17 Month Old Doesn't Say Too Many Words

Hi Julia,
My comments mimic many others but I know mom security sometimes comes from many voices saying the same thing. : )

My son spoke very little until he was 2 (he signed a lot and my mom swears that prevented him from talking!!!) lol but now I shout (in my head, of course!) for this boy to STOP TALKING and let me have a moment of peace!!! He's 4 1/2 and is only quiet when he's unconscious. lol I thank God he still takes a nap and I get some quiet during the day! : )

On the flip side, if you are highly concerned, schedule an appt. with his ped. and ask for their opinion. If you're in a playgroup, ask the other moms for their HONEST opinion based on their observations, making it clear you won't take offense because this is about your child's health and not your ego. I, personally, would be more confident in the moms than the doc because many docs notoriously want to reassure parents. Many cases of autism have been undiagnosed early because of the "wait and see" approach many docs have.

I'm not trying to scare you, but I haven't met your child and think that, while it's true boys talk later than girls AND my son's situation sounds similar to your son's, there may be more to it and you should really seek honest opinions from those who know him. I hope this is coming out right. I, too, had concerns about my son's progress (at one year old, he didn't say Mama, Daddy, didn't point to objects, rarely made eye contact and walked on his toes) so I did what I suggest to you. The ped. insisted he didn't have any developmental problems, especially not autism, but was understanding and gave me a referral to a local program that screens for autism. The lady who tested Jack knew from the moment she met him that he was perfectly normal but, to ease my concerns, she did the full test on him anyway.

Oh, that reminds me: her first interaction with us was a home visit (testing came a couple weeks later at their building) and she surmised that, at one year old, he was behind his peers in speaking because of me. : ) She was very loving about how she told me and I took no offense because she explained that, because I knew my son so well, I knew what he wanted before I let him say it (grunt his own little sounds for specific requests was more to her meaning, I'm sure). lol She suggested that I wait to let him communicate verbally so he can practice that skill. Had she not done a home visit, she might not have seen my actions.

Ok, so I've included waaaaayyy more than I expected! lol I hope something here helps you! And, if you're near Dover, DE, and you're looking for a playgroup, e-mail me privately and I'll tell you about my mom's group that has age-specific playgroups. It's awesome! : )

D.

I personally wouldnt worry about it. I did when our son was nearly 2yrs because he spoke only a handful of words while a girl that was 2 months older spoke over 100 words. Boys develope much slower. I even had someone come out and evaluate him and the lady said he was actually above average for his speech. He is 6 now and is a chatter box, i dont think he even stops to catch his breath..lol

Boys tend to develop slower, and all children develop at different rates. Comparing children to one another can cause more angst and stress on the parents than it should be.

If you are truly concerned, and don't see him improving/expanding at all, mention it to your pediatrician and see what they say.

Relax. A child's vocabulary just explodes at a certain point around 18 months. They are absorbing all sorts of words and information at this point, but it takes longer to start using it.

Like others said, kids develop speech at really different rates. It's a great sign that he's so interested in letters, so develop that every way you can (identifying letters on signs at the store, outside, in books etc.), and read out loud to him as often as possible. And if you're still concerned after a while, maybe have his hearing tested. Still, he's probably just on the verge of talking all the time!

I have a 19 month old boy and had the same concerns about 4-5 months back. I checked around and my sister suggested that I called Montgomery County Childhood Development Program. I called, after some calls someone came and evaluated my son at our home and then another came. They both agreed that while he might be a bit delayd in terms of talking, he is doing pretty good and I should just continue workign with him.
So if you are like me ( I worry a lot) you can call them and they will arange an evaluation. it is a free service but chances are your son is ok.
best of luck

I'm in the same situation. My 17 m.o. boy really doesn't speak that much. He makes a lot of sounds but I wouldn't call them words. His 2 older sister talked MUCH earlier and much more. I am a little worried but from what I've read and heard, he'll start at his pace. I read & talk to him all the time and make sure his sisters don't speak for him. I feel he understands a lot (I say go get the cup and he does, etc.) so I'm not going to seek any treatment for awhile. Not much advice but I wanted to let you know that our situation is pretty common. Good luck.