How talking develops

How talking develops

Talking doesn’t start with the first ‘mama’ or ‘dada’ your child utters but from the moment they’re born.

The first step is learning to distinguish sounds – a baby can tell his mother’s voice from others by the time he’s just a week old. By two months, he’s cooing, by three months he’s focusing on you when you talk to him, and by four to six months he’s practically having a conversation with you, even if it is in babble-speak.

All of these may seem like little more than cute little moments, but they’re actually milestones in your tot’s speech development. It’s now recognised how vital the years from birth to three are in terms of how your child learns to talk and communicate, and how they develop as they get older. Assuming that they’ll pick it up at nursery or even school, is leaving it too late.

So how can you help to get your toddler talking?

  • Keep talking to him. Your toddler may not say much yet, but he understands what you’re saying. Talking starts with listening so the more you talk to him, the faster he’ll learn to talk himself. Talk about what you’re doing all the time, and state the obvious, for example, ‘We’re going up to have a bath now, then get you into your pyjamas and ready for a story. We could read the lovely book grandma bought you. Look, here it is on the blue bookshelf’.
  • Words and music. Get your toddler talking by reading to him every day. This will get him used to books and the words on the pages. Little kids love singing and don’t care if you’re tone deaf, so play nursery rhyme tapes and sing along with them together – they’re a brilliant way of getting kids to learn and remember words.
  • Speak directly to your child and listen to him attentively without trying to finish off his sentences for him.
  • Even if you don’t understand exactly what he’s saying, the chances are his body language or facial expressions will give the game away, so talk to him as if you do, ‘Have you had enough of the bricks? Do you want to play with the trains instead?’.

Spoken moments

Language development can vary widely from child to child, but here are some of the key stages:

  • By one year, you toddler will understand what you’re saying and may have a couple of words to say himself.
  • By 15 months he’ll have up to 10 words and will understand a simple command like ‘Get the ball’.
  • By 18 months, he’ll know the names of the most important people in his life and will be able to follow more complex commands, ‘Pick up the ball and give it to daddy’.
  • By 24 months, he’ll have up to 100 words in his vocabulary and will be able to form simple sentences, ‘Get ball’, ‘Mummy come’, and say ‘no’ and ‘mine’ a lot.
  • By three years, he’ll have about 300 words and will be able to have a conversation of a few sentences and use adjectives and prepositions (‘up, on, in, under’ etc.

Learning to talk is the key to how well your child learns everything else, so keep the conversation flowing and make sure your toddler has plenty to say for himself.

Comments

Submitted by DianeGriff on Tue, 01/05/2012 - 17:38.
I am a bit worried, my 16 month old son only says bye bye, no other words! Is this quite common or should I go see a specialist about it? He does go to nursery so I thought he would pick up words quicker than others
Submitted by Rowey19 on Tue, 17/04/2012 - 15:56.
hi my son is 15 months old he's always saying daddy or dada but as not yet said mummy or any other word in relation to it, he as even started saying city before saying mummy :(, it's making me a bit upset as i feel that he's not as close to me as his daddy and feel im doing something wrong with him, just want to know if anyone else's kid is doing the same? or is it just me?
Submitted by mummydeeh on Wed, 07/03/2012 - 09:23.
my daughter is 10 months old she says things like dada and mama but it was strange coz when my boyfriends mum left the house my girl put her hand out to the door and said nannan, She also points and it sounds like she says 'look', points to the door and sounds like she says 'door' and points to her nans dog and says 'tata' which the dogs name is tasha. Is this all signs she is learning quickly or am i just thinkin she is sayin these things
Submitted by suki129 on Sat, 25/02/2012 - 00:44.
I have a 14 month old boy. He can only say a few words such as mumma dad and ta. but usually calls everything baba! Should I be worried?
Submitted by nicolex3 on Thu, 19/01/2012 - 01:01.
I have two boys, my eldest was very fast with everything, he just turned 3 and tslks all the time, counts to 20, knows his abc in letters and phonics. However my one year old isn't saying much at all, the odd time he would say things but normally just makes noised...his brother understands him, is this normally if the older sibling is very chatty and loud?
Submitted by gingerdiva on Wed, 28/12/2011 - 15:00.
My son is 13months old and is really doing well with his vocalising. He says a few words like mama, dada, light, woof woof (dog,) hiya, bye bye, nanna, whats this, that, yes and no and other words are developing. He is very clear at communicating what he wants by taking you to things and pointing while saying 'this'. He also tries to copy words that we say and has even starting making sounds like hes counting and tries showing how many on his fingers. I sing with him all the time and read to him too. daddy keeps making noises at him rather than using words so im encouraging him to 'talk' with him more. Every child is different and im not at all worried about how he compares to other children his age as he is doing it in his own time. He did the same with walkng starting at 8 mnths with his first few steps then over 3 months slowly progressed untill he was running at 11mnths!!! Just enjoy every stage as it doesnt last long! xxx :)
Submitted by lottiexx3 on Thu, 15/12/2011 - 13:43.
My daughter is 18 months old and can say around 50+ words, can sing songs and clearly ask for what she wants. She understands everything we say to her and can follow instrustions. Shes also able to count 1 to 5. However, my friends little girl it 2 months younger and can say mama and thats it. All children learn at there own pace, some will do what they can to see whats going on around them where other prefere to sit back and watch the world go by :)
Submitted by AnastasiaK on Thu, 08/12/2011 - 03:59.
Melvil, cos my daughter is going to be bilingual too I was reading and asking around to decide how her dad and I should speak to her. Mammy definitely has to talk to the baby the language of her heart, that is our native language. We decided that dad, who in general is bored talking all the time to the baby even though he is crazy for her, will steak our native language to her too. She will pick English from nursery/school/play groups... Guaranteed. We have a lot of friends with bilingual children and they did exactly that and when kids reach age 3, they speak both and actually they know when to use the one language and when to use another. As long as we communicate with our babies I believe we are fine... Have in mind also that bilingual children speak later than children who speak only one language psychologists say. X
Submitted by Rebecca3891 on Wed, 07/12/2011 - 19:32.
My baby has just had her 1st birthday and in all says about 25 words. To be honest, I'm not sure how much they should be able to say but she can point out things like house, car, sky and light and takes delight in being able to make herself understood. She knows animals and their sounds, and can tell us what she wants i.e. juice, milk, bath, book, ball, toy etc which makes things very enjoyable. I obviously talk to her but working full time it's good to know she's still coming along nicely, I still can't help thinking I perhaps don't talk to her enough! Parenting is anxiety ridden even though I'm not an anxious person in any other aspect!
Submitted by melvil on Wed, 07/12/2011 - 14:26.
my little one will speak 2 languages, i'm just worried that dad is not home very often (work) and when he is he's not talking much to baby, just : you're a big girl, be quiet, ,....itis upsetting really. i'm hoping she will pick up more english in nursery , she'll be there 5 full days. i dont think i should be talking to her in 2 languages cos it may be more difficult for her to learn them.
Submitted by chellyanna on Sat, 22/10/2011 - 21:58.
btw he does jibber jabber all the time u cant understand a word he says but he will shout and sing
Submitted by chellyanna on Sat, 22/10/2011 - 21:57.
my son has been a bit funny witch talking at 11 months he said grandad which shocked us he used to shout it down the phone to my dad before he died , hes hads his usual mom dad nan ect but he doesnt realy say much but we know he can say it and it gets frustrating when everyone compares him to his cousin shes 4 months older than him , who has older siblings and talks a lot , how can i get him to say the words he knows , ie mum dad nan grandad car brum ect , but if i say bedtime he runs to his room and gets into bed , i say bath he goes to the bathroom , if i say were going out he waits by the kitchen door am i just trying to hard because of the family pressure?
Submitted by Bellydancing-baby on Thu, 22/09/2011 - 11:54.
My Son is 11 months. He can say dadada but i don't think he means dad just yet. He does bark though when he sees a dog!
Submitted by OWILI1 on Tue, 20/09/2011 - 23:25.
My son is only 16 months old but he talks quite alot, he is always having a conversation though we cant understand most of what he says. He knows few words like Hello, mama, daddy and lulu which is the dogs name. Its all very exciting and hopefully we will understand him more soon
Submitted by SARAHLCOMLEY on Wed, 07/09/2011 - 14:08.
A good friend once told me there are "walkers" and "talkers". My 4yr old and 16mth old both crawled and walked early but were/is very slow to speak recognisable words. If they can move about they have less drive to ask you for things and are busy climbing around. Later movers sit and chat with you more and therefore learn to talk earlier. My daughter (16mths) has only just started babbling with me and only has 8 words emmerging. The only clear one is NO!! But I am not worried as she will get there in her own time. Try not to worry, they all develop differently and at their own pace. I am looking forward to hearing Mum/Mumma properly though. xxx
Submitted by Cherrymack on Tue, 06/09/2011 - 12:49.
my baby is nearly 16 months and she says car (caaahhhhh) and balloon (booon) and woof woof for dog, says daddy and dada and other words but she is still not saying mama or mummy ... and i know she knows and occasionally she has said it but only when she was crying and grumpy.... will she ever say it,,, but she is getting better with words and recognising sounds and things around her
Submitted by kzabka on Sat, 20/08/2011 - 11:53.
my little one is 18 months old and dosent talk yet appart from lots of babble talk, I'm not really worried as he's hearing and been spoken to on daily bases three languages - Polish, Portuguese and English. I was told by health visitor that he's more likley start to talk much later than other kids as he will be trilingual. I just wonder when acually it might happen and if there is anyone who has trilingual child and could give me some tips. x
Submitted by Manda810 on Thu, 18/08/2011 - 22:46.
I have to agree with other posts, a child develops in their own time. My 31/2 year old talks non-stop and has done so from an early age, my 10 month old babbles non-stop, she has just started crawling but I was told she should have been doing this long before 10 months. No baby is text book and half the time health visitors have never had children. Nobody should worry about development unless medical problems are involved. As long as our babies are healthy and happy that's the main thing!
Submitted by CaitYoung on Wed, 17/08/2011 - 19:33.
Mhy daughter is 16 months and she has said about 10 words in the past but half of them havnt ever ben said again, she doesnt talk much apart from mummy and daddy, i know she knows the words and she understands silly things like get your shoes for mummy and she gets them, she even takes her plate into the kitchen. I abit worried about her speach because ive seen that at age 12 months children should say more than 10words but she doesnt say the words that shes said before....any advice?
Submitted by charlottejakenbump on Tue, 16/08/2011 - 11:56.
my daughter is 22 months, and doesnt say too much at all, she can do things that i ask of her, 'go give daddy kiss' ect but when it come to talking i would say she only knows about 10 words max and they arent used very often she seems quite happy talking when she feeling like it she often comes out with words i havent even tried teaching her, she isnt intrested in sitting down and reading books with me as she just wants to run around, i try music quite alot but than she doesnt listen to me and just wants to dance, everything else she has done on time just worried that im letting her down but tried everything, spoke to the health visitor and she said she wasnt worried at all as long as she can say 20 words by she is 2, thing is she is 2 in 2months :/ any advice? x
Submitted by tiggerlikes2bounce on Tue, 09/08/2011 - 22:33.
my daughter is 2 1/2 and is talking so much, although she does tend to have a bit of an attitude sometimes. when this happens i always stop her and ask her to tell me again, but nicely, as well as always saying please and thank you. i think that its really important for children to know good maners.
Submitted by Megsmum88 on Wed, 13/07/2011 - 10:47.
My eldest who is now 2 1/2 started talking at 10 months, kne her alphabet and how to count to 10 by the age of one and says absolutely everything now! She can use a pc with a mouse, play the wii, and use my iPhone so much better than me! she has no trouble communicating Whatsoever! Everyone is always very surprised at how intelligent she is! My 9month old is only just babbling and can say dada and nan but with lpoking after a toddler and looking after a home I just don't have the time to teach her as much as I did for my eldest I feel really bad :-( but I'm sure she will come along in time it's just strange to go from such an advanced child to what is probably normal development rate!
Submitted by lido19 on Thu, 07/07/2011 - 23:08.
my son is 9 months old and has a rare condition that could effect him developmentally . i constanly talk to him , he laughs and babbles all the time . today in the supermarket as i was shopping and takling about the food we were buying and asking his opinion on which colour air freshener we should get , a woman said "i don't think he is remotley interested in your shopping love " i was horrified i told her he is interested in whatever i say as it,s called talking and it stimulates him . i consanly spoke to my daughter when she was born she could have afull conversation with me from 18 months ,everybody was amazed . it,s even more important to talkl to my son because of his disability his consultant has told us his development is exellent and not to be expected .taking does work .
Submitted by carajbrewer on Wed, 06/07/2011 - 21:04.
My little girl is 13months and she understands a lot more than i think she does, She gets ball's books toys and passes them when asked, when asked to make her way upstairs she babbles till i open the gate, then makes her way up, she loves her fruit and veg, high fives and claps me when i do something good, but the thing i love the most and makes me laugh is when she doesn't get her way, she's so funny.
Submitted by candygirl353 on Tue, 28/06/2011 - 16:50.
is worried my 19month old isnt saying anything clear its all babababa dadadada ddddd he understands what we are saying to him and responds by action any help would be greatful
Submitted by ufojoy on Wed, 15/06/2011 - 14:07.
My son 12months 3weeks he can say a few word like mummy, Daddy, give me, the number three, the letter B & W, he use to do high 5 from six months but he stopped doing that.
Submitted by Pennpen on Tue, 14/06/2011 - 23:06.
My lo is 15 months old and his speech is coming on. Some of the words he can say are 'Daddy', 'Dog' and even 'I did that' and 'don't do that' come out every now and again! When he wanted his story the other night he even asked for 'meaow' (the book is about a cat). I am a little sad though as he never says 'Mama' or 'Mummy'. He started to quite a while ago and then just stopped, and I wish he would practice that one word. Even though his Dad keeps on saying it he's just not saying it : ( Has anyone else had this situation or is it just me?
Submitted by emma098 on Tue, 31/05/2011 - 13:11.
my little boy is 16months and he only says mama \nd dada he ummm wen he tries giving you something im worrying im not doing enuff buh im 7weeks pregnant now and he always wants tummy time with me and he cant x
Submitted by danielle2000 on Tue, 24/05/2011 - 18:33.
my little boy is 21 months and he is a bright little button he never walked untill he was 15 months and now he has over 50 words he is also a total book worm. To mums who are worring about their childs development i woundn't because every child is different. I work in childcare and see it every day each child developing at their own pace.
Submitted by Sherriblessed on Mon, 23/05/2011 - 02:54.
My son was walking by 10 months and now at 17 months bables for the entire day!! He understands everything we say to him from 'go and turn on the TV' to 'if you put your toys away, you will have a treat'. He also understands and mimics body language. If he does something we're not happy with and we use a chastising tone to him, he will crumple his forehead and try to engage a debate!! It's really funny to watch and very difficult to maintain a strict posture when it happens. Just as the article notes I sometimes understand what he is saying either by his use of the words he know or by his body language. I even interpret for friends and family just so he won't be frustrated by their lack of understanding him. We've never done baby talk to him, just regular conversational English all the time from the day he was born. My god-daughter who is now 14 months is just about getting to the stage of walking independently and does not have as many words as my son. Children generally do develop at their own pace. As long as we as parents do all we can to support their development, don't worry too much about what they are not doing. Celebrate what they are doing and encourage the potential of what they can be and will be doing in the very near future.
Submitted by pamnshug on Tue, 17/05/2011 - 14:17.
my son is 16 mnths old and can only say dad im starting to worry ive tryed reading and talking to him but he dosent seem interested at all is this normal?
Submitted by princesskaren03 on Wed, 11/05/2011 - 14:02.
i would not worry to all those mums that are. my daughter was 2 before she even said one word. now at nearly 2 and a half you cant shut her up lol, not that i want to. they will speak in there own time and the more pressure there is the more they will clam up. she can say upto 200 words now and has 5 to 6 words sentences at a time. she can count to ten and i can have a proper conversation with her and know exactly what she is saying.
Submitted by Spanster1 on Wed, 09/03/2011 - 21:57.
To all those who may be worrying. As a baby girl I didn't speak for a long, long time. My mum stopped me watching TV as I was talking like Bill and Ben. When I finally said a word (around 2), it was 'Goggie' and I used it for everything for the next couple of months. Now, I probably talk too much but I got O levels, A levels and an MA from Edinburgh Uni so don't worry. My little girl is 9 months; she just laughs when I give her a beaker and chucks it on the floor, she hates tummy time and won't crawl, she can't/won't hold her bottle, doesn't wave or copy any actions from songs. She babbles and shrieks very cheerfully. And can turn the pages of books and lift up flaps. I remind myself that she's not 'read the book' and at 46 I'm very lucky to have her. Hang in there!
Submitted by Mir100 on Sat, 05/03/2011 - 19:35.
Dear Welsh mum (or dad!) I've heard bi-lingual kids can have slower speech, too but I think it really depends on the child. We're bringing our son up as a Gaelic/English speaker and so far he's way ahead of his friends. He's 16 months and has about 15 words, including 2 x 2 word phrases (wazz-dat and Tash-cat (our cat)) and 2 obvious Gaelic words (deisel for finished and bainne for milk). The only thing I've noticed with older kids at the Gaelic playgroup is that they seem not to say so much to the English speakers because they suss pretty quickly that they can't be understood and, as yet, haven't become confident in English. Good luck with it - what a benefit your son will have in the long run!
Submitted by vtjbbpcww on Mon, 28/02/2011 - 23:30.
my little boy is 14 months and seems very bright for his age. My partner and I are bringing him up bilingually (Welsh and English) and heard that it will make him slower in speech, I was wondering if any of you are bringing up your child the same way and if the rumours are true?
Submitted by bobs2010 on Tue, 15/02/2011 - 15:59.
my boy was 1 in january, he can say biscuit, bottle mum and dad, he talks alot but i dont really understand lol, but if i dont know what he wants or he knows i dont understand he will point or show me what he needs, he has started to point to the bedroom where i change his bum when he has a dirty nappy and he says bed when he is tired. if he has had enough of his milk but is thirsty he will bring me his cup and say bottle so i know to change the milk for juice. i find it amazing really and am so glad to be part of this transition i find it amazing to see him develop and change throughout his life and get so excited about it when he finally learns something new. i hope everyone does and is having fun with their children as much as i am having fun with mine
Submitted by SandraD1973 on Sat, 22/01/2011 - 20:55.
This is to luckymummy83, I know what your going through. My Son is now 3 and his speech is very limited for his age. He cannot put a sentence together and can only manage 2 words at a time like 'Blue Car' or 'Red Bus'. Potty training has been a nightmare too, and I cant get him out of Nappies! He mixes with other children at preschool and we have always done reading and singing with him. He understands so much, but because of his speech he tends too play on his own and not with the other childern. It is very disheartening when I pick him up from preschool and he cant tell me what he did that day! Everyone keeps telling me not too worry and that Boys are a lot slower at this age, but you can't help comparing them to other children their own age. He is having Speech Therapy and is getting there very slowly, but all you can do is be very patient and help them along as best you can. Each child is differant and as long as he knows that you love him with plenty of cuddles, thats all that matters.
Submitted by katiepopsuk on Tue, 18/01/2011 - 22:09.
Just wanted to say to the girl who is worrying about her little boy being clingy - dont worry! He loves you - you are the centre of his world and loving him back will not make him weak or clingy when he's older - it will just make him stronger and more confident. If you try to 'break' him of it now he will wonder what he's done wrong. This time of his life will pass so much more quickly for you than you can believe - drink it in and remember it. Maybe it's easier for me to be patient because I'm quite an older mum but you too will find time passing more quickly (!)and it would be a shame to miss stuff now because people are telling you to 'be strong' with him when it doesn't feel right. Follow your gut instinct - this time is for loving him and making him feel secure - the results of that are for ever. Good luck and always take a deep breath!
Submitted by luckymummy83 on Wed, 12/01/2011 - 22:26.
my son has just turned 2, he is such a character and understands most things we ask and will carry out tasks when we ask i.e 'it's bedtime can you put your toys away' etc and he does it. However he's been very slow with his speech, he can only say a handfull of words and the rest is babble. I was feeling down a few months back as a friend of mine has a son the same age as mine and he's counting up to 10, talking in sentences etc, i kept asking myself what are we doing wrong? My partner and i always talk to him and play games, sing nursery rhymes together and read lots of books which my son loves. But our son is very bright, he knows his colours and most of his shapes, he also knows what numbers 1 to 10 look like and will point to the right one every time when we ask him. He's just started trying to count, although the words aren't very clear we know what he's saying and we give him lots of praise for doing it. Obviously as he's a 2 year old he enjoys watching TV but we make sure it's programmes he can learn from, his favourite is The Wiggles, which is fine but is getting very annoying now especially as he wants to watch them everyday lol
Submitted by kayley290 on Sat, 11/12/2010 - 08:15.
when i had my first little boy he rolled, sat, crawled and walked really quickly, when he turned one he suddenly became very clingy with his dad and wouldnt let me pick him up anything, this lasted about four months then one day just after i found out i was pregnant he wouldnt leave my side and he stayed like that until about a week after his brother was born then he deceided to go and do his own thing again. hes now two and a half and he understands every word we say and says quite alot of his own but he still has his dummy so there not very clear but i know what hes saying and for now thats ok. my second son was born with club foot and had to wear a pot for three month then have an operation and now he needs to wear boots attached to a bar until hes five. but since he was four weeks old he hasnt stopped smiling and for the past month he hasnt stopped shouting, he must love the sound of his own voice lol. so even though he cant roll over or sit yet hes extra developed in his talking or shouting lol.
Submitted by kyliemv on Thu, 09/12/2010 - 15:05.
Hello shaz0602, I am 40 and my little one is 12 months and I don't really know what i'm doing half the time! I just wanted to say that you are obviously doing a lot right simply by being on the site and asking for help. I know how exhausting it can be when they are so clingy but i am always told that they go through phases and will grow out of everything eventually. People are split re tv but i'd suggest hiding the remote or unplugging it. after a day or two of 'meltdown' he will find something else to do. i go to local playgroups and the library to get her used to being with others and not just me. so she can bond with her dad, i leave the house for a bit so that she can't see me and cry and then it gives me a break too. hang in there, you are doing great, this will pass!
Submitted by shaz0602 on Tue, 07/12/2010 - 14:42.
my little boy is 16 months and can only say 2 or 3 words. i talk to him all the time and try reading books but hes not interested. he always watches tv and iv started turning it off after 20 mins to half an hour and get some toys out to play but he just turns the tv on or screams. hes so clingy that i cant even go to the loo on my own lol. he wont even stay with his dad for a second or any1 else for that matter. iv been told by a few mothers just to walk away and let him cry and iv tried but its not working. does any1 have any tips ? im 19 and dont really have a clue wot to do. x
Submitted by bluemary on Tue, 26/10/2010 - 22:27.
I dont think this speech in stages works at all for any child. I also think the same goes for moving etc. My first daughter with hypermobility, clapped at 6mths, crawled at 15mths and walked at 21 mths. She is just about to turn 3yrs and talks as if she is in reception class (her verbal skills are very un-nerving!!). My son, crawled at 9mths, clapped at 12mths and is cruising nicely has not said a word. He makes loads of funny sounds, but nothing remotely like a word. I am told that clapping has a lot to do with speech as when they clap it signifies that the speech part of the brain can work. I am also told that children do one of the other, ie move or talk. I personally believe that kids are determined or lazy or both, but ultimately just kids and do what they want when they want. Everything they have to learn would not be mastered by most of the adults I know, so I think it would be nice not to put too much pressure on our kids too early on in their lives!!
Submitted by memedoos on Wed, 13/10/2010 - 22:54.
we taught our daughter now 2 early on to say "help" She tends to get angry if she cant do some thing and would shout so now instead of throwing a trantrum shes says "help Please" very cute and makes my life alot easier!
Submitted by rotherbird on Tue, 05/10/2010 - 22:29.
Learning to control a mouth, tongue, larynx and lungs in order to talk must be a mammoth task, but I'm sure my 9 month old understands a bit of what's said to her. If something is good it's 'dada' (typical), if she's upset it's "mama". Grandad is "Gadada" and Nannan is "Nanana" She also calls anything furry with 4 legs "cat" but it's a start! She comes when asked and definitely has an awareness of being told off- usually for trying to chew visitors' handbag straps. It doesn't matter how quick they speak, they do understand and the more you talk, the more they can watch your mouth and try it themselves. My baby often tries to copy the sounds we make, especially if we overemphasize the shape of our mouths.
Submitted by moniepie on Sat, 02/10/2010 - 21:19.
my little boy jake is 2 years old, he understands everything my parter and I say, he is developing everyday with his speech very opionionated saying yes and no and mine, book and a lot of his own speech. He likes to boss our dog about telling dermot to get down or sit so funny and a pleasure to be with. We are going through the smacking stage sitting on the naughtey step quite often and does work. I have been reading to jake since he was 6 months old and we read quite often in the afternoon when I have finished work and at bedtime. Jake likes to run around a lot.
Submitted by HilsJP on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 18:24.
Hi. My little girl is 16 months old and has babbled for a long time. We keep thinking she's said a word & then never says it again!! Given up on my HV as she's not got children herself and quotes "my books" all the time. I've come to the conclusion that all children are different & learn at different paces. As long as my little girl is happy and healthy, and I can understand from her actions what it is she wants/needs, I'm not worried about her not forming any words yet...x
Submitted by Twinminator on Tue, 31/08/2010 - 18:36.
My twins are 18 months old and don't have ANY distinguishable words at all. One will babble in fluent swahili but the other twin's only "sound" that resembles a word is "diddldiddldiddle", or nothing at all.... not good according to all the reading I've done!
Submitted by titch76 on Mon, 26/07/2010 - 13:55.
Hiya, have just read the comments below and wanted to post something that I thought you mums might find helpful. my son has just turned one and babbles quite a bit, he says a few words like mama, dada, and ball, and understands what you're saying to him and can follow instructions like "get the ball, where's daddy, where's the pussycat, etc". he's been a babbler for a while now but wasn't really one for crawling and sitting. I've read a few books and spoke to quite a few mums re: baby development, moving and talking. Babies who tend to crawl and walk early tend to be the babies that talk a bit later than other and vice versa. When my little 'un was a few months younger I started sitting with him for half an hour a day - just me and him with no distractions (so no TV, radio etc) and I properly engaged with him 1-to-1. spoke clearly about we were doing, what he was playing with, what things were and what colour/shape they were, for instance, and he has come on leaps and bounds. He concentrates much better, is better at entertaining himself and doesn't have a short attention span. This has also paid off with him trying to say words as he is trying and you can understand him to some extent. I guess it all comes at their own pace though. With this in mind, I had a nephew who wouldn't speak to anyone or say anything until he was 3. He was the quietist toddler ever. However, all of a sudden, when he turned 3, he started talking and that was it, he could talk the hind legs off a donkey and still does (he's now 13). I just kind of think that all babies are different and develop at different rates, some crawl/walk earlier than others, some feed themsleves earlier than other, pick things up, put things together, and some talk sooner others, it's all part of their development. There's so many things that babies continue to learn day in day out, it's amazing just how well they do. If you are really worried about your little one's talking I'd recommend speaking to your health visitor about it to see what they say/recommend - in the menatime, enjoy evrything that your little one is already doing and give them plenty of praise - they are just fantasic little beings xx
Submitted by tanyafern on Wed, 25/08/2010 - 19:22.
Hi I thought that if a baby walks, carwls etc early , speaking would be developed late. However my son who just turned 9 months proved me wrong. He sat up on his own at 4 months, clapped his hand at 4 months, waved bye bye at 5 months, crawled at 7 months and says mama, dada, baba when looking at his 2 year old sister. He says cat when he sees any cat and says nana when he sees his nanny. He also gets on his two feet and walks round furniture and when i call him he crawls to me.