https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:29:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-1300291 Wed, 25 Dec 2013 00:29:09 +0000 mrbee 1300291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: How is your LO talking these days? Would love to hear an update! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-612847 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:08:07 +0000 Freckles 612847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: i posted something similar a little while ago. My LO is 11 months next week and only says umma/mama and maybe says ba. She never babbled like other babies and is very quiet. I think babies decide on their own what words they want to start saying. DH will always say "baba" when she says "umma" to him but she hasn't caught on yet. :) </p> <p>Do you gesture when you ask him to come to you? We do it too, but ours never does. Well, she starts to then she gets distracted by something and wanders off. I used to be worried but she does things that shows she understands what we are saying...which is more important than the verbal part. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-611083 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:36:11 +0000 Mrs. Twine 611083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you are worried, get him evaluated. I had a late talker (my first) who turned out more than fine, but it didn't diminish my worry in the interim. Having her checked out made me feel better and a *little* more content to just let her learn at her own pace. By age three she was correctly using words like "languish" in a sentence. I am guessing he is positively normal, and has just been working on other skills, but I think (mostly for your own peace of mind) an evaluation would be a good idea. At the least, they will probably have some great ideas of things you could do with him to encourage language acquisition. One of the biggest is to just be responsive to his verbalizations; when he makes sounds and seems interested in something, name it for him. Basically treat him as though he has language. Maybe he looks at a ball and says, "eh." Then you could say, "yes! That's a ball. See? It's blue." Or something along those lines. It'll come. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-611030 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:20:45 +0000 Mrs. Bee 611030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: i wouldn't worry yet. try naming everything you talk about so he learns to associate words with objects. he is very young and i know lots of kids who had no words at 18 months. reading/flash cards also help a lot. maybe even try wearing bright lipstick so he looks at your mouth when you talk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-611013 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:15:09 +0000 irene 611013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anbanan15: I haven't tried asking him to "point to ____".... I will try tonight but I doubt he understands.</p> <p>@Mrs. Jacks: OK now I am worried.</p> <p>@Mrs. Bee: He *sort of* respond to his name, not really. But that's understandable because I call him a bunch of names (Chinese name and Chinese nick names) and at school they call him his English name. Well. that's my excuse. Yes he points, and he looks if I point at something. And he babbles as if he's speaking a foreign language. Just he has yet to mimick us to say something that we say.... I tried repeating something to him over and over and over (eg. we went to the aquarium last weekend and we repeatedly say "fish" (in Chinese) and point at the fishes), but he never had the interest to mimic and say that word. </p> <p>@sarac: I am crossing my fingers and hope you are right... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-606044 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:59:58 +0000 sarac 606044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My very verbally advanced daughter just started really understand questions in the past few months. So, 14 months. And she is way ahead of the curve in that aspect. I don't think your child is behind at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-606025 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:56:06 +0000 Mrs. Bee 606025@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>does he respond to his name? does he point? does he look when you point at something? when he babbles, is he making indistinct sounds or is it consonants like lalala bababa dadada? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-606018 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:53:21 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 606018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One word by 12 months is standard. If your baby isn't meeting this threshold, I'd personally push for evaluation, although as a pediatrician I usually give families a couple months leeway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605925 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:31:26 +0000 anbanan15 605925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: I'm glad you said something and it is on their records. Your LO's 15 month is still 2 months away and a lot can happen in that time! If you still don't think much improvement has occurred then I would definitely bring it up again. </p> <p>Do you think he really doesn't understand (like when you say point to ___ etc) or do you think he chooses not to do the action? I know my LO understood me, he just is stubborn and decided not to do what I was asking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605651 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:01:48 +0000 irene 605651@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlek: speech yes, but the ability to understand too?<br /> I dunno.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605648 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:56 +0000 littlek 605648@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am no expert, but I have heard speach is sometimes delayed with bilingual children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605643 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:59:41 +0000 irene 605643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anbanan15: Thanks.... I did voice my concern at our 12 month appointment but our ped wasn't concerned. She just said we are bilingual and that could be the reason... and by 15 months LO should have his first few words and/or understand us? I don't quite remember. I guess we'll see.....</p> <p>Just thought I'd see if we are really the odd one.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605132 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:07:18 +0000 anbanan15 605132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you are concerned then I would mention it the pedi at the next appointment just for piece of mind. </p> <p>A friends LO wasn't making much noise at 12 months (including babbling) and she voiced her concerns to the pedi. They set a goal for her at the next appointment (15 months) and if she wasn't meeting it they said they could have her evaluated for early intervention. She didn't and and the evaluation....she actually understood more than my friend realized an barely qualified for EI. She has only had two sessions so far so I'm not sure how much it is helping, but my friend feels so much better about speaking up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/understanding-language#post-605104 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:00:51 +0000 irene 605104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a preliminary whining post.</p> <p>LO is 13 months. We have several friends who has the same age babies, and most of them are starting to understand people when they talk, give instructions...etc. My friend said when grandma asks "where are the cars?" Her 12 month old would point outside.</p> <p>However, mine doesn't seem to be understanding us yet when we talk to him verbally... When we ask him to come over, he never really comes over. The reaction is very unclear. He just wanders around as if he didn't hear us.</p> <p>Also, although he babbles a lot as if he's talking, I seriously don't think he has his first words yet. It *could be* "this?" "that?" as he'd say that when he points as stuff. But then again, I am not positive.</p> <p>We are bilingual, but I can't keep blaming this because my friend speaks 3 languages at home, and her baby understands where the "car" is (in her husband's parents' native language) and would respond to that.</p> <p>Should I be worried? </p>