Language Explosion - Page 2

[Tjej]

My DS had a very extensive vocabulary before he started combining words. I distinctly remember him knowing the word "valentine" (and it wasn't February) before he was combining 2 words. I think DS built his vocabulary for 6 months before he was combining. He's one to dive into what he is saying too. My DD is a "think before you speak" type person, DS a "say SAY LOUDER say again then think" type.

Tjej

[claddaghmom]

This just happened to DD! I am amazed by it as her mama, but it didn't surprise me b/c this is how she hit every milestone. Nothing, nothing and then bam! Everything! LOL

My mom remarked one time...I think when DD started crawling, that it's like a lightswitch gets turned on in their brain. Nothing you can do beforehand and nothing afterwards.

I thought DD was strange in the verbal dept. She could say complicated words or express odd conversational bits, but then she couldn't say yes or no, or ask for a particular food, etc. She would point and grunt, then turn to DH and talk about a video game. It really really worried me lol.

Case in point...she went through a phase where she refused to call animals by name. A cat was a meow, a horse was a neigh-neigh, a mouse was a "ee ee ee!"

Now she won't stop jibbering. DH turned to me this morning at 5am and said, "Can we put her back in her box and return her to the store?" I retorted, "Sorry, hun, I already recycled the packaging." (Pregnant)

[ellemenope]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

This just happened to DD! I am amazed by it as her mama, but it didn't surprise me b/c this is how she hit every milestone. Nothing, nothing and then bam! Everything! LOL

My mom remarked one time...I think when DD started crawling, that it's like a lightswitch gets turned on in their brain. Nothing you can do beforehand and nothing afterwards.

I thought DD was strange in the verbal dept. She could say complicated words or express odd conversational bits, but then she couldn't say yes or no, or ask for a particular food, etc. She would point and grunt, then turn to DH and talk about a video game. It really really worried me lol.

Case in point...she went through a phase where she refused to call animals by name. A cat was a meow, a horse was a neigh-neigh, a mouse was a "ee ee ee!"

Now she won't stop jibbering. DH turned to me this morning at 5am and said, "Can we put her back in her box and return her to the store?" I retorted, "Sorry, hun, I already recycled the packaging." (Pregnant)

You are describing my DD! DD was speaking in sentences before she said the word 'yes'. It was simply a nod or a positive 'oh' sound (which was so cute, and I now miss) before then. And she still says 'moo' and 'neigh' before she says 'cow' or 'horse'.

You have also brought up something very interesting. You really got me thinking. DD crawled perfect from the start. Never army crawled. Just went from sitting to crawling on hands and knees. And she was squatting and standing for over a month before she started walking. Up and down. Up and down. She would refuse to take a step before then. Then, when she walked. She. Never. Fell. (Maybe just a small exaggeration there) She was on the early side of these milestones, but nothing to write home about.

(She never rolled over. Still don't know what that means...)

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by ellemenope

You are describing my DD! DD was speaking in sentences before she said the word 'yes'. It was simply a nod or a positive 'oh' sound (which was so cute, and I now miss) before then. And she still says 'moo' and 'neigh' before she says 'cow' or 'horse'.

You have also brought up something very interesting. You really got me thinking. DD crawled perfect from the start. Never army crawled. Just went from sitting to crawling on hands and knees. And she was squatting and standing for over a month before she started walking. Up and down. Up and down. She would refuse to take a step before then. Then, when she walked. She. Never. Fell. (Maybe just a small exaggeration there) She was on the early side of these milestones, but nothing to write home about.

(She never rolled over. Still don't know what that means...)

Wow, this really piques my curiosity! I wonder what it all means! DD would not roll over, either. She sat up before she could roll over and I got lots of comments and worries from family members.

It must be a particular personality?? But then clearly it has genetic/developmental aspects as well!

We just had our first "NO" over here. I took her to Gymboree a couple nights ago. She hates Gymboree. Anyways, what she did reminded me of the Disney movie Pinnochio. She was wriggling in my arms, trying to get down so she could run out of the store and saying, "nnnnnn! Naaaaaaaaa! Noooo! NO NO NO" I saw my sweet baby turn into a toddler right there haha.

[mckittre]

Interesting to hear about those two styles - my 13.5 month old is definitely a visual/vocabulary type. I've never heard him say anything that sounds like a conversational babble, only exclamations with pointing. However, he's been learning words super quickly lately, going from around 3 to over 30 in a month and a half. Nearly all of it's sign language (with a couple of animal sounds, a clock sound, and a few real words). And at least half of it is things that he's learned to identify from books. So for example, he still can't ask me for a drink, but will happily label around 8 different animals, most of which he never sees in real life.

[ellemenope]

Well, after rereading this thread I think I have come to the conclusion that DD is a strong visual learner. In fact, I think she might have a conspicuously large disparity between her visual and aural intelligences. And, it is my personal hypothesis that this is what caused her huge "language explosion".

She had a large vocabulary early on, but it was strictly receptive. Once her aural skills caught up, so to speak, she was just able to take off. It was like claddaghmom described a switch just went off. I would also not be surprised that her cautious temperament played a role in all of this. She has time and again stubbornly refused to do something unless she can be sure to do it perfect.

I think that maybe the most unique aspect of DD's language development might be that within her first 50 words spoken were all parts of speech. This might be a key indicator of a language explosion like DD's.

I'd also like to agree with twinergy that a visual learner would learn vocab before trying to delve into the more nuanced, aural aspects of language, such as rhythm, cadence, and intonation. Perhaps in my DD's case she was holding everything back until she got it all, thus only appearing to favor the rythem etc. of language over vocab.

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She is continuing to amaze me. She talks nonstop. Just picking up grammar left and right. It astounds me how kids learn grammar without being taught. The other day she said, "my shoe got off," and, "I bite my toungue". And today, "where is the other sock?"

It has now been three months since grunts and pointing.

So, if you were like me three months ago, thinking, 'my kid understands everything. Why is she not trying to talk yet?' Just wait. Soon, you might have a little chatterbox on your hands. And, let me tell you, communication might ease some frustrations, but it also open a whole 'nother can of worms.

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I's sure love to hear more stories of language development and your take on what is going on.