and using the potty full time until he decided. He could, he just didn't want to. Good luck if you have one like mine, he's a handful!

[sapphire_chan]

If he ever said it as a word, it counts as a word he knows.

If he gets to 18 months and doesn't seem to be trying to communicate with you--not even actually using words, but just babbling and looking at you intently to see if you get what he's trying to say (and then getting frustrated when you have no idea)--then worry.

As it is, he knows several words, and can follow simple directions, which means he's perfectly normal for 16 months.

ETA: ah and I see in a later post that he does babble like crazy. Excellent he's even better off than your first post suggests and your first post proved he was fine.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by HappyMommy2

I think you should always trust your mama's intuition.

Ye-es, but if you've just been reading about young toddlers who know all the letters in the alphabet, it'd be better to get a reality check and take a break before you worry that your kid is having problems because they aren't at that level.

You don't go to the doctor to get your muscles checked out just because you can't do a jump shot like Jordan, y'know?

[Pandme]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

Ye-es, but if you've just been reading about young toddlers who know all the letters in the alphabet, it'd be better to get a reality check and take a break before you worry that your kid is having problems because they aren't at that level.

You don't go to the doctor to get your muscles checked out just because you can't do a jump shot like Jordan, y'know?

LOL, exactly!

I would honestly stop reading some of these posts about milestones. Take it from me, I've been through this before and when the DDC starts in on milestones, know that much of it is pretty exaggerated.

[elmh23]

Ok, since he's babbleing, I'd not worry! My ds (the one with the huge language delay) wasn't babbling.

Oh, and it's really normal for a kid not to know letters until 4. My dd (my first) new colors and some letters at 18m. Ds is almost 3 and just now picking up colors and all numbers are 8 and all letters are H (and sometimes the numbers are H and the letters are 8.) There is a HUGE variation in what is normal!