Getting My Son to Talk! Need advice... (BF, toy, parent)

[midnightbirdgirl]

Not to be an alarmist, but often autistic children who seem normal in ebery other way have speech delays.
The earlier this is DX'ed the better.
MBG

[foma]

If your kid has been tested and he's A-OK I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not a parent but watching my nephews grow up, I've learned a thing or two. Make your kid work for what he wants to get him to talk! If he wants something from the fridge, for example, don't just give him something, tell him to say it (or as close to saying it as he can for his age). Or if he wants water, make him say, "Water."

Also, talk to him in conversation, not in baby talk and talk to him constantly! That's how kids learn is through experience. He sees what you're doing and he eventually get it that he needs to verbalize.

Read to him, too, especially books with pictures. Point to the words and pictures so he can associate the two together.

My middle nephew is hilarious. In one sentence, he can say 3 different languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. I think he just says whatever is easiest to him and doesn't know that he's speaking 3 different languages.

Good luck to you!

[belovenow]

Originally Posted by stellar9

Each kid is different and it is hard not to compare when you see other children your child's age doing more of something than yours is. Your 16month old sounds perfectly normal. And the normal spectrum is quite large. My current 16month old says more understandable words now than his 2.5yo sister did at the same age, but they are both very normal.

And if reading books about developmental milestones is stressing you out, GET RID OF THE BOOKS! Only a few children have read them and follow them.

Compelled to respond because my son wasn't as quick verbally as his friends and our extended family. We had all the concerns of typical caring parents - we even had his hearing checked and him verbally assessed (two things I certainly don't regret doing and I would recommend to any parent in similar situation).

Fortunately, we found out he was okay without physical or mental problems. He is now a few years old and speaks well for his age - but furthmore he has tremendous empathy and solves problems very well. He has always understood my wife and I, he just verbalized less articulately or clearly than others we compared him to.

In all seriousness, everyone is different. Some children indeed are born with more gray matter than others. Others are physically advanced instead or as well. Some are brilliant and articulate at very young ages, others not so much. Sometimes later in life the late-bloomers catch up or surpass the early-developers... sometimes they do not. I guess what everyone needs to learn as a parent is that mileage really varies a lot - just as your genetics do. Do your best, get professional advice if you feel even the slightest urge for assessment, and be as loving and caring to your children as you can be.

[Scholar]

Have you looked at American Academy of Pediatrics Web Site, the American Association of Pediatricians? They have a great link to developmental stages. In particular, I noticed the 18 month milestone being able to say "at least 2 words". It may relieve your worries.

I agree with the others about the doctor. Another option might be attending a wellness fair that some doctors groups, service organizations or hospitals occasionally have. Maybe there will be something like that in your area or a surrounding community. Often they check hearing, sight, etc. in conjunction with shot clinics.

[MsB23]

Thanks for the great ideas guys! I'm feeling a lot better about this. I just hope his vocabulary consists of more than words that I have to try to teach him not to say... <guilty potty-mouth mama>

[Inthesierras]

I agree with everyone that each kids develops differently. If at 18 months, the milestones aren't being met, call your local school district for a speech eval. Many states have an early intervention program for kids with delays. It covers many types of delays, but speech is the most common. Alot of kids that attend early intervention turn out not to have any delays by the time kindergarten starts.

[irishmom]

Originally Posted by MsB23

Thanks for the great ideas guys! I'm feeling a lot better about this. I just hope his vocabulary consists of more than words that I have to try to teach him not to say... <guilty potty-mouth mama>

Ha Ha! Seriously watch out for this one. My oldest at 18 months only said "mommy" "dadden" and "bidden" (his word for fish, I know weird). One day I was mad at "dadden" and called him the popular slang word for male anatomy (think here it starts with a d). Well wouldn't you know it immediately after he started to call daddy - "dadden d***" reapeatedly and oh so clearly! I wound up begging him to stop and watched what I said after that real careful!

[MsB23]

Originally Posted by irishmom

Ha Ha! Seriously watch out for this one. My oldest at 18 months only said "mommy" "dadden" and "bidden" (his word for fish, I know weird). One day I was mad at "dadden" and called him the popular slang word for male anatomy (think here it starts with a d). Well wouldn't you know it immediately after he started to call daddy - "dadden d***" reapeatedly and oh so clearly! I wound up begging him to stop and watched what I said after that real careful!

ROFL! He's already pulled a "GD" on me once...but that was the only time he said it...so far.

I'm just so not a "golly gee shucks" kind of person That's going to be a toughie for me, but probably worth it so I'm not getting the phone call from miffed parents/teachers/etc....

[vetegnc]

My daughter is 29 months, and is just now having a large vocabulary (can't understand her well though!). Has had HUGE increases in vocabulary in the last couple months. Still won't say "granny"...whom the owner of that name is very upset!
She's following the exact same path my son did....

[shannon94]

Don't worry!! My daughter didn't really start talking until 2 and a half. She is now almost 13.... on the honor roll.... and now she won't STOP talking!! lol