https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 27 May 2026 17:52:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2239207 Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:27:49 +0000 hellobeeboston 2239207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@iluvboba637: @MCD919: these books have been GREAT for my son learning words!! He loved the 100 Trucks book forever and has branched into the others. Before he was talking a lot we asked him to point to all of the different things which he did, then he could start saying them all. </p> <p>Also - my son didn't have many words at 18 months at all, we got him evaluated recently and he tested fine, and then at 2.5 he started talking a TON and in sentences all of a sudden. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2239196 Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:22:00 +0000 ShootingStar 2239196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: One thing that helps if they point and whine is to narrate. So I'll say something like, "What do you want? Do you want the ball? Okay, here's the ball. Do you like the ball?" and so on. We had to consciously start doing that because all we heard from DS was "that". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2239177 Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:08:01 +0000 JoJoGirl 2239177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: So this is a little removed, but my little brother was taken for evaluation at 2 yrs 9 months because he had about 10 words. This was 30 years ago, way before EI or the level of concern we have now. My parents forged ahead and kept him in public school (non-special ed) - and he just graduated with his PhD from an Ivy League school and works for Google. Soo that's a success story in my book ;) </p> <p>Does your LO get exposure to a second language? Some kids take longer to process 2 languages at the same time... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2239155 Fri, 17 Jul 2015 09:44:50 +0000 birdofafeather 2239155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: i was worried about DD's speech at 18 months and planning on talking to her ped (talked to them at 12 and 15 months, but they weren't worried and said that there is a language explosion between 1.5-2.5 years). her appt was pushed back a month to 19 months and in that month she went from maybe 5-10 words to over 30. it was crazy. and it's just taken off! i kept talking to her about everything and narrating my day, having her try to repeat, etc. i don't think it's bad to talk to your ped and see what they say, but since i saw first hand the explosion they were talking about, next go around, i'll try to relax more unless i see other warning signs! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238931 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 21:36:29 +0000 iluvboba637 2238931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: I actually didn't know about them either until our pedi suggested them since I expressed my concern of his lack of words with her early on ~12 months. here are the ones we have. I know I went a bit overboard but Im a teacher and we have books galore!!! Luckily I think my ds is a bookworm. :wink: I think they'll really help your LO too. I really love that they were real life pictures and not drawings/cartoonish. </p> [attach=5080/15/nrm1wt.600x450.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238926 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 21:26:56 +0000 MCD919 2238926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@iluvboba637: I haven't heard of the first 100 words books... I'll have to look into those!</p> <p>Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.. it's helping my anxiety leading up to this 18 mo appointment! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238899 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 21:06:07 +0000 Trailmix 2238899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At 18 months, my son had 3-4 words, two of which were 'moo' and 'bah' so yours is ahead of where mine was at that point. Our pediatrician was not super concerned but if in another few months he didn't improve, to let her know and we'd do an evaluation. Never needed it, now at 25 months he has plenty of words and is totally caught up! I wouldn't stress it, I bet your LO does similarly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238882 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 20:40:13 +0000 iluvboba637 2238882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: yeah I'm the same way. :bummed: and I agree with @Tanjowen: our pedi is the same. She said 3 words including mama and dada! And she doesn't suggest or worry about speech evaluations until 2. She's said it ranges so widely. I, however, am in the boat that thinks it doesn't hurt to get evaluated earlier though. </p> <p>I bought a bunch of the first 100 words books and we practiced them a lot everyday. I think it helped so much and once he did start talking his words were pretty clear (like real words, not made up words) except for a few like bahbees for strawberries. LOL. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238867 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 20:13:08 +0000 Tanjowen 2238867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For what it's worth, my LO had his 18 month appointment today (but he's almost 19 months) and his pediatrician only asked if he had 3 words and understood most of what we told him. He said he doesn't bother with testing or referrals until age 2, especially for babies not in daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238853 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 20:05:25 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2238853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i have several friends whose kids had no words at 18 months, but they could understand a lot. now they are normal, even gifted.</p> <p>with olive, her receptive language was so poor even though she did have words at 18 months. no regrets about pursuing early intervention. it was just a gut feeling. </p> <p>my friends with kids with no words at 18 months didn't pursue early intervention. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238842 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:51:01 +0000 MCD919 2238842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@iluvboba637: that's a good point about being so responsive. I pretty much respond to his every need and know what he wants when he whines/ points.. I've tried to hold out and get him to request what he wants, but then it turns into a battle and I don't want that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238799 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:48:27 +0000 MrsRcCar 2238799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both of my boys have/had limited speech around 18 months. N is 33 months. He is in speech therapy once a week. His speech didn't start until he was older then two because they were hoping he would have a language explosion. It never came. He LOVES his speech therapist. I would advocate for EI services now. The extra help won't hurt! </p> <p>E will be 18 months next month and says: Mama, UP, hot, dada. He does babble a lot of other things. He is globally delayed but he was a preemie. </p> <p>Your LO will catch up! You are doing a great job!!! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238791 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:38:31 +0000 iluvboba637 2238791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with everyone else about language exploding at 2. I also got my son tested around that age but he didn't qualify. I think ~20 months he had close to 100 words. Then close to ~2 he had close to 200 words and now at 28 months he's makes 4-5 word sentences. It doesn't hurt to get tested though but your LO might just be a late talker like my DS. My ds said mama then stopped saying it for months when I was home for summer break, sure enough when I went back to work he started saying it. It was kind of like well why do I need to call her, she's always here. LOL. Our pedi also mentioned that kids with very responsive (I can't think of the exact word she used) parents talk later because they're already getting everything they want. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238782 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:24:02 +0000 pinkb 2238782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: You are doing everything right! My DD only had Mama and Dada at 18 months. I am sure your Dr will talk to you but we went ahead and got her evaluated at 17 months because I was worried. She had amazing receptive language, just lacked expressive. And her frustration level was so over the top. She would bite herself because she could not communicate her needs. She would not try to repeat any words or signs.<br /> DD ended up in speech therapy for 1 year. Up until about a month ago I was still very concerned because she still had less than 30 words/signs. But in the last month she has really stated to pick up words! It is so exciting and I felt like we would never get here. I still think she is going to need more therapy to deal with pronunciation, our speech therapist advised us of this as well. But it is such a relief to hear her finally trying to say stuff instead of just babble or be quite. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238772 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 18:04:07 +0000 wonderstruck 2238772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My guess is that they'll want to do an early intervention evaluation, and hell probably qualify for some in-home help. Your county might even have some playgroups or something that they recommend, because getting him out and around other little ones is definitely helpful. My 2 year old started getting EI help around that age, and it's really not a big deal. At that age they typically won't do real speech therapy (unless it was an extreme thing where he just wasn't making sounds at all.) At first they said at age 2 they would start speech therapy if he hadn't improved, now they're saying it's been pushed back even further plus he is showing some improvement, so they're waiting until 2 1/2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238769 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 17:57:54 +0000 Ginabean3 2238769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: my DD was super slow at talking and we started speech therapy at 20 months (I think!). She got evaluated because she was a preemie (30 weeker) so her ped was super proactive about stuff like that. Well she is now almost 29 months and her language has EXPLODED. it literally happened when she turned two. So many words, sentences, she even makes up her own songs! Her therapist said there's really no way if knowing if it was the therapy that helped or just natural development. I say go with your gut.....but know that he might really surprise you when he turns two! :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238721 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:22:44 +0000 hotchildinthecity 2238721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MCD919: I would go ahead and get an EI evaluation. It can only help. </p> <p>My son is delayed in OT, PT and speech but his receptive language is excellent. Speech therapy is really helping </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238720 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:21:34 +0000 looch 2238720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't forget that animal sounds count as words too, so think about those! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238719 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:20:15 +0000 Orchid 2238719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is 17 months and only says Dada, bye, that. We are starting the EI process soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238718 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:16:27 +0000 MCD919 2238718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks, ladies. My gut says everything is ok because I really feel like he's doing fine in the other areas of his development... But there is a nagging feeling about his lack of words that's starting to worry me more and more :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238716 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 16:14:28 +0000 Mama Bird 2238716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was like this at his age too, and "this!" was definitely a favorite word. It was incredibly frustrating hearing nothing but "this?" all day, but he had a language explosion sometime around two and is doing great now. We had an EI evaluation around that time, but before his talking really took off - who knew? He qualified and is still getting speech therapy once a week, but in hindsight he would have been fine without it, he just needed time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238702 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 15:52:30 +0000 MoonMoon 2238702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At 18 months, it's definitely not a huge red flag. Our son was like yours, great receptive language but only a few words, like 1 or 2! He mainly communicated by grunts. We were able to get him evaluated through Early Intervention and he started having speech therapy once a week. It's been amazing! He had a language explosion at 23 months and now at 25 months he's doing so well that he's graduated out of speech therapy! We're actually sad because he loved it so much and was clearly getting something out of it! Ask your pediatrician for an EI referral, it never hurts to get an eval. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238692 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 15:45:55 +0000 Punky 2238692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just had my daughter's 18 month checkup and the questionnaire asked if she could speak 6 words or more. The doctor said words that only I understand count and that at this point only about 10-25% of what a kid says is intelligible. I was worried that my daughter doesn't have many words that others can understand but she said it was fine. Make sure to bring up your concerns, they may refer you for a speech assessment which will give you some good info. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/speech-delay-at-18-months#post-2238688 Thu, 16 Jul 2015 15:42:24 +0000 MCD919 2238688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS will be 18 months in 2 days and I know he's behind in speech. The only words he has are Mama, Dada, This and That. We think he started saying 'Hi Dada" last week, but it sounds more like 'Ahh, Dada!' He babbles up a storm and has what sounds like full-on conversations with you (back and forth babbles). He shakes his head 'no' and has pointed since 9 months. Receptive language is great, and he's able to understand pretty much all of what we say and has followed 1-2 step directions for a few months. </p> <p>I'm really starting to get concerned about the lack of expressive language. Of course I'm wondering if I've done something wrong.. I'm a SAHM right now and I wonder if I should've done or be doing something different. We have his 18 month appointment in a week and I'm getting anxious about what his ped will say. Not sure what I'm looking for here... maybe positive stories, advice, encouragement..? :bummed: </p>