Any late talkers?

[Luv2trav]

I am very concerned about my 21month old. He will be 22 months on the 1st and only knows about 4-5 words. He doesn't even use all of those words on a regular basis. My oldest(4) was a late talker too but he had more words and at least 1 2 word sentence by this age. Our Pedi said not to worry that if he hasn't improved by 2 years then we would start speech therapy.

Just so you know he does you expressive language but nothing we can really understand. Most of it's moaning and groaning and pointing. His hearing appears to be OK too. He comprehends MOST things like "Go get your shoes" "Go get me a ball" "Want to go outside? (he will walk to the door)"

I guess I am just looking for some encouragement that he is just a late talker and not developmentally delayed. He was a late walker too (15.5 months).

One last thing, I was at a party this weekend where at 17 month old girls was just chattering up a storm. It really made me feel bad.

 

[rchristiansen]

I have no first hand experience with this. But I think you should go with your instincts. Most states have an Early Intervention program that will evaluate your child for free. Your pediatrician only spends minutes with your child at a time. You have nothing to lose by contacting Early Intervention for an assement. They will give you the encouragement you need.

 

[meandtheguys2]

All of my boys were late talkers. I started one in speech, payed a fortune for nothing, and he became coherent when he taught himself to read at 5. Last guy also a late talker, but I was calmer, and he has made leaps and bounds in the last 4 months.

Good luck. I hope you get the information you need to make good choices for you and your little guy.

 

[snowbunny]

My son was a late walker and a late talker. He really did not use recognizable words at all until he was 3 years old. I didn't worry about it too much because he was communicating - with movement, grunts, etc. as you describe. If he had been withdrawn and incommunicative I'd have been more worried.

It sounds like your pediatrician is on the ball in terms of not worrying too much about it (although I would not enroll a 2 year old in speech therapy). I had a very hard time with medical professionals and preschool teachers who pushed to have him assessed and diagnosed. We did test to make sure he could hear well and there was nothing physically wrong. It would have been a simple matter to shop around and obtain a diagnosis of borderline autism, attention deficit disorder, and so forth all through kindergarten. (I've met parents who urged me to do this so that the school would have to provide all sorts of custom services for him.) I refused to have him diagnosed and labeled at 4-5 years old when I knew he was OK. (For future reading, I recommend A Mind at a Time which is about different ways kids learn.)

Bottom line, he is now in third grade and is one of the top students in his class. He reads the Harry Potter books by himself and does all his homework in about 2 minutes flat. He still spends a lot of time with his imagination, and that is perfectly fine.

P.S. I have a girl and they are totally different than boys - don't make yourself nuts comparing him to girls his age.

 

[Luv2trav]

Thank you for all the advice. I am not very worried because I remember going through the same emotions with my first child. I just like to be reassured once in awhile.

It just seems like talking is that LAST milestone to reassure you child is OK.... He communicates just in ways only we can understand.

I was amazed at the barely 17 month old language. I've always heard girls talk sooner but I was truly in shock....

 

[gonemousin']

The most important thing is that he understands what you're saying to him, and from your description, it appears that he does. That means he actually does comprehend language, he's just having a hard time getting it out. He'll get there!

My DH and I worred about this too because our DD5 was speaking in full blown sentences at a year (no joke), but our DD who's 23 months is just NOW starting to flourish in the word department. She was much later to talk, but always understood what we were saying to her, so our pediatrician said not to worry. He explained that some kids just don't put a priority on it...they're content in grunting, pointing, and groaning. Eventually, words just start popping out, and that's exactly what has happened with my youngest. Good luck!!

 

[rbork]

Experienced w/ speech delay here. Now everything is fine and he's 8!
I worked hard at MAKING them talk. I stopped reinforcing the pointing grunting etc...I said he must use a word when he wants something etc.
That drew him out a bit.
Turns out later he had a huge hearing deficit. I was totally unaware of - he was my 1st child. After therapy and surgery - he hears well and improved to within normal limits.
Good Luck and do what's right for you!

 

[disneygoof]

Boys will always talk later than girls, and second children later than first. Maybe that oversimplifies it, but hopefully it will ease your worries.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Definately don't compare to girls...I'm a firm believer in girls being a lot more verbal than boys at that age. I have friends with both and all of the girls are chatterboxes. Myself, I was "gifted" with a very verbal daughter. Her vocabulary tests a year and a half ahead of where she "should be"...All I can say is ENJOY THE SILENCE

 

[Ava83]

I have seen with second children the older one answering for the little ones..my friends little girl was not talking as much as the older one and we watched them and the older on was talking for her..once we made the little one answer she speed up the talking.

 

[Snoopymom]

Our foster-to-adopt ds came home to us with a vocabulary of 5 words at 23 months. At 3 yrs old, he tested at approximately 2 years old, but his comprehension was "off the map", as the therapist put it. She had tested him as high as she could for his age. We were sitting behind a two way mirror during the testing, and I was shocked at how much he knew, but couldn't verbalize. I was heartbroken, relieved, and enlightened all at once.

He was in therapy for 1 year 6 months and his progress was amazing. Now that he's in Kindergarten, and they're learning what I didn't learn until 1st and 2nd grade, (it's definitely not all about socializing anymore!) I'm so grateful we went with our instincts. He would be having an extremely difficult time without it, I can't even imagine!

I'd check with your pediatrician, but I think when they're comprehension is good, they usually tell you to wait until they're about 3, just take into account the waiting period to get tested and started in your area, ours was a couple of months.

His therapist told us to be tough, tell him to use words, don't give him what he wants until he says juice, milk, please or whatever, and when he pronounces something incorrectly, just repeat it correctly with emphasis on the part he mispronounced, so maybe you could gradually start with things like this at home now.

Good Luck!

 

[SnowWhite]

My DS2 still doesn't say as much as he should but in the past month he has come along way. We had his hearing tested last year and it was fine and this year he was to see a specialist to observe his play and his speech. She agrees he is definately behind but said that it will probably come because he definatley knows what you are saying and he could follow 2 step commands like "get the toy and bring it to me". He is starting nursery school next week becuase they recommended that he will learn faster when surrounded by other children. Our doctor said that having an older sibling that knows what every grunt means encourages them to not talk becuase everyone just gets what ever he wants. The specialist suggested that we give him choices and make him tell us a choice such as "would you like milk or juice?" he has just recently started counting to ten and saying our names and repeating some other things, he has a hard time with pronunciations but he is really trying and I think it will come along just fine with time. His sister was slow (or so I thought) but she is now an A student and has always spoken as an adult instead of a child. I would say that you should speak to someone who can offer you advice but that it will definaltely just click one day (assuming you have had his hearing checked first)

Good luck

 

[gonemousin']

I have seen with second children the older one answering for the little ones..my friends little girl was not talking as much as the older one and we watched them and the older on was talking for her..once we made the little one answer she speed up the talking.

This has definitely been the case with our two! Every day we have to remind our DD5 to let her sister answer for herself! Sheesh...

 

[plutolovr]

Snowbunny,

Not to alarm you, BUT my son was a lot like yours when he was young. Except he walked at 9 months but didn't talk much until he was about 2 1/2. He had a great imagination, and read alot when he was young and was always a very good student. He could sit through a 2 hour movie at 3 years old. Fast forward to high school, the s**t hit the fan big time. He's in a very competitive prep school to make a long story short I had him tested for ADD in high school, he has inattentive type, (very bad case). Never set off any teacher's alarms because he wasn't bouncing off the walls. Everyone mentioned his daydreaming. We are struggling now, he's a senior in high school and it's not easy. It really frustrates him.

Good luck

 

[meandtheguys2]

Curious...is anyone in his family an engineer or a musician?

 

[Luv2trav]

Along with his NON words he tends to get very frustrated easily. He throws some very bad trantrums at times. If he doesn't get his way he will hit, bite, pull hair and head butt you at times. Then again he's a very social, lovable and loves to play. He loves books! More like obsessed with books. He's just so completely different from my first son in every way. I just think he's a very stubborn child. Like when I give him milk and he knows he wants juice he will throw a tantrum and punch the Frig until I open it up and he will then point to juice...

I don't know if this could be typical behavior or not? My first son was so laid back. He NEVER threw tantrums. When I used to see children like this I used to blame the parent and now that child is mine?

I know this really doesn't have anything to do with late talking but I am hoping once he does learn his words the tantrums will subside.

 

[klj27]

I am a Mom of two late talkers. My 18 month old only has about 9 words and he only uses 4 or 5 of them consistently. (They are not understandable by people who don't kow him.) I think what is most important is if they are communicating with you. Pointing, listening, babbling (even if you can't understand it). Do they follow commands. If expressive language is the only concern I would hold off on an eval until at least 2.

My older son only had 5 words at 18 months. He ended up going to speech for articulation at age 3. When he was 4 years 10 months he tested at 7 years for his vocabulary level. He definately caught up!

Even though I have already had a late talker I still worry about my youngest. It's tough to be a Mom!

 

[Luv2trav]

Even though I have already had a late talker I still worry about my youngest. It's tough to be a Mom!

Isn't that the truth..... I also worry my first son is too sensitive... Does it ever stop?

 

[beattyfamily]

Mom of a late talker here too.

Our PCP noticed it at our DDs 16 month check up and set up an evaluation with the Early Intervention group. She qualified and did it from age 16 months to 3 years old. Then she qualified for the Intergrated preschool at our public school.

She's now in Kindergarten and doing great. I do think she'll always struggle in school but she is talking like any other almost 6 year old!

So my advice is to talk to your PCP and get your child evaluated and get some therapy. It was SO helpful. They taught her sign language to reduce the frustration she had not being able to talk. Then they worked on getting her to talk.

Good luck!

 

[momimouse27]

Dear Luv2,

I know exactly what you are going through. The only difference is my son has a reason for his delay in speech-he was born with a cleft palate(not the lip, only the inside palate) However, he does have those same behavioral problems. Our speech therapist says he needs OT, but I believe he just gets frustrated because he has no way to tell us what he needs or wants.

If he doesn't get what he wants or is angry, he throws toys, he also likes to pull my hair or scratch. I know he is not developmentally delayed because he follows my directions well and he plays games that require following directions. He will even walk holding my hand if he is in a calm mood. He also loves, loves books! I can't get the child to sit still unless I am reading. I don't know what it will be like at Disney...thank heavens for the stroller!!