Should I b e Worried?

Catherine - posted on 01/28/2009

I have 2 children, Sarah is 3.5 years and Jack is 2. Sarah started talking really early and could hold a conversation before she was 2, where as Jack has only just started talking and i can not always understand what he is saying. He will put 2 words together if they are words that are commonly used or heard.
I wouldn't worry about it, children develop at different rates.

Marcie - posted on 01/28/2009

I wouldnt worry about it, my daughter was like that as well. Now she is going to be 6 and she couldnt be any smarter of a kid. Some kids just take a bit longer then others. Just keep working at it with her and i am sure she will catch on in no time. She is still young.

Diane - posted on 01/28/2009

Im going through the same thing with my 19mo old son.He says mama dada thats about it.He understands everything we tell him but just dosnt speak.He does alot of pointing.My doc said not to worry about it around 2 she said her son took off with speaking.My daughter started talking early and is 4 and never stops!

Hayley - posted on 01/28/2009

my goodness...how rediculous. every child develops at different rates. Children start talking around 2 (when they start having clearer speech and can say good sentences). I think you have had too much pressure placed on you and your child. I would not be worried but i also wouldnt be taking them to speech therapists just yet. My nephew saw a speech pathologist at 2.5yrs and it ended up being his ears that made his speech slow in developing. He couldnt hear properly so he couldnt repeat words and therefore had trouble saying sentences and after his ears were fixed with gromets he was a new child and we couldn't shut him up :)

Lucy - posted on 01/28/2009

Hi. My son is now just 4 and has gone from a very uncommunicative child who did not want to talk to a child who can't stop talking - this is in the space of about a year. Unfortunately, I feel that his preschool was the reason that he was not communicating as they did not interact with the children. Unfortunately, I did not realise this for some time and regret every time I sent him there. 19 months is young to be expecting sentances (in my opinion) however any free help you can get can't be a bad thing. I was recommended sending my son to speech therapy but it turned out that he was just unhappy!! Once he was removed from that environment, he completely changed from a "difficult" child to a talkative, loving enquiring child. Check your daughter's environment and make sure that there is nothing which is affecting her confidence. Speech apparantly progresses more quickly as confidence grows and I would say from my experience that this is so true. Good luck - but you will look back and think "remember the days when it was peaceful!!!"

Emily - posted on 01/27/2009

All kids develop at different rates, my daughter at 2 was singing whole songs and talking like crazy, she is not 4 and hasn't stopped talking yet!!  If you have been offered help for your Daughter take it, it can't hurt and maybe you will see an improvement soon.

Good luck

User - posted on 01/27/2009

I would not worry. My daughter went to a speech therapist before she was 2 because we couldn't understand a word she was saying and she began to get frustrated once we determined it was not hearing problem the speech helped alot. If your daughter is talking even a few words and you can understand her the rest will come with exposer to languge. Speech should help but DO Not worry that she won't talk . My son hardly said a word until he was 3 then he wouldn't shut up LOL

Kristine - posted on 01/27/2009

Taking her in won't hurt her as long as it is not high pressure. The truth is that you can never judge your child by what they "should" be able to do. My son was walking at 9 months old, yet he was a slow talker. Oh he COULD talk, but chose not to until he was in daycare at 18 months. Within 2 weeks he was chatting up a storm.

The important thing is to know your child. Is she learning more words? DOes she say them correctly? Is she slow in other areas? Can she communicate without words such as pointing, smiling etc? Accept the help for now and wait to see how it goes. As time goes on you will know if she needs it or not. ((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))

Sharon - posted on 01/27/2009

Don't worry at all. Children begin talking at all different ages. My grand daughter who will be 2 in February has just started talking--not sentences, but just words. She understands what we say to her, she just isn't ready to talk yet. Don't worry.

Paula - posted on 01/27/2009

As long as she is communicating with you in some way I wouldn't worry about it...if you still think that she needs help - singing seems to really helps with verbal communication....

Erin - posted on 01/27/2009

My Mom and sister both had there first child at 19 and are both wonderful and capable mothers. I had my first at 23 which is still rather young. My sisters oldest was prone to ear infections and he just grew out of it. Age has nothing to do it. You have nothing to worry about.

Courtney - posted on 01/27/2009

I am sorry, but I think Dr.s tend to be a tad bit 'nit picky' when it comes to a child's development. Every child is different. My three year old still isn't speaking 'alot' many of his classmates at daycare are talking up a storm and although we're quick to compair....they develop in different ways.....my son was quick at walking, organizational skills, understanding and exploring but not so much at speaking.....I too was told to bring him to speech therapy, but I refuse. Your daughter is only 19 months old. I think that this public health place should just back off and let her and you be!

Courtney - posted on 01/27/2009

She has had about 3 ear infections, I just hate how public health nurses here in Moose JAw talk to you they act like because Im only 19 and have a kid that Im a horrible parent and they make you worry alot by acting like its the worst thing to happen to a child.

Amy - posted on 01/27/2009

ok i have 3 kids... 1, 3, and 5... my one yr old says more than my 3 yr old said until he turned 3 and started in preschool... every child is different!.. if her hearing is good and she is a healthy child i wouldnt worry yet, she isnt old enough to be speaking sentences! talk a lot to her.. when your getiing her dressed.. shirt.. pants.. shoes.. show her everything and repeat everything .. she will catch on.. good luck!

User - posted on 01/27/2009

My neice barely said anything until upwards of 3 years old and now she doesnt stop talking (shes 6) Sometimes they just dont want to talk!!

Andrea - posted on 01/27/2009

Don't worry. Babies all develop differently. Personally, I wouldn't expect her to be talking much at all at her age, but I only have a 5 month old, so I haven't researched it much yet. If there is an issue, they'll find it, but don't feel bad. My boyfriend said his niece barely spoke a word until 3 and then all of a sudden took off in running sentences. Maybe she's just taking it all in ;)

Adrianna - posted on 01/27/2009

oh brother! It is over kill. When my daughter was that age, she spoke less than the "recommended" words. When she was 3 and in preschool, I could barely understand the jibberish she was saying. Her teacher said speech is not totally formed until 6 years old. Now she is 10 and talks clearly and has a vast vocabulary. Just keep an eye on it. Has she had her hearing checked? Does she get ear infections often. That can delay speech as well. I know a mom whose sone was speech delayed, but when they put ear tubes for chronic ear infections, his speech caught up.

Carrie - posted on 01/27/2009

No, you shouldn't worry. I'm actually surprised they referred her if she is just barely at 25 words at this age. I have a 20 month old and I've worked with early childhood interventions. There is a wide range of normal for this age. As long as she is making attempts to communicate with you and those attempts grow across time, I wouldn't be too worried at this stage in the game.

Courtney - posted on 01/27/2009

yeah, my little girl says small words but she won't ask for juice or milk. She doesn't ask for anything she points and stuff but she mainly tries to talk through hes nose and whines. Were trying to stop the talking through nose but I mean there making it sound like Im a horrible parent because shes not talking we ask her things like do you want milk or juice and show her each and she picks one but wont try to say it.

Erin - posted on 01/27/2009

I have a 19 month old too. Like your daughter, she isn't saying much. She says, Mommy, Daddy, Tucker(our dog), Mama(grandma), papa, ouch. She has some of her own words for things but that is where it ends. My 3 year old son started speaking in sentences by 18 months old. My children are such a contrast. I'm not worried though, she'll get there in her own time. There are other ways to be sure of your childs intelligence. Can your daughter understand what you are saying to her?? Is your daughter an only child?? Sometimes older sibling do all the talking for there younger siblings.

Jacqui - posted on 01/27/2009

We found out that my son couldn't hear that was why he wasn't talking properly. They put tubes in his ears in May and now he say's a lot more thing's then before. I think now he is playing catch up becaus he souldn't hear for so long. He is 3 and a half.

Jeannine - posted on 01/27/2009

I wouldn't worry at all, every child develops differently and at their own pace! As long as she says words and "talks" in sentences of her own even though you may not understand what she is saying she's getting the hang of it! Before you know she will be putting words together and she'll be fine! These guidelines are crazy, and honestly do you really think they expect us to sit and write down and count every word that comes out of our kids mouths to make sure there within the guidlines please! She's fine don't worry and I'd skip the speech guide! Hope this helps!

Bekah - posted on 01/27/2009

I am an early intervention specialist and work with kids birth-3. If your daughter has other means of communication, i.e., pointing, and is making a variety of sounds, then you probably have nothing to worry about. Keep in mind, 18-24 months is a HUGE age range, developmentally speaking, and so is the 25-50 words guideline they gave you. Take advantage of a speech eval, but don't freak!

Helen - posted on 01/27/2009

Do you understand what she is trying to say to you?  Is she communicating with you through any other method like sign language?   My older son was saying a lot of words quite clearly when he was younger than your daughter and he acquired new words on a regular basis.  My younger son did not say anywhere near as much until he was a few months older but when he started, he acquired the language must faster.  Children learn at different rates and your daughter may just start speaking in full sentences.

That said, if you are being sent to a speech guide, take advantage of the opportunity to learn ways to improve your daughter's language or simply to find out from a professional that she is perfectly normal.  My sister's daughter was referred to a speech therapist by her teacher.  Within five minutes of arriving, the speech therapist told her that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her and that she definitely did not need any speech therapy.

Michele - posted on 01/27/2009

My doctor sent my son to speech at 2 years. He was not putting 2 words together.I wouldn't worry about her making full sentences yet, she is still young. As long as she is babbling and sounds like she is having a conversation (you probably don't understand a word) I wouldn't worry yet.