When do you count words as being words? If you count them whenever the same noise is made consistently for the same thing and sounds vaguely similar, then she has lots of words, otherwise she maybe has two? She says mama/dada really clearly, but then "sue" for shoe, "ha" with a fanning motion for hot, "ha" for hat, "guh" for dog, "ki-ki" for kitty (which does sound remarkably like "kitty-kitty"), she says cup, 'poon for spoon, etc. So do I count all these because they are consistent and she only uses them for the right object or not? What about when she calls ducks "quack-quack" and monkeys "aa-aa?"
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Just wondering if anyone has feedback...
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In the beginning the main expectation is that the primary caregivers understand the "words", I can't find a good resource right now but some of the milestone charts will specifically say something to the effect of "by X months 50% of words should be intelligible by strangers", which I take to mean the other 50% sound like gibberish or at least another language to strangers.
I have worked with a lot of toddlers over the years and not one of them starts speaking with perfect clarity
Even at 3 you will still be looking for clarification sometimes. One thing I am not sure about is if animal "sounds" count as words, but this really only matters if you get to the point of needing to work with a speech therapist and they would be able to answer that for you. I hope that helps!
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My son gets speech therapy and we were told to count all of those as words and animal sounds counted too ( up until a certain age). All of those sounds are a normal part Of speech development. My son did the same thing (same sounds for different words) but 6 mths later than average.
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Absolutely. If you can understand it and it is repeated, then it's a word.
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Thank you so much! I had a late talker with my first and doctor and I were both worried, but a doctor I saw with Lowly (not her regular pediatrician) said she didn't have as many words as she wanted to see at 12 months. She was only counting mama/dada as those are the only super-clear ones, and that just didn't seem right to me. Unfortunately all the milestone charts I could find just said how many words and not how clear they needed to be. Darn that doctor for getting me all worried! I thought she was pretty normal, especially after having a genuinely late talker (who turned out just fine) but she seemed pretty concerned...
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@Monkula: I have a late talker too and the speech milestone worries me constantly. I'm constantly worrying about my DD's speech development and she's only 8 months old! Sounds like your DD's speech is developing fine.
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Yes! Those are all words she says in reference to specific things, they are words and you know what they mean
If we defined kids saying words as exactly how we say them then many children wouldn't be saying very basic words until they're ten haha! My little brother couldn't pronounce l's or tr sounds until he was much older. But he was obvious saying words even though he pronounced them a little differently. I guess that's the best way I can think to describe it..
My baby is nearly 13 months and he says "uh uh" for uh oh allllll the time. He doesn't say it like us lol but he knows what he means when he says it
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@Monkula: btw just saw your response to banana and have to say, no discredit to your pedi, but I think the majority of babies aren't saying words by 12 months!! My 18 mos old nephew babbles constantly but doesn't say actual words yet and there is no cause for concern. My 13 mos old days mama and dadda but not intentionally. His only intentional word is uh uh for uh oh and our pedi was not concerned at all. He is a taller, just babbles and squeals and that's the important thing. He also understand a lot of what we say.
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Want me to be brutally honest? Stress about language development is probably the #1 reason I'm done at two kids. It stresses me the heck out. I always worry that I'm not reading enough, or talking enough, or doing it the right way. Which is probably ridiculous, but still. Until she is talking about as well as big sister I will likely continue to be a flaming anxiety ball. But the kind words and encouragement have really helped. I do think she's on track, doctor aside. @Banana; You sound like me! I think having a late talker first can burn you and set you up for some serious anxiety. Why does language have to be so worrisome? @Mrs. Pen; "uh uh" is so cute! Lowly doesn't do that yet, but E. used to say "uh oh" in the cutest voice around 18 mos.
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Agree that it seems like 12 months is placing an awful lot of pressure on you and your family!
My son is 10 months and I doubt he will be even be at that level at 12 months. Currently he says mamamamam and dadadad but I don't think he knows what they mean. And he says "da" when he sees his doggy stuffed animal. That's it.
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@Monkula: I'm in shock that I found another mama that feels the exact same way as I do! Language development has caused me so much anxiety and sleepless nights. I was hoping and praying that my 2nd wouldn't have any language delays. But she's 8 months old and still not babbling. She makes tons of noises but not babbling (mamama or bababa). It seriously worries me to death! Everyone tells me "She's only 8 months old! Don't worry!". But they haven't been through the whole speech delay thing with their kids so they don't always understand. If only she would start babbling and stop making her mama worry to death!
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@banana: It is nice to find someone who understands. I've been worried about Lowly a little, because I'm just a worrier and she wasn't really a babbler either. The worst with her is she is very busy/anti-book, so I don't feel like she hears enough language. I'm probably overthinking, but it just feels that way.
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@Monkula: I'm a worrier too so I think I'm just naturally going to worry if anything doesn't go "by the book". I'm constantly talking and singing songs all day long. It's so exhausting. I hope for the both of us that our LOs start chatting up a storm soon!
Even at 3 you will still be looking for clarification sometimes. One thing I am not sure about is if animal "sounds" count as words, but this really only matters if you get to the point of needing to work with a speech therapist and they would be able to answer that for you. I hope that helps!
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