Fall/Winter 2013 babies, and early winter 2014 babies

[minzy]

Sorry in advance for the book!

My daughter is 17 months old and was tested a month ago for language and gross motor skills.  She tested at 12 months for expressive language (borderline delay but technically qualified for services).  Her receptive language was right on at 16 months.  I declined services for now because although I acknowledge she is at the back end of the curve, I am not truly worried.  She has great eye contact, babbles a ton, does not have any other concerning behaviors.  Her sister was exactly the same way - slow to start, but things took off.  (DD1 is not quite four and "reads"/writes and is very articulate; I have no concerns.)  The speech therapist who assessed DD2 agreed it was a matter of motivation and said she did not see huge red flags, but we agreed that if things didn't start happening quickly that I will call them back.  They debated how to classify the results, and went with saying there was a slight delay to make it easier if I decide to ask for a retest in the future.  I don't think I will need to do so.  Apparently DD2 lost points for not having a consistent sign or word for drink (of course she literally signed milk over and over as she ate a half hour after they left), and the ST said she didn't see mimicing (though I saw her pause when DD repeated "EIEIO" after me when they were getting their coats on to leave).  Both of those things, plus the opinions of the two therapists, and knowing that the 18 month well child check is just around the bend, made me more comfortable declining services for the time being.

DD2 has picked up walking in the past 3 weeks and verbal language seems to be coming online now too.  She identifies us as "mama/dada" and says part of her sister's name, she says "yes" and "hi" very well.  She will sing "EIEIO" at the right spot in the song, and when I sing "The wheels on the bus go..." she'll sing "yeah yeah yeah" to the beat.  She knows a cow says "MMM[oo]!"  DH taught her to say "stars."  Sometimes she will touch a picture of a ball in a book if I ask.  She knows hair, nose, ears, belly, mouth, and will stick out her tongue.  I am really trying to work with her on body parts, animals, simple objects (shoe, book, ball, cup), and it seems like it's starting to come together.

There is tremendous variability at this age.  That said, if you or anyone has a concern, I absolutely encourage getting an evaluation (done by Infants and Toddlers in my state).  It's free, easy, painless, and here they give the results immediately.  Honestly I probably would not have done it for either kid (DD1 was assessed at the same age) but both of their pediatricians recommended having it done at the 15 month well child check, probably as a CYA.  I can't blame them for suggesting it, and certainly wasn't going to stand in the way of my kids getting help if they need it.  I have no regrets having it done either time.

[BaliHai]

L will be 15 months a week from tomorrow, and I agree that she seems to understand way more than what she can say. I don't feel like she's talking as much as her peers. She says ma, da, ball, Lennon, no, that, and this clear as day, everything else... eh. Her biggest thing is that, aside from her name, she seems to only be able to say the first or second syllable, not both together. Example "ta" for Thomas, "oh" for uh oh, "da" for "daddy", etc. I just asked her pediatrician about it at her appointment last week, and she said that's totally normal for her age, so I am trying not to worry.

ETA- She also says "at" for cat, and she woofs for dog, lol.
ETA 2- She also also has been grunting a lot lately, which kind of drives me up a wall. I'll ask her a question and she'll grunt. Omg. I have said "yes" so much it doesn't seem like a real word anymore, but she insissssts on grunting.

[redpenmama]

14 months

He has a handful of words: mama, dada, gaga (for his sister, whose name sounds nothing like that), ba (ball), dog, cat, truck, and that. There are probably a few more I'm forgetting, so 10ish words total.

[Deleted]

Feb 25, 2015 12:28:31 GMT -5 kershnic said:

Feb 25, 2015 12:19:32 GMT -5 mellimel19 said:

Same with DD. She babbles a lot, though. She just turned one.

we are here x2.

oh thank goodness. I'm here too. dd can say mama, mum (eat), gong (grandpa in Chinese), ma (grandma), dada and baba-mostly when prompted. She's probably super confused though because we speak 3 languages around her. 

[lauren170]

My DD is almost 13 months - She says Hi, Ball, Up, Down, Dada - (Down sounds like "Dahh").

[mae141]

DD is 14 months. She says mama and dada, but I don't think she really says them consistently. Pointing and yelling/grunting are her preferred methods of communicating. She will hang on my leg and say mamamamamama. She babbles a ton and has "conversations" with me, I just have no idea what she's saying.

She also never got the whole signing thing. We would do the signs and say the words, and she would just laugh at us. We gave up when she was about a year old.

[trufflefries]

DD is 15 months. She can say hey, yeah, mama, dada, kitty, what's this (watdis is what actually comes out), and I'd say she can do maybe a dozen signs? Way more babbling than actual talking at this point.

[rex]

L is 17 months. she's approaching 50 words, asks various questions (where'd you go? is that....? what's that? etc), and still has the same 5 or so signs. some words are super clear and others aren't, but they are getting clearer! my favorite new one is "shoes" which sounds like "shoosh." lol

[winemaker06]

Another baby at the young end of the spectrum and not doing anything spectacular yet. At 13 months, DS babbles nonsense and says dadadada and dat but never directed at anything consistently.

But we just realized he is saying his first 'word' yesterday- kitty. It sounds more like zeezee but it is no doubt directed at the cat.

He does also sign 'more' but it looks like clapping his hands. That was fun to explain to daycare.
@bunnybean the toddler motherfucker comment definitely made me LOL.

[sent]

We've got one word over here: bye. If you're holding a bag or go near the door, you will get a "bahyee." Otherwise lots of babble and b sounds in general. And some understanding when I say things to her like "let's go upstairs" and she arrives at the stairs and points up. And lots of no understanding, I may as well be talking to the wall.

[daisy24342]

17 months here. I'd say last month he has really exploded. He had about 5/7 words at 15 month appt but now he has mama, dada, moo, baa, quack, cow, ball, bowl, bottle, truck, bus, cracker, cookie, moon, balloon, go......several other animal sounds. I say explosion because recently he has begun TRYING to say everything. It's so cute, even when it's no where near the word, but he tries!

[pinkyp]

DD will be 13 months tomorrow and says mama, dada and nana. She's fairly inconsistent though; I'll hear these several times in one day and then nothing for the next 2 or 3. Just lots of grunts and babbling sounds. She's fascinated with the one Spanish kiddie show that comes on in the afternoon on BabyFirst TV..maybe we're teaching her the wrong language? Lol

[fortnightlily]

DS is 17 months. He had maybe 8 words at his 15 month appointment? Now I can say with confidence that he knows: no (uses that in spades), car, vroom, moo, quack, meow, woof, bus, hello, bye, 'bye daddy', daddy, mama (used very occasionally), more, milk (more the sign than the word), uh oh, ball, choo-choo, apple (catch-all for non-banana large fruits), nana (banana). And occasionally he'll pop up with something I think it clearly a word in the right context, like 'snow', but then he doesn't do it again and I lose my confidence.

None of these are tremendously well articulated. He still babbles gibberish, particularly when flipping through a book.