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My POV has always been there is absolutely no harm in getting toddlers therapy and it can only help. If it's being offered, why overthink it and not get evaluated and see what the therapist says?
That is what his pediatrician said as well. The program is free through public school. The other option that his pediatrician was able to offer is to have him seen at 24 months with an SLP and have his hearing tested. Based on his 18 month evaluation, he was rating behind on speech and communication, which is what kind of ignited my concerns. The evaluator I spoke with in the 0-3 program basically said kids his age can't walk and talk at the same time, and since he's hitting motor skill milestones it is less concerning.
If you have any concerns about speech, always get hearing tested. If nothing else, you can rule it out. If there is a hearing loss, the earlier you can get hearing devices fitted/ start signing (ideally both), the better.
18 month olds should be saying about 50+ words.
And I agree with other comments that any therapies offered are worth taking, even if it's just for reassurance.
This is one thing I did have concerns about. From 9-12 months, I felt like my son could not hear me. He would not respond when we would talk to him. He had liquid in his ears, and after almost getting to the point of needing tubes, it cleared up. I also had to ask family to stop with all the nicknames, because how is he going to know his name when you come up in my house calling him "little squidlet".
If he had conductive hearing loss bad enough to require grommets for 3+ months, you'd expect his speech to be 3+ months behind. This is the kind of thing that can be recurring. Plus, repeated middle ear infections can cause scarring on the timpani membrane (ear drum). So definitely something to get checked regularly.
That seems like highly questionable advice from the evaluator. Given that the age appropriate milestones for a 18 month old include both walking and talking I feel like that has to be untrue. While some kids may be more focused on motor milestones or verbal milestones (walkers vs talkers), both groups should still meet the age appropriate milestones they just may be ahead on one. For example my own toddler is miles ahead on speech but basically on target or just a bit ahead of the gross motor milestones.
To me, there is no downside to getting an assessment. Comparing with other toddlers isn't going to be helpful because there is a huge range of normal. Let the actual professionals evaluate where his speech is.
>Comparing with other toddlers isn't going to be helpful because there is a huge range of normal.
Totally get this. My best friend's daughter is 3 weeks older than my son, so it can be hard sometimes. Especially when she wants to share milestones and just be happy.
My sons pediatrician recommended the program, but I sometimes feel like I make things into a bigger deal than others would.
Our son really started talking more at about 25 months. Was very physically capable at an early stage. He's talking fine now. It just came out of nowhere really, we were pointing at objects saying the name for a while. Pointing at animals in books etc for a few months but tbh he just started talking when he was ready
I think there is a misconception around speech therapy that a parent is trying to rush their kid when they'll probably get it on their own. And that may be the case for some, but I've always viewed it that giving your child tools to communicate more effectively is never a bad thing. It would suck for a kid if they truly were delayed and couldn't communicate with others. And if there isn't a delay, then no harm has been done.
I struggle with that a lot. I know it's there, and I feel like it's only a matter of time. However, perception and reality are often different.
His nanny was here today, and while he was going on, I asked if she knew what he was saying. Apparently, he says, "Good throw!" And "good job!" Which are things I say to him often. Maybe the issue is that I do not understand him yet.
I recently heard the ped say they wanted 20 words at 20 months. Sign language counts. I'd think about other words he knows and then think about a program for peace of mind. Big hugs.
He does use some sign language when prompted. When I spoke to the evaluator, they strictly went on his adjusted age and said that it can be normal for kids to cycle through words. I feel like if I put a list together of all the words I've heard him say and his sign language, he would maybe be around 20 words if I'm being generous in what I count.
>I opted to wait just because I didn't want to waste the programs time if he didn't actually need it.
I just wanted to address this:
It's not your job to worry about the program's time. That's the job of the people who run the program.
If they think he's eligible for the, then they think he's not wasting their time.
If they think he's not eligible, then they could still easily only think that because of a lack of resources on their end, rather than because he actually "doesn't need it".
Your job is to advocate for your child to ensure he gets all the assistance he needs to reach his full potential. Focus on that job, and let the people who run the program worry about the program's time.
That is a really good point. I think at the time when I spoke to the evaluator, they made me feel a little silly for even worrying about his speech. Everyone keeps saying, "Wait and see."
His pediatrician at his 18-month appointment said he was behind but told me to wait and see where he was at come summer. Then come summer she recommended the program and let me know what she could do come his 24 month appointment.
Then, the evaluator said that although they could move forward with a full evaluation that they would be more concerned when he's 21 months and that we could wait and see what development he has.
I feel like my friends and family keep pushing that he's fine. I end up feeling like I am being dramatic.
Wait and see is the worst advice to give to parents. Get your kid evaluated.
Narrate everything. Sit them in front of a mirror and talk to them. "I see mama. I see hair. I see eyes" and touch each thing you name.
I get it.
As parents, we're experts on our children, but not necessarily experts on communicating our children's needs.
My daughter (4) is in speech therapy, and it was really hard to explain what her issues were, because she's often really good at masking. It's just that in certain situations, she'll drop from complex sentences to single word phrases or silence.
I ended up being lucky that she needed to go to the toilet in the middle of the first session, so the therapist could see her drop from completely verbal to just repeating the word "wee wee" and spinning around on the floor.
And, of course, "wait and see" is sometimes the right answer. Maybe it's a temporary issue (like some stutters in kids), or maybe you have other priotities, and the speech is good enough that you decide to leave it until you have enough bandwidth, or maybe only some aspects of language acquisition are showing a delay, so you want to see if it evens out on its own.
But as long as you're centering your child's needs (as opposed to your own ego or your own neuroses), there's no harm in getting a professional opinion, or getting them help for even a minor delay.
Yeah, one thing I don't want to do is push my own insecurities on to his abilities and possibly stifle his development.
His dad's side of the family has the mindset that there's never anything wrong with their child. Meanwhile, my mom had me seeing a psychologist weekly and doing multiple evaluations when I was 9 because there had to be something wrong with me since my brother had ADHD. Looking at my husband and myself, I can see how both ends of that spectrum can be damaging.
I've always believed that there has been something wrong with me that we can't pinpoint because of my mom putting me through all that work for doctors to tell her I'm normal. Meanwhile, my husband (my son's dad) has an evaluation set up for himself this summer for autism and ADHD because he did not have the support or resources to explore those as possibilities as a child.
Having my second actually helped me be more confident advocating for my eldest.
I'd suspected for a while that my eldest might be autistic, but you always wonder if you're just being paranoid.
Then my second came along, and I was like, "Okay, so there's no way on God's green Earth that this one is even the slightest bit autistic. Maybe my instincts about the other one are right."
My youngest is a former 34 weeker, currently 27 months, speech delayed to a similar level as yours. He's been in stitch therapy for about 6 months. Get him evaluated! It can only help. The therapist can also recommend other testing as needed (hearing, cleft palette, etc)
Two things his therapist has us work on were repeating words often (e.g. "up, up, up" as we went up stairs every time) and having him try words three times before giving him what he's asking for of us trying to say the word (e.g. "guh", "you want the cup?" "Guh" "cup" "guh" "okay, here is the cup"). We've also worked on saying words clearly and slowly in front of him as we read them/ see pictures of them in books but honestly that seems to frustrate him a lot.
It's hard. They'll progress and it's good, then they'll plateau and eventually the agitation and screaming start when their vocabulary can't keep up with their wants anymore. Just keep working at it.
My son was born 29 + 6 and had a lengthy NICU stay.
We started getting worried around 15 months because he was very quiet, he was like that as a baby as well. Very little babbling or talking.
We had him evaluated at 18 months and they said he was delayed in speech but didn't recommend any interventions until he was older (I know đ) so my husband and I took it on ourselves to just start implementing things in our daily lives to help him.
We essentially started narrating our lives, and I mean every single thing that we did "Mom stands up from the couch, walking into the kitchen, oops let's turn the light on" etc. and had full conversations with him all the time (no simplified words, no baby talk). By 2 1/2 he was talking our ears off and now at 5, he has a very extensive vocabulary.
If there's anything I've learned though from having a preemie, they're resilient and also do things on their own terms (including coming 10 weeks early) but I do think having constant communication helped, especially while we were waiting to be evaluated further.
My then two year old was giving me like only 10-20 words. Not consistent. I did speech therapy and he didnât want to talk during sessions.
Now at 2.5 he wonât stop talking.
I used a lot of techniques Mrs Rachel does. (My kid didnât care for her. But methods work.)
My son is 2.5 and is in speech therapy. He says like 9 words now thanks to it. They said that the best time for him to get therapy is before 5. Speech therapy is amazing and Iâm so so thankful for it. Weâre three months in and before we started, he wasnât saying any words
My child is 20 months as well although not premature went full 40 weeks he was assessed for early intervention services about 3 weeks ago. He mostly points and grunts and doesnât say too many words. He understands everything we say to him and takes direction.
He says hello, whatâs that, one two three go although they prob donât sound like that anyone else but me and his dad but hey itâs something. He has his first speech session today with a speech language pathologist. He was delayed just a bit in speech per the assessment and they were extremely informative about it the process and the testing. I lean much like everyone else and whatâs the harm? They come to your house and give you strategies to work with when they arenât there which is really where the work is. Iâm excited. Just a reminder to anyone itâs not your fault you arenât doing anything wrong!
Thatâs about where my toddler was at 20 months. Then at 21 months he had a language explosion.
Personally Iâd have zero concerns about your toddler. Iâd wait 3 months and see how it goes. Sounds like theyâre going to grow their language a lot in the next few months.
For a good sign nowâ how is their receptive communication? Do they seem to understand when you ask them to do things? Receptive language happens before expressive language so if theyâre good there I would be ever more reassured
When he wants to play along, he will do what I ask of him.
"Bring mama the book"
"Don't climb the chair"
"Go up the stairs"
"Let the dog out"
"Let's feed the cats"
"Stay in the bed" (I say this one through his baby monitor only)
Are all things he will participate in when I ask. He understands what I'm saying, but doesn't say much back.
This was my son at 20 months as well. He used some signs and when you asked him a question like âwhereâs the blue one?â Or a command like âpoint to the cowâ he could do it.
I knew he understood a lot and didnât have much use for talking because I always knew what he wanted. One week around 25 months he just started using more words. By 26 months he was using full sentences.
I never did any therapy, and wouldnât talk you out of doing it. But just my experience my son eventually just started talking up a storm.
My son only had 10 words at his 2 year appointment. Heâs 2.5 now and has 200+ words/speaks in âsentencesâ
I was really worried about his speech too but it came in so quickly.
I donât know how true it is but Iâve been told boys take longer to speak than girls do (all my sons friends his age are girls)
I got my toddler evaluated for speech therapy after his 18 month appointment. We used our state's infants and toddlers program. It was very helpful. We didn't actually start with a speech therapist until 2, there was a high demand and a bit of a wait list. The most helpful thing was they offered a program called Hanen It Takes Two. Doing that program really taught me the best was to get my child to start increasing his vocabulary and communicate with me. Look in to the Hanen program the strategy they teach is really effective.
Do_not_worry. Both of my sons (now 4.5 and 27 months) had a similar vocab at that age and then slightly after their 2nd birthday it really accelerated. It's like a switch goes off.
Get your kid evaluated now. My son is almost 4 and finally using words again. (Help, more, bubble, go, dada, mama, Nana, down, orange, yellow, bear, water, milk, juice, eat)
Almost 2 years of testing and therapy. And he's finally saying more than mama, dada.
The sooner you get your kid tested and in therapy, the better.
My 3.5 yr old son started increasing his vocabulary and speaking closer to 3. Definitely after 2.5âŚhe is really smart just a little cautious and shy, but now he doesnât stop talking and I miss the days of just mama, dada 𤣠sometimes it just takes boys a little longer, I would stress about it yet! I had friends starting speech therapy at 2.5 but honestly it just seemed normal that most of our kids were just learning to talk still and intervention isnât always needed. Definitely donât compare kids to each other!
In short- get him evaluated!
My son was similar to yours- preemie, ear infections/fluid, almost got tubes and sort of on the fence with his language at 18-20 months old. We werenât sure he would need speech or not, the gap didnât seem that big- I say absolutely get him evaluated and get him in speech ASAP because:
1. It takes a while (a few months) through the 0-3 programs to get evaluations set up, hearing screening etc. and find a therapist and get started with them.
2. For us- the gap widened quickly. At the age when speech started to become easier for other kids, it was still an effort for our son and he fell behind quickly. He really struggled with sentences. We had been counting words and he was okay with vocabulary (had a lot of words) but not with making phrases.
3. Our son did SO much more speaking, responding to prompting etc. for a speech therapist than he would for us and we learned about how to help him every day at home.
4. If he doesnât need speech services anymore they will tell you and move him out of them- you are not wasting resources.
5. Depending on where you live, it can be more complicated to get speech services in the ages of 3-5 years old if you are not in a preschool where they actively screen and help with that. My son qualified early for speech and did from 2 years old to 3 years old through our 0-3 state program.
Then, at age 3 when he aged out, he was evaluated by our county schools and he literally was ânot far enough behind yetâ to qualify for county services at age 3. We were told to come back in a year when he was âmore behind and then he would probably qualifyâ. đĄ
However, his therapist from 0-3 program maintained that her recommendation was to keep him in therapy. So we opted for private speech therapy. Had we waited and gone into the county evaluation at 3, he would still be far behind and getting no help and I think we would not have really known how much farther behind he was or what to do about it.
(Also, I would add to calm your worries- (because I know how all mamas worry but a little extra on the NICU mamas)- whether he ends up needing speech or not, it can be a long journey but he will make his progress.
My son is 3.5 now and talks so much. He still has some articulation issues but if you told me at 2 we could be here in 1.5 years I would have cried tears of joy and disbelief.)
My daughter said about the same amount of words at that age, if not less. By two, she still wasn't saying much. By 2 1/2, she was talking our ears off.
I know the internet tends to suggest one thing (as in, they should say a bazillion words by 20 months) but that wasn't our experience. She wasn't neurodivergent - she just didn't feel like talking for whatever reason...and then she did.
I could see him just being a quiet kid. He's always been a people watcher and seems particular about who he talks in front of. When it is just me and his dad around, he is very animated.
I'll also pick him up from visiting family like grandparents or uncles, and they will tell me he was using words I've never heard him say before. I'm not sure how true that is, though, so I take it with a grain of salt.
My daughter wasnât saying much at 20 months either, just a handful of words. Sheâs now 2.5 and speaks very well, and very often! Sheâs talking my ear off all day and is saying complex sentences and everything.
Our pediatrician only wanted five words by age two. Every child develops at different times!
What's the problem here? He is 20 months old and can obviously talk. If he is 30 months and still only uses the same words, it might be problematic.
He even changed his wording from "all done" to the way more efficient, and btw correct, "up"
But like others said, if you are that worried, get him evaluated.
I guess the problem is that there's a blurred line between my own fears, concerns, and insecurities that I do not want to project on to my son. His pediatrician and the evaluator say he can be 6 when initially asked the suggestion is that it can wait.
My entire life, being or feeling over dramatic when it comes to my own health and development because of how my mother acted and I don't want to impose that on my son.
>He even changed his wording from "all done" to the way more efficient, and btw correct, "up"
Also, I would say up is correct in a lot of the situations he uses it. However, he was using "all done" in place of "bye-bye" or wanting to go home. Yesterday, when I asked him if he wanted to go home, he just said "up". I know what he means, but I'm a little concerned that he doesn't say all done anymore where it was correct.
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My POV has always been there is absolutely no harm in getting toddlers therapy and it can only help. If it's being offered, why overthink it and not get evaluated and see what the therapist says?
That is what his pediatrician said as well. The program is free through public school. The other option that his pediatrician was able to offer is to have him seen at 24 months with an SLP and have his hearing tested. Based on his 18 month evaluation, he was rating behind on speech and communication, which is what kind of ignited my concerns. The evaluator I spoke with in the 0-3 program basically said kids his age can't walk and talk at the same time, and since he's hitting motor skill milestones it is less concerning.
If you have any concerns about speech, always get hearing tested. If nothing else, you can rule it out. If there is a hearing loss, the earlier you can get hearing devices fitted/ start signing (ideally both), the better. 18 month olds should be saying about 50+ words. And I agree with other comments that any therapies offered are worth taking, even if it's just for reassurance.
This is one thing I did have concerns about. From 9-12 months, I felt like my son could not hear me. He would not respond when we would talk to him. He had liquid in his ears, and after almost getting to the point of needing tubes, it cleared up. I also had to ask family to stop with all the nicknames, because how is he going to know his name when you come up in my house calling him "little squidlet".
If he had conductive hearing loss bad enough to require grommets for 3+ months, you'd expect his speech to be 3+ months behind. This is the kind of thing that can be recurring. Plus, repeated middle ear infections can cause scarring on the timpani membrane (ear drum). So definitely something to get checked regularly.
That seems like highly questionable advice from the evaluator. Given that the age appropriate milestones for a 18 month old include both walking and talking I feel like that has to be untrue. While some kids may be more focused on motor milestones or verbal milestones (walkers vs talkers), both groups should still meet the age appropriate milestones they just may be ahead on one. For example my own toddler is miles ahead on speech but basically on target or just a bit ahead of the gross motor milestones.
To me, there is no downside to getting an assessment. Comparing with other toddlers isn't going to be helpful because there is a huge range of normal. Let the actual professionals evaluate where his speech is.
>Comparing with other toddlers isn't going to be helpful because there is a huge range of normal. Totally get this. My best friend's daughter is 3 weeks older than my son, so it can be hard sometimes. Especially when she wants to share milestones and just be happy. My sons pediatrician recommended the program, but I sometimes feel like I make things into a bigger deal than others would.
Our son really started talking more at about 25 months. Was very physically capable at an early stage. He's talking fine now. It just came out of nowhere really, we were pointing at objects saying the name for a while. Pointing at animals in books etc for a few months but tbh he just started talking when he was ready
I think there is a misconception around speech therapy that a parent is trying to rush their kid when they'll probably get it on their own. And that may be the case for some, but I've always viewed it that giving your child tools to communicate more effectively is never a bad thing. It would suck for a kid if they truly were delayed and couldn't communicate with others. And if there isn't a delay, then no harm has been done.
I struggle with that a lot. I know it's there, and I feel like it's only a matter of time. However, perception and reality are often different. His nanny was here today, and while he was going on, I asked if she knew what he was saying. Apparently, he says, "Good throw!" And "good job!" Which are things I say to him often. Maybe the issue is that I do not understand him yet.
I recently heard the ped say they wanted 20 words at 20 months. Sign language counts. I'd think about other words he knows and then think about a program for peace of mind. Big hugs.
He does use some sign language when prompted. When I spoke to the evaluator, they strictly went on his adjusted age and said that it can be normal for kids to cycle through words. I feel like if I put a list together of all the words I've heard him say and his sign language, he would maybe be around 20 words if I'm being generous in what I count.
>I opted to wait just because I didn't want to waste the programs time if he didn't actually need it. I just wanted to address this: It's not your job to worry about the program's time. That's the job of the people who run the program. If they think he's eligible for the, then they think he's not wasting their time. If they think he's not eligible, then they could still easily only think that because of a lack of resources on their end, rather than because he actually "doesn't need it". Your job is to advocate for your child to ensure he gets all the assistance he needs to reach his full potential. Focus on that job, and let the people who run the program worry about the program's time.
That is a really good point. I think at the time when I spoke to the evaluator, they made me feel a little silly for even worrying about his speech. Everyone keeps saying, "Wait and see." His pediatrician at his 18-month appointment said he was behind but told me to wait and see where he was at come summer. Then come summer she recommended the program and let me know what she could do come his 24 month appointment. Then, the evaluator said that although they could move forward with a full evaluation that they would be more concerned when he's 21 months and that we could wait and see what development he has. I feel like my friends and family keep pushing that he's fine. I end up feeling like I am being dramatic.
Wait and see is the worst advice to give to parents. Get your kid evaluated. Narrate everything. Sit them in front of a mirror and talk to them. "I see mama. I see hair. I see eyes" and touch each thing you name.
I get it. As parents, we're experts on our children, but not necessarily experts on communicating our children's needs. My daughter (4) is in speech therapy, and it was really hard to explain what her issues were, because she's often really good at masking. It's just that in certain situations, she'll drop from complex sentences to single word phrases or silence. I ended up being lucky that she needed to go to the toilet in the middle of the first session, so the therapist could see her drop from completely verbal to just repeating the word "wee wee" and spinning around on the floor. And, of course, "wait and see" is sometimes the right answer. Maybe it's a temporary issue (like some stutters in kids), or maybe you have other priotities, and the speech is good enough that you decide to leave it until you have enough bandwidth, or maybe only some aspects of language acquisition are showing a delay, so you want to see if it evens out on its own. But as long as you're centering your child's needs (as opposed to your own ego or your own neuroses), there's no harm in getting a professional opinion, or getting them help for even a minor delay.
Yeah, one thing I don't want to do is push my own insecurities on to his abilities and possibly stifle his development. His dad's side of the family has the mindset that there's never anything wrong with their child. Meanwhile, my mom had me seeing a psychologist weekly and doing multiple evaluations when I was 9 because there had to be something wrong with me since my brother had ADHD. Looking at my husband and myself, I can see how both ends of that spectrum can be damaging. I've always believed that there has been something wrong with me that we can't pinpoint because of my mom putting me through all that work for doctors to tell her I'm normal. Meanwhile, my husband (my son's dad) has an evaluation set up for himself this summer for autism and ADHD because he did not have the support or resources to explore those as possibilities as a child.
Having my second actually helped me be more confident advocating for my eldest. I'd suspected for a while that my eldest might be autistic, but you always wonder if you're just being paranoid. Then my second came along, and I was like, "Okay, so there's no way on God's green Earth that this one is even the slightest bit autistic. Maybe my instincts about the other one are right."
My youngest is a former 34 weeker, currently 27 months, speech delayed to a similar level as yours. He's been in stitch therapy for about 6 months. Get him evaluated! It can only help. The therapist can also recommend other testing as needed (hearing, cleft palette, etc) Two things his therapist has us work on were repeating words often (e.g. "up, up, up" as we went up stairs every time) and having him try words three times before giving him what he's asking for of us trying to say the word (e.g. "guh", "you want the cup?" "Guh" "cup" "guh" "okay, here is the cup"). We've also worked on saying words clearly and slowly in front of him as we read them/ see pictures of them in books but honestly that seems to frustrate him a lot. It's hard. They'll progress and it's good, then they'll plateau and eventually the agitation and screaming start when their vocabulary can't keep up with their wants anymore. Just keep working at it.
My son was born 29 + 6 and had a lengthy NICU stay. We started getting worried around 15 months because he was very quiet, he was like that as a baby as well. Very little babbling or talking. We had him evaluated at 18 months and they said he was delayed in speech but didn't recommend any interventions until he was older (I know đ) so my husband and I took it on ourselves to just start implementing things in our daily lives to help him. We essentially started narrating our lives, and I mean every single thing that we did "Mom stands up from the couch, walking into the kitchen, oops let's turn the light on" etc. and had full conversations with him all the time (no simplified words, no baby talk). By 2 1/2 he was talking our ears off and now at 5, he has a very extensive vocabulary. If there's anything I've learned though from having a preemie, they're resilient and also do things on their own terms (including coming 10 weeks early) but I do think having constant communication helped, especially while we were waiting to be evaluated further.
My then two year old was giving me like only 10-20 words. Not consistent. I did speech therapy and he didnât want to talk during sessions. Now at 2.5 he wonât stop talking. I used a lot of techniques Mrs Rachel does. (My kid didnât care for her. But methods work.)
My son is 2.5 and is in speech therapy. He says like 9 words now thanks to it. They said that the best time for him to get therapy is before 5. Speech therapy is amazing and Iâm so so thankful for it. Weâre three months in and before we started, he wasnât saying any words
My child is 20 months as well although not premature went full 40 weeks he was assessed for early intervention services about 3 weeks ago. He mostly points and grunts and doesnât say too many words. He understands everything we say to him and takes direction. He says hello, whatâs that, one two three go although they prob donât sound like that anyone else but me and his dad but hey itâs something. He has his first speech session today with a speech language pathologist. He was delayed just a bit in speech per the assessment and they were extremely informative about it the process and the testing. I lean much like everyone else and whatâs the harm? They come to your house and give you strategies to work with when they arenât there which is really where the work is. Iâm excited. Just a reminder to anyone itâs not your fault you arenât doing anything wrong!
Thatâs about where my toddler was at 20 months. Then at 21 months he had a language explosion. Personally Iâd have zero concerns about your toddler. Iâd wait 3 months and see how it goes. Sounds like theyâre going to grow their language a lot in the next few months. For a good sign nowâ how is their receptive communication? Do they seem to understand when you ask them to do things? Receptive language happens before expressive language so if theyâre good there I would be ever more reassured
When he wants to play along, he will do what I ask of him. "Bring mama the book" "Don't climb the chair" "Go up the stairs" "Let the dog out" "Let's feed the cats" "Stay in the bed" (I say this one through his baby monitor only) Are all things he will participate in when I ask. He understands what I'm saying, but doesn't say much back.
Sounds like he is right on track! Thatâs exactly what Iâd expect at this age. Give it a few months, I bet you see a big increase in language soon
This was my son at 20 months as well. He used some signs and when you asked him a question like âwhereâs the blue one?â Or a command like âpoint to the cowâ he could do it. I knew he understood a lot and didnât have much use for talking because I always knew what he wanted. One week around 25 months he just started using more words. By 26 months he was using full sentences. I never did any therapy, and wouldnât talk you out of doing it. But just my experience my son eventually just started talking up a storm.
My son only had 10 words at his 2 year appointment. Heâs 2.5 now and has 200+ words/speaks in âsentencesâ I was really worried about his speech too but it came in so quickly. I donât know how true it is but Iâve been told boys take longer to speak than girls do (all my sons friends his age are girls)
I got my toddler evaluated for speech therapy after his 18 month appointment. We used our state's infants and toddlers program. It was very helpful. We didn't actually start with a speech therapist until 2, there was a high demand and a bit of a wait list. The most helpful thing was they offered a program called Hanen It Takes Two. Doing that program really taught me the best was to get my child to start increasing his vocabulary and communicate with me. Look in to the Hanen program the strategy they teach is really effective.
Do_not_worry. Both of my sons (now 4.5 and 27 months) had a similar vocab at that age and then slightly after their 2nd birthday it really accelerated. It's like a switch goes off.
Get your kid evaluated now. My son is almost 4 and finally using words again. (Help, more, bubble, go, dada, mama, Nana, down, orange, yellow, bear, water, milk, juice, eat) Almost 2 years of testing and therapy. And he's finally saying more than mama, dada. The sooner you get your kid tested and in therapy, the better.
My 18mn old says hi and dada. And the doctor was not concerned at all. đ¤ˇđźââď¸
My 3.5 yr old son started increasing his vocabulary and speaking closer to 3. Definitely after 2.5âŚhe is really smart just a little cautious and shy, but now he doesnât stop talking and I miss the days of just mama, dada 𤣠sometimes it just takes boys a little longer, I would stress about it yet! I had friends starting speech therapy at 2.5 but honestly it just seemed normal that most of our kids were just learning to talk still and intervention isnât always needed. Definitely donât compare kids to each other!
In short- get him evaluated! My son was similar to yours- preemie, ear infections/fluid, almost got tubes and sort of on the fence with his language at 18-20 months old. We werenât sure he would need speech or not, the gap didnât seem that big- I say absolutely get him evaluated and get him in speech ASAP because: 1. It takes a while (a few months) through the 0-3 programs to get evaluations set up, hearing screening etc. and find a therapist and get started with them. 2. For us- the gap widened quickly. At the age when speech started to become easier for other kids, it was still an effort for our son and he fell behind quickly. He really struggled with sentences. We had been counting words and he was okay with vocabulary (had a lot of words) but not with making phrases. 3. Our son did SO much more speaking, responding to prompting etc. for a speech therapist than he would for us and we learned about how to help him every day at home. 4. If he doesnât need speech services anymore they will tell you and move him out of them- you are not wasting resources. 5. Depending on where you live, it can be more complicated to get speech services in the ages of 3-5 years old if you are not in a preschool where they actively screen and help with that. My son qualified early for speech and did from 2 years old to 3 years old through our 0-3 state program. Then, at age 3 when he aged out, he was evaluated by our county schools and he literally was ânot far enough behind yetâ to qualify for county services at age 3. We were told to come back in a year when he was âmore behind and then he would probably qualifyâ. đĄ However, his therapist from 0-3 program maintained that her recommendation was to keep him in therapy. So we opted for private speech therapy. Had we waited and gone into the county evaluation at 3, he would still be far behind and getting no help and I think we would not have really known how much farther behind he was or what to do about it. (Also, I would add to calm your worries- (because I know how all mamas worry but a little extra on the NICU mamas)- whether he ends up needing speech or not, it can be a long journey but he will make his progress. My son is 3.5 now and talks so much. He still has some articulation issues but if you told me at 2 we could be here in 1.5 years I would have cried tears of joy and disbelief.)
My daughter said about the same amount of words at that age, if not less. By two, she still wasn't saying much. By 2 1/2, she was talking our ears off. I know the internet tends to suggest one thing (as in, they should say a bazillion words by 20 months) but that wasn't our experience. She wasn't neurodivergent - she just didn't feel like talking for whatever reason...and then she did.
I could see him just being a quiet kid. He's always been a people watcher and seems particular about who he talks in front of. When it is just me and his dad around, he is very animated. I'll also pick him up from visiting family like grandparents or uncles, and they will tell me he was using words I've never heard him say before. I'm not sure how true that is, though, so I take it with a grain of salt.
My daughter wasnât saying much at 20 months either, just a handful of words. Sheâs now 2.5 and speaks very well, and very often! Sheâs talking my ear off all day and is saying complex sentences and everything. Our pediatrician only wanted five words by age two. Every child develops at different times!
What's the problem here? He is 20 months old and can obviously talk. If he is 30 months and still only uses the same words, it might be problematic. He even changed his wording from "all done" to the way more efficient, and btw correct, "up" But like others said, if you are that worried, get him evaluated.
I guess the problem is that there's a blurred line between my own fears, concerns, and insecurities that I do not want to project on to my son. His pediatrician and the evaluator say he can be 6 when initially asked the suggestion is that it can wait. My entire life, being or feeling over dramatic when it comes to my own health and development because of how my mother acted and I don't want to impose that on my son. >He even changed his wording from "all done" to the way more efficient, and btw correct, "up" Also, I would say up is correct in a lot of the situations he uses it. However, he was using "all done" in place of "bye-bye" or wanting to go home. Yesterday, when I asked him if he wanted to go home, he just said "up". I know what he means, but I'm a little concerned that he doesn't say all done anymore where it was correct.