[IronMamma]

When did you LO start to talk? Like actual words / communication?

Drake is 15 months and still does not really talk. He still will not really come when you say his name either. He will *sometimes*. Not alot though. I know that he knows his name so I am not worried, I also know that boys take a little longer to develop communication skills, then again some already are some what talking that are his age. Would you worry?

[breathing for two]

I think that all babies develop their communication skills at different rates. I would not worry unless there are also concerning behavioural issues as well.
Eli start talking around Drake's age, maybe a little older. Eliana started talking a few months ago.
Neither talks well, but they usually get their point across.

[ohnicole]

I wouldn't be worried about Drake, either. Babies develop different skills at different times, and talking is one that can vary a ton. As long as you can tell he hears you and understands some of what you're saying, he has a lot of time to start talking.

[alittlelost]

I wouldn't worry, but if you are worried, trust your instincts because early intervention is key. it's better to get IE when you don't need it than to need it and not get it because you think your kid is just a "late bloomer" (it's more likely that they ARE just a late bloomer though). There are evaluations you can get where professionals can help you see if it's one or the other. That said, he struggled with sleep issues for a while, right? That can put development behind where their personal natural development would have been, so personally I wouldn't worry unless there were other things also concerning you.

for my kids...

oldest talked at 10-12 months, lost language at 15 minutes following an MMR, got language back around 4 to 4 1/2 years.

daughter had a good vocab by 12-15 months.

my youngest started talking at 9 months and was putting 2 words together by 12 months. he was a "talker" by 15 months.

[klockert]

Gabby is almost 16 months and says a few words but is stubborn about it lol. I wouldn't be too worried especially if he understands what you say to him and what things are. Mostly gabby just speaks gibberish lol

[sareymac]

Gary started talking well, saying words lol a few months ago. He has since started to connect words that go together like, My Baba and when he gets his cars stuck in their little garage he says "my stckk" (stuck without the u lol) I wouldnt worry about Drake though, every kid is different! You know that! He will all of a sudden start trying to repeat you, and when he does talk lol you will get told No. lol. Now that he gets that No and shaking your head go together when he is done eating he is wildly shaking his head going "Noooooo" lol its funny and exhausting haha

[bribugg13]

I couldn't agree more about early intervention services. They are free, state run, so there's nothing to lose other than time. If there is a problem, they will catch it and help. They helped a TON with Connor. He had some developmental delays, including speech. He was not talking by 15m either, that was around the time we started the EI services. He had no consonants, no "mama, baba, dada" type words/sounds.

We just stopped doing therapies, which at one point he had a speech therapist. And now, at almost 3, he talks in complete sentences. I can't say enough good things about intervention and therapies. They say that kids who do go through therapies end up being ahead of their peers once they've caught up, and it's so true with Connor! We get compliments all the time on how well he does with speech. Good luck to you!

That's the short story lol, feel free to PM if you have questions or want to discuss!

[KMH]

Claire's first word was "kitty" (sounded more like "kee") at 9 months and she just took off from there.

I wouldn't worry about Drake at all. Claire has a boy cousin that is 2 weeks older than her. At 12 months, Claire was putting words together and he couldn't say anything. BUT, her cousin was literally running, and Claire didn't walk until almost 15 months. By their 2nd birthdays they were almost even with physical and language skills...they just focused their energy on different things!

[ashj_1218]

I would make note of it to your pedi. But chances are he is just developing in his own time. It doesn't hurt to have a professional in on it though.

For us:

Julia (nanny child) was talking full sentences, understandable to the averge person at least 75% of the time by 18 months. Her single word stage lasted from about 9mo to 12mo.

Liam, whom I was concerned about, didn't barely say ten words by age 2. He was great with body language, but barely spoke. He developed his speech up to age-appropriate levels between 2.5-3 years. Today, you would never know he did not talk until late. He has a wide vocabulary, uses different forms of words (tenses) and speaks mostly clearly. I am not at all concerned any more.

Kieran is 18 months and has about 15 words or so. He babbles and uses body language often. He makes tons of animal noises. But he does not often engage me with words, only uses them when visually or orally prompted (K, what animal is this? Kitty, etc). But I am not at all concerned about him. He is very skilled at following directions and responding to questions appropriately.

I do tend to think boys are a bit more delayed in language acquisition. Additionally, first/only children tend to be later than subsequent ones. At 15 months, I myself would not worry. But if your mama alarm is going off, certainly look into it

[Fluga]

What is his strong suit?

DD1 had a friend who was 2 months older than her. They hung out a lot between 18months and 3yrs. I would say that for at least the first year that each was about a year ahead of the other developmentally. DD was a mover, friend was a talker. At 2.5 I still saw one of them struggle with what seemed to come easy to the other one at 18 months. It was interesting to say the least.

DD1 didnt start talking until past her second birthday. She had maybe 10 "words" and 15 signs. DD2 has been faster with the speech, she was speaking much more by 18 months and didnt seem to stall like her big sister.