How can you make a child start to talk/ use words?

Carolyn - posted on 03/12/2009

Hi My son was talking a 5 months and say sentances a 7 months. I spoke to him like an adult but I also would sit in front of him for about a 1/2 hour each day and ask him questions and pause for his answers even if he didn't say anything(or anything I could understand) he was happy and wanted to talk cause I was listening. I would take the soother away from him durning the day except a nap to help him get talking because if you have something in your mouth, your not going to be able to speak around it very well. Hope this help!

Kelli - posted on 03/11/2009

My twins are a little over 3 years old and many ask me how do I get them to talk so well. I talk to my kids just like I would any other person. I have never done baby talk. Just didn't. My doctor said they talk like 12 year olds but they are still in diapers. I think all kids go at there on pace about things. Mine talk but won't use the potty so maybe yours will use the potty and be a little while on talking. I would much prefer the potty. haha. I would talk to pedi doctor though because as a mom you know your gut. If he's not talking and you think he should be then talk to the babies doctor about it. Good luck!!!

Megan - posted on 03/11/2009

the best advice i have ever heard came from my psychology teacher (i was just finishing highschool after i had my daughter). She said to talk to them constantly, like an adult.

Tell them about your day (keep it age appropriate, you dont want your child to meet someone you talk bad about and tattle on you :) ), tell them what you're doing, point things out to them, etc.

i did this, and my daughter is 14 months will point at things and ask "what's that?" and "hello, who's this/there?" when the phone rings or someone knocks on the door. and she babbles a lot using real words, instead of baby jargon. we're working on sentences.

Joy - posted on 03/11/2009

Hi,

My son is 16 months old and only uses his paci at nap and bed time.  The rest of the time, he does fine without it.  I don't notice that the lack of the paci does anything to help him talk more.  He says dada, uh oh and giggle giggle (don't know why? lol).  He babbles quite a lot though and according to his doctor, he is just fine and developing normally.  Some babies just don't really start talking until around 2 or sometimes even later.  I just wanted to throw this in there because it seemed that the general opinion is to take your son's paci away.  In your case, it may be true so I say try it and see if it works.  If it doesn't though, I just didn't want you to worry because my son doesn't talk and doesn't have his paci often.  Unless your doctor says something's wrong...no need to worry.  Just think...we spend all this time trying to get them to talk now only to turn around in 5 years and PRAY for silence....lol.

Malerie - posted on 03/11/2009

Your son is almost two and if it was me I would throw the paci in the bin. The way my kids learn is they didnt get what they wanted until they said the word, or tried to say the word. If they want a drink then they have to say drink, the same goes with food or toys. It sounds harsh when I write it down and if you try it your son will cry at first because he wants you to give in. When my two boys cried I just walked away. They learn really fast to run after you saying the word.

Corrine - posted on 03/10/2009

how old is he? take the nuker away! i actually talked to my pedi yesterday about my son talking and he said talk to your child like a grown up, full sentences....hell start to pick it up. he said they should be using at least 6 other words by 18 months...besides mama, dada, uh oh....baba....simple things like that. and starting to put a few words together...

Ann - posted on 03/10/2009

The only thing that I can suggest is take the passy away. My son was the same way. He would talk when he wanted to but when we finally got rid of it, he had an explosion of speech. It was amazing.



We took his away slowly. We started only allowing him to have it at naptime and bedtime, and then to get rid of it all together, we told him that his Auntie Kristi threw it away. Suprisingly, he accepted that answer. He LOVED his passy. He called it his "nunion" basically onion, but with an N at the front. No idea where he got that name, but it stuck. Good luck!