Combining words into sentences.

Hayley - posted on 12/03/2010

I'm not sure when my daughter started combining them but honestly the best person to talk to about your concern would be your doctor because they know what's best and they know you're child's history and what's "Normal." Good luck.

Susan - posted on 12/03/2010

I wouldn't worry yet. At my daughter's 2 year appointment she was still only saying single words, but other children her age I knew were speaking small phrases. She too does not go to daycare. The doctor was a little concerned, but said to wait another 6 months before we considered anything. I think it was about 2 weeks later she started talking up a storm and now (27 months) she has quite a few phrases, normally about 2-3 words and her vocabulary in general has increased tremendously. I think she learns a new word or phrase every day now. 20 months is definitely too early to worry, but like one of the other moms said, it will probably come on all of a sudden and you won't be able to shut her up! Our daughter is now a motormouth :)

Lol - posted on 12/02/2010

don't worry about it. Just continue to encourage her by reading, chatting and pointing things out. If she points something out expand on it- i.e if she says dog- say oh look at the big dog. if she says car- say that is a red car etc
Children tend to learn language in two ways either they like to learn lists of words which they don't tend to put together until later,or they learn less words and start to try stringing them together.
More of a worry would be if she was burbling but it was more like her own made up language which is what my eldest grandson did. he was refered to speech therapy at two , they checked him and had himback in 6 months as they weren't worried then. He will be 4 in January and since starting nursery school he has speech therapy every week, and is comming on fine. Also although it needn't concern you, boys tend to be slower than girls, as do younger children especially if you lket their elder siblings speak for them.

Grandma Linda - posted on 12/01/2010

Mine being a preemie he just started doing that a couple weeks ago and he is 34 months now...

Melanie - posted on 12/01/2010

My daughter is 20 months and is just starting to say and repeat simple words. And she has been in day care since 6 months! My eldest was maybe putting two words together at this age and starting to count to 3 and know the first colours. They're all different!

Cynthia - posted on 11/29/2010

Thanks ladies for you comments. They were all very helpful and encouraging. It's just hard not to wonder when you see other kids the same age more advanced. But I'll just wait and see how it goes with her.

Grandma Linda - posted on 11/29/2010

If you are worried you can call first steps if they are in your area and they will evaluate her and see if she needs to be worked with!

Tricia - posted on 11/29/2010

My son was still saying nothing but mama and dada until he was 20 months. He is 25m now and says hundreds of words, puts them together into little 3 and 4 word sentences and can pick them out of the books I read to him. It seemed to happen over night. One day my husband was saying how worried he was that he seemed to be so far behind other babies and the next he was bragging on facebook that his son could count his toes.

Diana - posted on 11/27/2010

it really all depends on the child my 20 month old makes sentences does his abcs and can somewhat count the doctors say he is advanced for his age and he can also sing twinkle twinle doggie in the window and point out some letters and thell me what they are it just depends on the child

Brianna - posted on 11/22/2010

my daughter just turned 1 and said her first word at 5 1/2 months and first 2 word sentence at 10months but i have a niece thats a month older than my daugher and she cant say anything but mama and papa so every kid develops at there own speed

Katherine - posted on 11/21/2010

Nope. My 20mo just had her check up. They don't really start that until 2.

Erin - posted on 11/21/2010

Don't worry my son didn't really even talk that much at 20 months now he's almost 3 and is chatting away. He's not in daycare and isn't around a whole lot of kids either. I'm sure your daughter is fine.

Cynthia - posted on 11/20/2010

Thanks that's the same with my daughter. Only child, not around a whole lot of other kids, and her cousin younger than her is way more advanced.

Joy - posted on 11/20/2010

I wouldn't worry. My son didn't start to speak in 2-3 word sentences until he was around 2 and a half. He's 3 now and starting to speak in 4-5 word sentences. Unless your doctor says there is cause for concern, I wouldn't worry. Just be patient, keep talking to her and eventually one day she'll start talking...and then she won't stop lol Ever.



Edited to add: Something else to keep in mind is that it makes a difference if your child is in daycare (around other kids) or at home. Kids in daycare tend to speak sooner and improve at a faster rate than kids who stay at home. I have a friend whose daughter is 6 months younger than my son. She's been in daycare since about 6 months old. Her speach is WAY more advanced than my son's is, because my son stays home with me, is an only child and spends limited time around other kids.