my 14m ds communication development is still in the normal range... right?

[Lirazel]

DS is developing in leaps and bounds physically, but his language skills have been slower to emerge and I just want to check that things are still "normal."  At his 12m well child the doctor seemed a little surprised that he didn't do certain things and he's coming up on his 15m visit and still doesn't do them.  He doesn't say any words at all - not even mama or dada.  (The doc asked if perhaps he is using words that sound wrong to us but that he always uses for the same object.... nope.)  He doesn't wave bye-bye.  He doesn't try any baby signs.  He only very recently started pointing.  He doesn't clap (though he just learned how to make *my* hands clap). 

He does *understand* quite a lot.  Nouns, simple directions, some action words.  He just hasn't tried saying any of them.

I've heard that sometimes boys develop language skills later and for the most part I just go with it and say "he's learning plenty, he'll talk when he's ready."  Maybe that's just what I need to keep doing, but I occasionally wonder and just want some encouragement!

[LeighPF]

My son was not even close to talking at that point either, but he was pointing, using a few signs (he started at 13 months) and waving bye bye (10 months). Like your son he understood quite a lot. I think the question comes down to is this a part of development he just has not gotten around to yet (as lots of boys tend to do) or is something more going on.

How does he let you know what he wants? How are his social skills? How does he relate to people? Does he flirt? make faces? engage people?

I would talk more about it at his 15 month visit and make a plan for what to do if X is not happening by Y time. If something more is going on, early intervention is huge so you don't want to wait. But if it is just his preference for working on running rather than talking, then no big deal. I would lean towards an evaluation in the next few months just to get the opinion of someone with a strong background in development who looks in depth at the whole picture of your sons abilities.

Because at 18/20 months my son was communicating, just not verbally (and then verbally with a tiny vocabulary) I set two years as my check in on this in depth point. He finally decided that talking was a good way to get his point across and his skills grew in leaps and bounds late this fall.

In the mean time keep talking to him. Keep up the baby signing too. It was immensely useful for my son to have a few signs (all food related) to keep the frustration level down.

[pbjmama]

I think you have a good while to go before you need to worry if he is on track in other areas. Has his hearing ever been checked? Is there any other reason for concern?

[sunnygir1]

I think that if his receptive language is good (which it sounds like it is) and he is making some sort of effort to communicate, as described by Leigh, that he is probably still in the range of normal development.  I would certainly bring up your thoughts on the subject at his check up.

My ds was born 5 weeks early, so may not be the best measuring stick, but he wasn't pointing or clapping or giving high-fives, or waving at 14 months.  I think at his 15 month check up he was just starting to say mama and dada and clearly meaning us.

He is approaching 18 months now and has made great strides in communication.  I have been using some signs with him since he was 6 or 8 months, but he's only started using them in the last couple months.  He will sometimes sign "more", "water", "milk", and "please".  He has really started waving and giving high-fives, etc.

As long as you and your doctor are not alarmed, I would just wait a few months -- you will probably see big changes by 18 months!