Let's talk baby communication

[bubbyboo]

So I'm filling out this "8 month questionnnaire" that we were asked to do and bring to Ava's 9 month check up and of the seven pages of stuff she does most of it. But the questions in the communication section, specifically relating to consonant sounds like "ba, da, ga, ka" and making two similar sounds like 'ba ba' she doesn't do. She'll say aaahhh sounds and yeah and yah sounds but that's it. I feel like she's behind or something! I keep reading all of the 8 and 9 month milestones and I'm worried. She doesn't point at things yet, wave, or anything. She crawls great, pulls herself up on stuff, walks with a walker. Could it just be that she's focused on the physical stuff and the verbal stuff will come later? I hate to be one of THOSE moms but I can' thelp but worry! She has her 9 month check up on the 1st do of course I'll ask about it... but help me out in the mean time... anyone elses 8.5 month old not making consonant sounds yet?

[erniebufflo]

I haven't gone in for my 9 month appointment yet, but the girls are 9.5 months. There is no pointing, and only Claire (the gross motor delayed baby, ha) waves. There's absolutely no pulling up from either of them, though Etta will walk happily along if you hold both her arms. Generally though, since she's gross motor delayed thanks to spina bifida, Claire has been ahead of Etta on verbal/social milestones, whereas Etta is a constant mover, and isn't as social/verbal as Claire.

[spaghetticat]

I was worried about the same things as you. V was much more mobile than she was vocal. She has only recently started making consonant sounds and she is a month older. Try not to worry too much!

[mikehoncho]

Obviously I can't speak for you but for me, I thought he wasn't making those noises until I really paid attention and heard him doing it but it just wasn't the noise I was expecting. If that even makes sense. Also, he has been a totally physical kid so far and I do think that sometimes they work on one area over the other and that is totally normal.

ETA: he would make a kkkk noise at the end of a laugh. I wasn't expecting that or counting that as the ka sound but it does actually count. If that helps to clarify whatthefuck I was talking about up there. He doesn't just outright say ka ka ka but he definitely makes the Kkkk noise. I feel like I'm just talking in circles! Sorry!

[Deleted]

My LO goes through phases. About 3 weeks ago she babbled for a week straight. Then she really didn't babble or make noises for 2 weeks. In that time she learned to pull up and cruise. Not that she learned that, she is back to babbling. My LO does not wave yet either.

Sounds like she is just working on her physical milestones and will pick up on the verbal later!

[vthokie]

We do phases here too. She'll be super verbal for a few days, then she's all about moving and waving and clapping. The last few days, it's been all about cruising around. I couldn't get her to wave bye bye to me today, which is always her favorite. Babies are fickle. They do what they want, when they want. I wouldn't be concerned.

[jaime183]

that questionaire is a national average- they dont need to be doing all of it already. And the one we have says to be done between 9m0d and 9m30d. I wonder why yours is earlier.

[Deleted]

Mine says Mumumumum when he wants something (food, me) and dadadad when he's playing. That's it. DS1 was much more physical than verbal at this age too.

I wouldn't worry if I were you

[biblionerd]

DD has just now started m's, not really anything else. I think she's spent her whole time perfecting her screaming, screeching, and squealing. You can tell she's kind of getting it now that she can make other noises. Definitely no mama or dada! Just mmmmmmmmmm like her lips get stuck together. She's not crawling, pulling up, walking, and hardly standing supported. So there.

[Regina Philange]

Lou doesnt point, wave, or clap. But i cant wait till he does!!

[Deleted]

Cam is probably more verbal, but he's NOT mobile. He can do the ma,da,ba,ya,he, Sss, and random sounds. But, he's been working on that a lot and not the mobility. I definitely think there are movers and then talkers.

[devonpow]

I think I have shared this here before - Henry did Early Intervention for expressive communication when he younger. The "red flags" showed up at his 9 month appointment - at that age he had never made a consonant sound, and also did not point, wave, clap, or follow a point. He did not mimic facial expressions or sounds. He did the EI evaluaton at 10.5 months (I think), and still wasn't doing any of those things. He qualified, but BARELY, and these days would not qualify (at that point you needed a 25% delay to qualify. Now you need a 30% delay to qualify).

Anyway, the lack of consonant sounds they didn;t care very much about, it was more the lack of following a point, not doing things like looking at his dad when we asked "where's daddy?", not consistenlt responding to his name or "no", etc. He did 6 months of EI and then graduated out.

He was/is totally fine. He really didn't need the EI, to be honest. He was very much a kid who focused on the physical and did the other stuff later. Even now we call him (affectionately) our "space cadet". He is just in hiw own world/la la land a lot of the time, lol. He is extremely verbal and bright. I would say by 18 months old he was caught up with most of his peers in terms of his expressive communication.

Anyway, I guess my point is that these questionnaires they give are great resources, and always follow your gut, but it is true that kids do things in their own time. Look for an overall pattern and if you are concerned talk to your pedi. But even in situations where there IS an overarching pattern/concern, it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. Good luck!

[carawestt]

Lincoln crawls, pulls up, walks all over the house with his walker, etc. but hasn't said one consonant. He just started waving a couple days ago but no pointing or clapping. He imitates all my sounds; raspberries growls, tongue clicking. And he's very vocal just not by saying consonants. My pedi always has said there's "two types" of babies (as he puts it): the talkers and the walkers.

Eta: Just as I posted this, Lincoln said uh boo buh ba. I guess he likes to keep me on my toes!

[bubbyboo]

Thanks, ladies! I knew you would help me put it in perspective and feel better. And Gisa, I never counted diapers either. I just made up a number when they asked.