13 month old vocabulary?

Ashleigh - posted on 12/12/2009

my daughter is 13 months and has only just started to walk but will still chose to crawl, she sayd mumma and dadda but not as much as i would of thought, she mostly sayd whos that, as we kept saying it to her. but at the start i thought she was just muttering so dont worry im sure it will become clearer soon

Kelsey - posted on 12/09/2009

I would try making it a game! This is what we did with my son and he said his first word at 4 and a half months and now he says a new word almost every day!! When she blah blahs at you do it back! Try to make the same noises/ sounds back to her when she starts chatting. If she sees that you are copying her noises she will start thinking of it as a game and she'll want to play to by hopfully starting to copy your noises. also try putting her hand to your mouth as you are saying words. The tactile and auditory and visual combination is suposed to be really helpful. Good luck and I hope this helps! I wouldn't be to worried. my aunt was telling me the other day that she didn't say her first word until she was 2! This was because she had an older sister that she could comunicate to and her sister (my mom) would explain her needs to my grandma. When she did start speaking it went straight to sentances.

Charlotte - posted on 12/07/2009

My daughter is also 13 months and still is not talking. Our pediatrician says that it's fine but should continue verbalizing as much as possible to her. She knows and understands what I'm saying and can point out many objects/people when prompted. She JUST started walking and you definately shouldn't be worried about that. By the way...my brother didn't start talking until he was two. When he did, he spoke in complete sentences and got the highest score on the SAT in Florida upon graduation. Don't worry, every child is different. Good luck.

Jamie - posted on 12/07/2009

My daughter has been late in the talking department too. Her pediatrician told us that as long as she is communicating with us in some form of babbling (like making sounds back at us when we talk to her), the rest will come in time. She's now saying Dada and hi. She is still not taking steps on her own either, but she's walking along furniture and climbing up on everything. My other 2 children didn't walk until they were after 1 year old either. We'll get there soon enough! Good luck to you!

Jamie - posted on 11/30/2009

Your Baby Can Read is a fantastic tool to encourage talking.

Elizabeth - posted on 11/27/2009

try repeating her.. when she babbles.... let her know you are communicating back with her... that might help her to try to talk to you.

Daphny - posted on 11/26/2009

I'd call Infant Development Program, just to ensure everything's okay, for the speech concern. I'm not sure where you are but in Ontario (maybe the whole country has it too) you can contact them by calling the local health unit. No harm to have a professional check them out. I'm not too concerned about walking but she should somehow babble quite a bit at this stage though...just my 2-cent opinion...

Beth - posted on 11/26/2009

Like alot of other Mums here have said, all babies develop so differently, and as long as your doctor and especially your baby are happy, I wouldnt worry too much. They talk when they're ready and same goes for walking.
My son is 13 months as well.. He can tear around the house pushing something with no problem but is still a little unsure of himself walking unsupported. His talking is somewhat more progressed..:0) He says alot of things most of which catch you off guard when he first comes out with them! So far we have..Daddy (no Mum yet but he will call me by my first name..), Dog, Cat, Pa, Grandma..amoungst a few peoples names, SHUT THE DOOR!, sit down, Up, bum, Uh oh, No, Yeah, Turtle,Ta ta, Bye bye, Tato(potato), Thats nice(once while my mother was rabbiting..hehe),Get out and more..
Dont worry..soon enough youll be having to watch what you say around your little one too!! LOL The one bad thing once they do start tho is they cant be sensored!!!! LOL
Have fun!! :0)

Michelle - posted on 11/24/2009

My 13 month old does not talk much at all. She points alot, and does alot of "uh" when pointing to get what she wants. She will say a couple words, but her big brother does alot of talking for her. I know she understands me, because she will follow simple suggestions, like "where is your cup", or "give mommy a kiss". And if I ask her if she did poops, she points to her diaper. The words will come soon enough, and then we will be asking ourselves why we wanted them to talk! haha. She is walking, and has been since 10 months, but I think that was wanting to follow her big brother (who is 11) everywhere. My neice was almost 19 months before she started walking, and the doctors were not the least bit concerned. And, at 6 now, she is completely fine!!
Good luck! And don't stress, kids follow their own path, and some will go down some of the avenues on that path faster than other, but they might be slower on some others. No worries, it all evens out in the end.

Cassie - posted on 11/24/2009

Every child is different. My son started walking at 9 months and thats early. He is 13 months and is just starting to say some words. They are still hard to make out but I can understand him. Just yesterday I sneezed and he walked over to me and said something that sounded like "les ou". I figured it out he was trying to say bless you because everytime he sneezes I say bless you. He says dada all the time and only says muma when he is tired or is crying. He babbles in his own language but I am working with him to actually start saying words. My friends daughter is 2 and she just started saying words-she spoke in her own language for a long time. I think it is perfectly normal. Every child develops differently.

Emma - posted on 11/23/2009

I think all babies develope at different stage so dont be to worried just yet. My little girl 13 months old and she is walking and non stop talking, think she is saying about 20 words now but like stated above everything I do I tell her and I am always talking to her like a child not a baby and it work now if I say get your dummy she will get it and if I tell her to drink he rbottle she will, bath time I say bath and she walks to the bath ready for it. Good luck

Betsy - posted on 11/23/2009

My son is 13 months and says Momma, Dada, and sometimes duck, all done, and more.

Don't be too concerned, you're little one is well within the window of normal language.
Also, I'm a speech therapist, so here are a few things that might help:

Baby signs: like sign language but used to facilitate speech. It is not a substitution for verbal language. Do both! Every baby sign should be paired with a verbal word. Use them all the time and consistently. Many libraries have free baby sign classes so maybe you can find one in your area.

Pictures: In books of course (read as much as possible and point to pictures while you do!) But also take some pictures of things in your own house. Family members, foods, favorite toys, furniture, clothes, everything. Put them in a little album that your baby can play with and look through it often. If your baby is looking at it, just comment on the pictures. "Oh you see the _______. Yes, that is the ________. The ______ is yellow. It is long. You like to eat the _______" Etc.

Be a commentator: Talk about EVERYTHING you do and your baby does. Like you are the commentator to a sports event. "Look how I'm eating this banana. My banana is so good. Yummy banana. Let's throw away the peel. Mommy can put the peel in the trash can. Wow, look how you can crawl over here to Mommy." Etc. It can seem a little crazy, but you little one is soaking it all in.

Finally, if your little one still isn't saying any words by 18 months ask your pediatrician for a referral to see a speech-language pathologist for a full evaluation. But be patient. All children are different and MANY children are late talkers and end up just fine!

Good luck!!

Lauren - posted on 11/21/2009

my son isn't walking yet either..he talks a lot though. but, don't worry about her not talking. i think they're only expected to say noises at this age.. the pediatrician said that my son is advanced in his language skills because they're only expected to say noises that aren't really clear words. so, maybe she's saying noises and you're not sure if it's a word or not. the words aren't completely clear until they're a little older anyway..and they sometimes have strange ways of saying words as well..if it was something to worry about the doctor would've said something. good luck, i'm sure your daughter is fine.

Bri - posted on 11/20/2009

Our son Ryan just turned one. He is such a chatter box but only says a few actual words. He does understand simple instructions which tells us that his language skills are there, just not the talking part yet. One thing that has helped us is a book on baby sign language. It was a buck at Target. We started working with him at around 6 months and he picked up signs like "more" quickly. Now he has a good signing vocabulary and it relieves some of the frustration of not being able to communicate with us at all. Repetition is important when teaching language (verbal or sign), and make sure your child is watching your mouth as you say words or your hands as you sign. They'll start imitating you sooner than you think. Also, celebrate anything that even comes close to the real thing. If you want them to say "mommy" and all they get out is an "mmm" then celebrate as if they said the whole word. Use this positive reinforcement at each small step, and next time they'll say a little more.

Kelly - posted on 11/20/2009

I think its important to remember that every baby is different and they learn at their own rate. If you have asked your doctor and they dont have any reason to be concerned then theres no reason to stress about it yourself. the best you can do is not talk in a baby voice and sound it out. thats what we do with our daughter shes 13 months as well and she only says 3 words num-num mama and dada.

Kristin - posted on 11/20/2009

thank you for your help

Tara - posted on 11/20/2009

My Hailey isn't doing it either. Neither one of my boys (ages 9 & 6 yrs) used any words until about 3 yrs but they're fine. Your daughter just doesn't have anything to say. As long as she understands what you're saying and there's no underlying medical problem it's all good. If you crave communication then teach her sign language. My Hailey is just now walking and she's 13 1/2 mos. Well she's not really walking just taking more steps everyday. Take care...--tara

Abok - posted on 11/19/2009

My son is now 13 month old. He walked at his 10 month and can say mama, baba (dad) and can copy what ever we say. But he have some friends who are older than him but could't walk or talk, their parents were much concerns like your, they then came to me and ask the same things you ask, but as mention by so many women that kids are different from others it does take time for some to walk or talk but it is normal, that what I told them. Also one of my husband friend child walked at his 17 month, imagine that but the doctor/ped say that it nothing to worry about. So don't panic the time will come for her and check up with your doctor or community nurse. Hope it help.

Allison - posted on 11/19/2009

My daughter is about 13 mo as well. She doesn't really talk yet, more babbling and singing sounds and happy screeches. She does say dada and baba (her grandmas name). She understands what we say to her, because she responds. As they all said, every child is different. Mia started walking the day after her 1st birthday. It was crazy. Have your child use one of those walking toys and have them practice walking behind it. Mia was very nervous about walking at first. She was scared stiff. lol. It was funny. Just relax. Let your baby be a baby. I think we all try to make them grow up too fast. Enjoy your time with her now. She will be talking back in no time.

Alexis - posted on 11/19/2009

Every baby goes at their own pace. Is she babbling and making noises like mama, dada, baba, but not actually saying the words? My daughter just started to say dada and I think she says baba when she's hungry, but she still babbles a lot. And the walking, I think as long as she is pulling herself up to stand and able to put weight on her legs, she's fine! =) I wouldn't worry about it. She can pick up your feelings and energy so just stay positive and try to help her practice as much as possible. When she pulls herself up get excited and show her that she's doing everythign right! =)

Cassandra - posted on 11/19/2009

My daughter is 13 months old and she has been walking since 10 months. Her first word was Dada and it was at 5 months it took her longer to say momma, but she says it all the time now. She doesn't use many other words besides uh-oh, no-no, and juice. My pediatrician asks me at every check-up if she is developing and she also starting asking if she was babbling and the as the months continued asked if she was saying momma and daddy. I think that you should talk to your pediatrician about the developmental stage that she should be at and the things that she should be able to do. I wouldn't worry about the walking thing either. Maybe you should try talking to her more. explain everything that you are doing like when you are changing her diaper or giving her a bath and see if she responds at all.

Angie - posted on 11/18/2009

My daughter says hi, bye, mama, dada, ball but only when she is playing with it and a couple other words.

Melissa - posted on 11/18/2009

My kiddos don't really say much either. They are pointing at things and can understand things that I am saying and sometimes listening to direction. They say "ball" but it souns like "ba". My son says "baby" but calls most pictures of animals "baby". They are very vocal with different combos of consonants and vowels. I have heard that twins talk later because they communicate with each other their own way. Not sure if i buy that or not. I think its normal not to have too much vocab this early but all kids are different. You know your child the best. If you think there is something up, ask your ped.

Frances - posted on 11/18/2009

My best advice is read, read, read and read some more. I started reading to my son from day one. Alot of people thought it was silly but it kept me from baby talking or just saying "oh my gosh I love you so much" exclusively. My son says mom dad and ya (I know it's not a real word but he nods when he says it so I say it counts :) and the best part is he prefers books over toys! He'll sit there turning the pages and gabbing away. Reading is the best thing you can do for your child's language development in my opinion. Don't forget that every baby is different but I would ask the same question if I were you. As long as she's talking gibberish at least than she's working on it I would say. Good Luck with everything your daughter is lucky to have such a concerned mamma and she will tell you that one day!

REBECCA - posted on 11/17/2009

I also have a 13 month old. He don't walk either. Or speak much. It 's starting to sound like mum and dad now , but it's not clear for others, so I'm not sure if that's even what he says....He just now, about 2 days ago, started to walk with his little trolly infront of him.I was a bit conserned too, cuz I thought he was late, but they said it was nothing to worry about. Atleast not yet. He'll start when he's ready. Children are different, and a lot of different things are normal at that age, I was told. Hope this puts your mind a bit at ease ; )

Kirsten - posted on 11/17/2009

My 13 month old isn't really talking yet either but I know he understands because he follows instructions. He's babbling a lot and you can hear different intonation. Sometimes I think he is trying to talk but he just can't quite form the words yet. I think the only reason to be concerned would be if she was not babbling or understanding simple things that you tell her.

Annette - posted on 11/17/2009

My 13 month says 'mum and dad in ENglish and Korean (my husband is Korean), hello, ball, book, more, am-ma (grandma/grandpa), poo-poo. and some other Korean words, too.



She also engages in very earnest chatter, too. Her intonation is too cute!

SHe can follow instructions and does actions when we say certain things (i.e wash your hands, clean your teeth, clap, give me the teddy bear etc), as well.



She started walking at around 11 months and at 13 months she can go very fast..



I'd say that if she follows your instructions she is showing you that she understands....the speech will follow soon enough. If you are worried , just ask your ped. :-)



Best wishes!

Helen - posted on 11/17/2009

my son didnt start walking till 14 months and my daughter was walking at 9 months, it varies alot with kids! my son also didnt start talking until he was about 13months and by 18months he was saying over 100 words. my daughter however has just turned 1 and can say 50 words, almost perfectly! it maybe that your daughter is trying to say things, but it may not be very clear so you just dismiss it as babble! not all babies say mama or dada first, my son would only say 'og' (dog) for ages! try sitting down with her and just talking to her, say simple things like dog, cat, bear, light, bite etc. she will get there eventually and if your that concerned then see your health visitor. i wouldnt worry to much, she may just be taking her time!

Dana - posted on 11/16/2009

My daughter, who is almost 13 months old, does not talk or walk yet either. I think the not walking is because she just doesn't have the confidence to do it yet. As for the talking, I think that it is perfectly normal and you should not freak out about it quite yet. My husband was a late talker (and turned out to be a perfectly normal and intelligent person) so I'm thinking that's the reason she doesn't say too much yet, as well as being a preemie born five weeks early. Do you know if either you or your baby's dad was a late talker? I know what it's like to be impatient about these things though, because I am definitely guilty of that too. You think that once they turn a year old they should be walking and talking already, but that is not always the case. Our pediatrician was not at all concerned and said that it was still early. I've heard of so many cases of kids that didn't talk until they were two or three years old (not that our babies are even close to that age) and turned out to be perfectly normal. I think we should just be patient with them and let them do things in their own time (I need to take my own advice here, lol). I hope this has helped.

Stacey - posted on 11/16/2009

My daughter is just over 13 months and still not walking so dont be too concerned yet, its quite normal, but if you're sure that she is not saying any words at all you might want to mention it to your doctor or ask to see a speech pathologist. Our Doctors kept telling us that it was nothing to worry about and it wasn't until he was nearly 2 that we finally went to a speech pathologist (not to alarm you because Im sure everything is ok, but our speech pathologist thinks he may have Autism) so it is better to have these things checked out. Please dont stress about worst case scenarios yet, it is still early and lots of kids dont start talking until they are 2 and there is nothing wrong with them.

Shannon - posted on 11/16/2009

Maybe she's saying words and you're just not recognizing them? My son kept making the same noise and it took me a while to figure out he was saying "what's that" and "what's this". Guess we say that a lot to him.

Kristin - posted on 11/16/2009

thank you.

Michelle - posted on 11/16/2009

normal for walking is up to 15 months so sh'es fine there ..if she's able to stand and put the weight on her legs i wouldnt' worry she'll be walk soon enough... for the talking at 12 months they should be saying a MINIMUM of 2 words...has she had her check up yet? did the ped seem concerned? i think one thing to make sure you are doing is to talk to her in normal words none of the baby talk and just keep repeating words to her