should i be concerned | ExpatWoman.com
 

should i be concerned

40
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2013 - 09:48

Hello All,

My lil boy of 19 months is mashallah an active toddler. However, he hardly utters a clear word except for "yes", "dad" & "this". He does "talk", however nothing remotely clear or apprehensible.
Should i take him to a speech therapist or is he too young for this?Should I wait till he's atleast 2 and half or so? Family members are telling me not to be concerned and that boys normally start late.
Appreciate your views.

Thanks.

2782
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 16 January 2013 - 16:43
I wouldn't be concerned, he is within the normal range. For peace of mind you could get his hearing tested as that can affect speech but again, I see lots of almost 2 year olds who say very little. Its good to mirror what they are saying, so if he baby-talks to you then yes try and verbalise for him so he can learn the words, encourage pointing, gesture and even baby-sign, and narrate the day to him as you do things "now we are going outside, you are eating banana etc etc. The more speech he hears, the easier to learn. It sounds like you are doing all the right things, no need to panic :)
1381
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 16 January 2013 - 10:48
don't worry chocoholics. children speak at their own pace. one of my cousin who turned 2 this year has finally started speaking and we took her to speech therapist too. he just said that she will start at her own pace.and now we couldn't keep her quiet :)
40
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 January 2013 - 10:22
Thank You All for the re-assurance. Australiajudy, yup he does understand simple instructions and plus we have this huge chart of "baby's first words" with pictures and he touches the correct picture when we say out the words. And yes, he's growing up in a bi-lingual environment, although we speak to him only in English. When my son talks to me in baby talk (lol which makes no sense at all), should I guess and tell him what he's trying to tell me or should i just nod and pretend to understand his story?
391
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 15 January 2013 - 17:42
at 19 mths. not concerned at all. However, can he follow simple instructions like 'get your shoes', 'where is the cat?'. at 19 mths this is more important. Also - is he going to be bi-lingual? children who hear multiple languages (ie. from mum and dad) often speak later but they catch up by the time they are 4 years old or so.
153
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2013 - 15:39
I would have to agree with the other posters, all children are different and the guidelines you read about the milestones they should be achieving are just that, guidelines. My eldest didn't really start talking until after he was 2. Prior to that he had ways of making me understand what he wanted and had a limited vocabulary. Then he started nursery and didn't talk there for a month but at home his vocabulary expanded leaps and bounds. They put it down to new surroundings and told me not to worry. He now doesn't shut up and no one gets a minutes peace! :)
5452
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 15 January 2013 - 10:48
IMHO, no.
943
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EW GURU
Latest post on 15 January 2013 - 10:12
Don't be concerned at all! Children learn to speak when they are ready. As long as you don't have any doubts about his hearing and he responds to you then don't worry. My eldest daughter didn't saay much until after she turned two. My youngest is currently 18 months and she says full sentences. Every child develops differently.
 
 

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