My son is 19 months old and barely speaks! The only words that he says regularly are "Mom" and "Duck". He also says a few other words occassionally (like "Dad"). Any experiences or advice He is right on target developmentally with everything else - he just won't talk !!! His 18 month check-up is tomorrow and I will talk to his Pediatrician about my concern, but in the meantime I would like to hear other stories!

I have found boys are generally later talkers than girls. I sit for a 21 mth old boy and he seems to be at the same place at your son and his other skills are totally on track. My son didn't really speak until he was 2 1/2 yrs old. I think that was because he was a boy and also because he is the youngest of three. I honestly wouldn't worry if everything else seems normal.

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I dream to escape!

My son is the oldest and didn't talk until 2 1/2 to 3 years old! The girls talked much earlier, I think my middle child was trying to say "kitty" around 9 months and my baby is 14 months and has several words. Not sure whether that's due to having more people around and picking up more words, or being girls, or what.

My son said his first word, "George", the name of his little stuffed boy doll, at 6 months.
I don't remember what came next but by the time he was a year he was putting 2 & 3 words together.
My daoughter, didn't start talking much till she was over a year.
They are all different and individual.
As long as he is on track with everything else, i wouldn't worry.
Our neighbor's son didn't talk till he was about 2 1/2 and she said it was because he didn't have anything to say till then!!!

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Square dancing is friendship set to music!

My boys both started talking late - in the ballpark of 18mos-2+ years old. I can't get them to shut up some days. If everything else is on track and he babbles and responds to sound and commands, I wouldn't worry about it.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

all I can tell you is LOOK OUT!!! My ds didn't say his first word until 18/19 months old - but then it was sentences instead of individual words - and he hasn't shut up since!!!!

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Mom to 3 - one with 2 legs and 2with 4!

DD started talking in January before her 3rd birthday in May. Then it was in complete sentences. She was the oldest and was a very content baby, never wanting anything. Once she started talking, she hasn't hushed since.

My niece didn't start talking until 2. She hasn't shut up since.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

Be careful what you ask for! If he's on track with everything else, I wouldn't worry. My youngest ds didn't really start talking until almost three. I asked at his 18 month check up about it. The doctor asked if he knew about 20(I think, it's been a long time) words at that time, which he did. The doctor said not to worry, he was on track. He reminded me that all babies grow differently. Once he started talking, it's been non stop since. He so bad, he even talks in his sleep.
Judy

My son didn't say anything until around 2... but then he opened his mouth with, "can I have a cookie please?"

You can ask your Dr. to have him evaluated if you would like. We did, and he was advanced in all other areas, so we didn't do therapy. Have you tried any sign language? That helped us out a lot, but I do think it delays thier speech even more.

Just know you are not along.. my son is now 6 and is still quiet, but was just accepted for the gifted program.

My DD started talking at 9months and talks and talks and talks.. just like her mom.

My oldest son was the same way. The only thing he said was "Uh Oh" until about 2 1/2 years. At his 18 month checkup, his pediatritian asked me how many words he can say, and I told him only one (if uh-oh is even a word). He said that he was concerned, but we'll see him at 24 months and discuss it then. Well, at 24 months of age, it was the same story. He had me contact an early intervention program and get him in to see a Developmental Pediatritian. It was a long 6 week waiting list, but he was diagnosed as on the autism spectrum.

I am in no way saying that this is the case with you, as boys do tend to be later talkers than girls in general. Please do set an appointment with your pediatritian; maybe even a different one for a second opinion. If you are questioning it, you probably have concerns. If anything, for peace of mind.

Aside from the lack of words, does he do other engaging things, like point to something to show you? Take your hand to show you something? Engage in games like peek-a-boo or hide and seek? If he's doing these things and social and engaging with other children in a 19 month old capacity, I would think that he would not be on the spectrum.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

My now 4 year old son wasn't talking when we took him for his 2 year checkup. He had said some words but never maintaned them. We heard them once and usually never again. We did have him checked out with a speech therapist and it turned out he has apraxia. After finding this out it explained other things, such as not being able to latch on for breastfeeding and the excess formula that dribbled from his bottle that didn't make it into his mouth and that he wouldn't take a pacifier.
He was in speech therapy for about a year and did very well. His therapist was surprised at how quickly he progressed...so apparently he has a more mild form of apraxia. He has had to work on strengthening the muscles used for speech and swallowing (he used to drool a lot). People have no problem understanding his speech. He still has to occasionally stop and think about what he's trying to say and sometimes, although rarely, he says words we don't quite understand...he doesn't have the clarity of speech that a "normal" 4 year old would.

Other than his speech, he was either on target or advanced for his age in other areas. He could definitely comprehend everything and he aced the hearing the test.

As others have said, now he won't be quiet! LOL He is our most talkative kid by far!

peapie

I know someone who was told this by her pediatrician.

Does he have language skills and can he say a word or two?
Does he understand you (and know what you are talking about)
Then he will talk when he is ready.

He may just start in some day and talk.talk,talk!

enjoy it why you can,.lol

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Our pediatrician always said ..."it doesn't matter how fast they're moving, as long as it's moving forward" ... If you know he understands you,and get's HIS point across... like the other posters have said, WATCH Out!! He'll be gabbing your ear off before you know it!!

My ds is 15 months, and I am kind of concerned myself. He trys to say words, like when we say duck, or hot, then he tries to repeat them. He also jabbers in his own little language, then looks at me as if he wants me to answer him. Is that normal? All the stuff about autism really freaks me out. And yes, he does play peek aboo and other little games, and is very social. Lordy, when can we ever stop worrying so much? I don't remember being this paranoid about my daughters, but that was 20 years ago! Maybe I was just to young and dumb to know any better. Ignorance is bliss!!!!!

I had the same issue with my first born DS. He was almost 2 and had very few words. Where we lived at the time they had a program with the public school that before they were old enough for school, a teacher would come to the house and play educational games with them. I expressed my concerns to her. She said he didn't really need to talk because I knew everything he was communicating to me. He would talk when he was ready. This was a teacher that saw him once a week, so she knew his development pretty well. Since he started to talk, he hasn't stopped! He just turned 13 and is 5'9". My new concern is: when is he going to stop growing. It's always something!

My son who is now 5 did not start speaking until right after his 3rd birthday. He could say words before that but you couldn't make them out and they were pretty much just babbling. I like you were worried sick however once he started talking it was in complete sentences and his mouth does not stop unless he is asleep...lol I did notice that during this time all he had to do was point to something and I would give it to him. Once I stopped that and made him tell me what he wanted is really when things got better. Enjoy the peace and quiet because it won't last long.

My 6 year old son didn't talk until he was 3. At about 2 1/2 he was tested and ended up being enrolled in the local public school special education infants and toddlers program. He had therapy with a group of 4 boys that included speech therapy and cognitive therapy (his receptive language was poor also). One concern was that some of the words that he said early on (at about 1 1/2) he had completely forgotten or stopped saying. Also, he would sit for hours by himself playing with his Thomas trains and could put together complicated puzzles for his age. All of his symptoms seemed to point to autism, althoug we never had him tested specifically for autism. His infants and toddler, special ed teacher said he would probably grow up to be an engineer. Remember, Einstein didn't talk until he was 3.

Anyway, he is in first grade now and doesn't shut up. I guess he just wanted to wait until he was ready to talk on his own terms. Just as an aside, his teacher just tested him for reading - he is reading at a high 3rd grade, early 4th grade level.

Our daughter started saying words at 8 months, now our son was a totally different story..

at his 18 month check up our pediatrician recommended he see a speech therapist because he wasn't babling yet, just grunting and pointing.


I felt maybe boys are slower, and I waited.. until he was two to take him to a therapist. He started speech and really started slowly with results. it was really scary. I googled every form of emotionally challenged and autistic symptom to try to pinpoint what was going on with him thinking the doctors missed something.

I have to say he has made huge progress and now wont shut up! he is as articulatr as his 7 year old sister almost, and is very clear with pronunciation. I look back at his evaluations from just months ago and am astounded.


I hate to encourage you or discourage you, because every child is different.

Good luck and keep us posted. You have a number of people on here to lean on for support~

I think it really depends on the child. Just because they are not talking at 18 months or 2, doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem. If they are interacting with you other ways and can follow simple directions, there probably isn't anything to worry about. I would discuss it with your pediatrician becuase it never hurts to have them evaluated if you have concerns and if necessary to start treatment very early on.

I don't think you can blame it on gender either. Both my boys were early talkers (and haven't shut-up since then <lol>). By age 2, my DS#2 was speaking in very clear, complete sentances. However, he didn't walk until he was 16 months old. Everyone always says that babies either walk or talk early, but not both and for my kids it was true.

A friend of mine's DS wasn't talking very much at age 2 so she had him evaluated. He would interact well, but wouldn't say anything. He ended up getting ear tubes and his adnoids removed, which helped a lot, although he is almost 4 and his speech still isn't very clear.

Sarah....mom to Jason & Devin

Mine is late too. He's almost two, and he says about 15 words. If your gut tells you he is right on track, do not worry. Sometimes they are just late.