19 Month Old Son - Doesn't Talk...

My son was a late talker, so I read a lot on the subject. Get the video Baby Babble, it's very good, gives parents a lot of advice. Every time my son learned a sign for a word, he started saying the word within a week. so sign language is great! If he is making a lot of noise that's great, mine was very quiet. Work on fun stuff like animal sounds and car sounds and fire truck sounds with him, "boom" "PoP!" "YEAH!" so it's play, not "schooling". See if he picks up fun sounds and a few signs. My therapist taught him the signs and then the words for please and thank you. I thought, do we care if he's polite yet? But then he could use please for EVERYTHING he wanted, pointing and signing or saying please, then respond appropriately with Thank you, so it got him using language throughout the day, taught him the importance of using language consistently, so it was Very worthwhile. If you don't see a lot of growth going on, then get him evaluated, despite pediatrician. He should have at least six words and being using lots of consonants in his babbling right now. Early intervention is great, easy to get, and very low cost only until age three, and it will take a few months to schedule and evaluate so dont wait too long.

Nope - from what I recall with my two youngest, my pediatrician's magic number was 10 words at 24 months. If my little guys didn't hit that milestone, she *might* have referred them for speech but probably not because they were able to communicate what they wanted and could understand what people would say to them.

Both of my youngest boys had just barely 10 words by their 2nd birthdays. The older one really started talking at 2.5 and hasn't stopped talking since (he's 8 now). The youngest was a little longer, not really having much to say until he was 3 but he's also totally fine (he's now 6). My oldest son had a few early words at under a year old so he could "talk" early but had a hard time stringing words together and really communicating easily until he was about 3.5 so we had a couple of years where he was very frustrated. Ironically, my early talker was the one with communication problems and has learning disabilities while the two late-talkers were very effective in communicating without words and have no learning problems.

Anyway...sounds normal to me.

I would suggest waiting until 2 - both of my boys were like that and around 2 they started and wouldn't shut up. I have heard a lot of recommendations are now "10 by 2" meaning that if they have a least 10 words by age 2 there is not much of a problem.

It's a milestone that has a range, like all milestones.

Worry starts in another year.

My DD didn't talk much or well at all. I was worried about it at her 18 month checkup, but the pediatrician said it was fine and everyone else told me I was worrying too much. At her 24 month checkup, I mentioned it to her pediatrician again because she hadn't really improved. She said at that point that my DD was pretty borderline, and gave us a referral to Early Intervention.

The coordinator came to my house, and gave her a pre-evaluation. My DD scored low enough in the communication section that they decided to get a real evaluation done.

So the tester lady came, and gave my DD an in-depth evaluation (vision, hearing screenings...) Mostly, the evaluation was watching her play with toys, seeing how she reacted to what she was told, and a parental interview. Very easy and non-invasive. :)

My DD scored within range of everything EXCEPT for expressive speech... meaning, that she just doesn't talk. She comprehends everything perfectly, and is right on track in everything but speech.

So she will be starting therapy next month, to help her find her voice. :)

I do wish I had started this earlier, when I was worried before. It's really not THAT big of a deal, but it is a pain in the butt when she wants something, and can't communicate. I know that most of her tantrums stem from her sense of frustration over not being able to get her needs met.

I would ask the pediatrician for a referral to the EI in your area... they come and test, and if your child needs it they get you set up for therapy. It's not going to hurt anything to see... and if it turns out that your child isn't delayed or is only slightly, great! :)

You've gotten some really good answers, I just wanted to give a number for you to call. Depending on your county, and I see you are from Arvada, so if you live in Adams county call:

Adams County
North Metro Community Services
###-###-####
1001 W. 124th Avenue
Westminster, Colorado 80234
http://www.nmcommserv.com/

If you live in Jefferson County call:

Jefferson / Summit / Clear Creek / Gilpin Counties
Developmental Disabilities Resource Center
###-###-####
11177 W. 8th Avenue, Ste 300
Lakewood, Colorado 80215
____@____.com
http://www.ddrcco.com

Since your son is under 3 yr., these agencies have the "Child Find" responsibility. They can set up a free speech evaluation for your son. It's free, and a good way to get a second opinion about his development.

My son, at 19 months, was similar to yours.
Through our local Early Childhood Intervention program (which I called myself and did not have to be referred to), I got my son Speech Therapy. It is free and they come to your home.
What they do first, is an overall developmental assessment of your child. It is done in "play" and fun. Then they get back to you, and let you know of their findings.
My son, was found to be delayed in speech, but other than that, he was even advanced in certain developmental areas. Per his age.

So he had speech therapy. He LOVED it, and I did too.
They teach you things about speech, that a layperson would not know. And tips and how to help your child.
It was very educational.
To this day (my son is now 5 years old), my son remembers his dear Speech Therapist... and he KNEW it was to help him "talk." He had no hang ups about it. It was invaluable.

My son, is also bi-lingual. Our home is. But that was not the "cause" of his speech delay.

My son is now the most talkative one in our family.

If your child needs help, just get an assessment. That way, you will know for sure or not, IF he needs help.

Versus, I have a friend who's son was speech delayed. She did not do anything about it, thinking that as he got older, his speech would naturally... just get better. BUT... the boy is now in 3rd grade... and his speech, is STILL, not on par.

Speech delays are not just in talking and how many words... but ALSO about, enunciation and articulation... and in helping the child with word AND sound formation. It is technical. Not what a layperson would know.

My son, understood EVERYTHING that was told to him, and could carry out anything he was told. AND he was able to convey to us what he wanted and he didn't tantrum about his inability to SAY words. But, at 19 moths old, his speech development was delayed. I knew that. Thus, I got him help. And it helped him a great deal.

Up until 3 years old, through the Early Childhood Intervention programs, it is free.

Is he exposed to more than one language?

If so... Then he's right on track.

The bilingual track has a different set of milestones (babbling, which is what yours is doing, right now... And then first words right around age 2, and then a language explosion between 2 & 3). Reason being.... Monolingual speakers, part of their brain dies/atrophies. Bilingual (or multilingual) kids have some crazy development going on in their audiocortex.

My peditrition said that boys learn more words between 18-24 mnths. I am pretty sure my son didn't know 15 words by 19 mnths. Now he is almost three and has ALOT of words and says plenty of full sentences. He was just in he saying "Mama, where did my car go hmmmm let's see."

P.,
Let me start by saying that,the question you just asked was my very first question for this site.I was being critisized by my in-laws(to be) about the exact same topic.They were asking me if he was autistic or slow.It enraged me as a mother and scared me at the same time.After having a test done for my son and being that his pediatrician is not concerned I do feel better but Like you said,my son makes alot of noises(like he is talking).We talk to him constantly....I thought I was doing too much baby talk so I try to speak my words clearly and down on his level so he watch my lips as I say things....but I know this,every child is different and girls mature faster than boys and children around other children talk earlier than others.....all well and good..He is healthy,happy,active,alert,cognitive skills are appropriate and Im going to let my last baby talk when he is ready d*** it!!!!!!! I will not make excuses or feel like a bad mom anymore...not saying you do,this only what I have been through but if you do,dont, youre doing fine,relax......soon they ll never SHUT UP!!!LOL

Both my kids were late talkers, my now 32 month old didn’t really start talking until about 2-3 months ago and now he just seems to improve daily and its forming sentences and asking tons of questions.
On April he was saying 50 words or less (much less) an all of the sudden, vocabulary explosion!!! So don’t worry just yet and if he still not talking on your next appointment, tell your doctor again and see what he says.
Good luck!

No worries here, if you look @ some of my other posts you will find my now 13yr old granboy didn't really speak until 3! I was SOOOOOO beside myself but my Ped checked him out & told me he was fine, she didn't think anything of it physically & assured me he would talk on his own schedule...sure enough! he began speaking plainly & in sentences @ age 3 & we can't keep him quiet! He has been on the Honor Roll @ school since K & has been invited Math & Science Academy this summer! Most of all the other children talked WAAAAAY before even 2yrs, I have learned that even the milestones need to be noted but not taken as, 'law' for ALL things related to our small people! ;)

Best!

Don't measure your child by the books and web sites too much. Kids are all different and so are people in general. Boys are much slower usually to talk and more into doing things than verbal concerns. You need to talk to your son all day all the time if you are home with him. You need to not just get what he needs when he points or grunts but say, " What do you want?" and try to get him to respond before you get it. I realize he doesn't say the word yet but make it clear he needs to try to say it before you run and get it. Then say the word as you get it or respond and he will get the point but I wouldn't worry until after age 2. He can say sounds with the main beginning letters it seems like so just be patient and play word games with him and talk, talk, talk to him.

Okay, I guess have a slightly different opinion. I wouldn't say that you should be "worried" per say, but I do think you should to call and have him evaluated for speech therapy.

Here's my basic thought on the matter...will he eventually talk? Yes, of course. Would you like to make it easier on yourself and on him in the interim? If yes, then call your local infant/child services type place.

First I would call your local Parents as Teachers. It is through your school district and it is free. They will come to your house and give you advice! There may be a waiting list so when you call specify that you are concerned about a speech delay and they will tell you what to do in the meantime.

My son was this way and I kept putting it off thinking eventually he'll catch up, etc. But finally I got honest with myself and I just knew he was behind and he was. He didn't have a big delay and frankly he started and graduated from speech therapy in just under 2 months, but it was WORTH it! It made my life so much easier! I learned techniques that made big differences. My son also communicated very effectively with non verbal techniques, but I was ready for words!

Like I said, I wouldn't worry, but there is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion, especially if everyone would benefit from some therapy! :) Good luck!

Not yet.
As long as you see some steady progression over the next few months, you're fine.
I was in the same spot 3 mos ago when my DD ws 19mos. She had maybe 5 words. And now, at 22, she's got 30-40 words. It's a quick ramp up between 18mos and 2 yrs.

It sounds like he's communicating with you, and has his own words for things, which is just fine. Keep with books for him, and when he seems curious, keep pointing out what things are. You're doing everything you should be.

I worried SO much about my daughter not talking. She was born premature and I just kept waiting for her first word. Stressing and waiting and worrying. I read all the books and websites and listened to the other mothers crow about how their little angels started talking preternaturally young. My kid was a late talker but now I can't get her to shut up.

My son didn't talk until after he turned 2. All of a sudden after his 2nd birthday - he just talked...a lot. Now he is 3 and is more verbal than most of his friends that are boys.
To me the issue is comprehension. Even if your son isn't "talking" but its clear he understands what you are saying, then there is no need to worry. (I was worried too at your same stage) My son only said "dah, mama, dada, and tickle - but he understood everything. That to me is the issue. The words will come!

Our son is 18 months and we say it's like living with a troop of chimpanzees. There is a hoot or grunt with finger pointing for nearly everything but very few actual words. We know he is communicating and conveying what he wants through these grunts so we go with it. When we provide him what he wants, we say the word and try to get him to repeat it. We don’t withhold whatever he wants but we do tell him the words. Exchanges are something like – grunt, grunt, point, point (even some happy dancing depending on the excitement level). I pick up the desired toy/food item/milk cup, etc.. “Oh, you want your milk. Here is your milk. Isn’t milk good?” Only in the last two weeks or so have we seen him focus on learning words which he now doing rapidly. We notice he drops certain letters even on words he knows. Our dog is nicknamed Bug. He loves Bug and calls her ‘Bu’ during their lengthy conversations. We repeat Bug with an emphasis on the g but he insists on Bu. Practice, practice, practice. Soon enough he’ll be talking our ears off so we aren’t worried. Personally if your pediatrician is not worried, then I wouldn't worry quite yet either. Babies, toddlers and children develop at different rates. Good luck.

Never hurts to have a county assessment in a "birth to three" type of program. Their standards are miserably low, but it will give you some piece of mind. We did this at 18 months and the evaluator basically told us where her weakness was - articulation, not comprehension - and implied that as long as she is making progress not too worry too much. Just keep an eye on it. So nothing alarming.. She was far above the need for county services. Talking didn't take off until 2 1/2, and she is still behind in articulation (age 4), but not so it interferes socially or in preschool.

The other thing we did is get a hearing test. It's one thing for a child to be a it behind on speech. It's another to miss a physical problem. So I wanted to rule that out before it got too late to intervene.

So, I don't think you need to be concerned because some kids are just like this. It was hard for me, because our older child talked clearly and in sentences at 16 months. So, I was SURE something was wrong with our younger child. But don't not follow up. You can gather more information without going down the path of speech therapy.

Its hard to say as so many kids develop at such different rates. It's probably fine, but if you want you could get an evaluation through early intervention, it is free and you dont need a docs referral to get the eval done. At least that way you could have some peace of mind. I have been through the EI system in colorado with my son and have been very impressed with them.

http://www.eicolorado.org/

Have him tested for hearing and speech delays if you are worried. Most school districts have testing centers that you can go to or an ear, nose and throat doctor can determine hearing problems. They will tell you whether their is something wrong or not. If it is a slight hearing loss putting in ear tubes can help with the hearing. With my son he was doing the same thing and had tubes put in and within a week was talking a lot more. In my nieces situation it was a speech processing problem and they were able to do speech therapy, or you can watch him for a few more months and then decide if things don't improve.

Also see if he can repeat all the sounds back to you, if he can't say certain sounds something probably needs to be checked out.

Everyone had given excellent advice. I worked with a toddler group for 2.5 years (they were 20-30) months-- most came into our room preverbal and we usually experienced some language growth with all the kids. If you hit the 24 month mark and there are still no words, it would be worth it to have an evaluation, however, even if only for your peace of mind.

I wouldn't worry about it, let him be 19th month old. My daughter never spoke baby talk and never was interesting on repeading. She started to talk on her own terms and now 5, speaks three languages. Anyone who stresses you out about it, tell them to back off and to take a good look at your son because he will be their kids boss one day:) The more you stress, the more your child will pick up on it. Des he hear you? Does he respond? Einstein talked at age of 7.

Well here's the thing if he gets what he wants by grunting, etc. and pointing then what's the point in talking. He's getting everything he needs by doing what he's doing. My husband was the same way, his parents just went with his grunts and pointing and he didn't talk until he was 2.5 years old. That's when his grandpa told him he wasn't getting the ice he wanted until he said "ice please, grandpa" and at 2.5 those where his first words. Our daughter started talking at about 18 mos, but it was just a few words, and now at 3.5 she won't stop. So, I don't think it's anything to worry about. Everyone moves at their own pace, and maybe your son isn't ready yet and will talk in his own time.

It would be more concerning if he didn't point or try to communicate. Since he is, he's probably fine. You may want to try sign language. It can help them to understand that words have meanings and that you an get what you want when you ask for it.

We had my grandson evaluated by Sooner Start at about 20 months. He was found to be delayed. These are the people who work for the state and set up free speech therapy and a whole slew of programs.

He was delayed but they said they didn't even do anything about it until they were older. It was often a waste of money spent because research shows that it doesn't matter if the child is just slow to speak. If they just don't have anything to say it won't matter how much you pay someone to work with him.

If he has a biological issue such as being hard of hearing or some other physical impairment then he does need to be in classes right now.

My grandson started talking in complete paragraphs about 2 weeks after they did the evaluation.

If your insurance will cover it and there is a good doc on your insurance program why not go ahead and have evaluations done, if nothing more that just putting your mind at east. If they find something the earlier the better. If they don't then they may be able to give you some ideas of how to work with him to get him to say words.

Our first two children really took off verbally...once they hit 19-20 months...that seemed to be an language 'explosion' age...at least for them. I kept waiting for it with our third...and just never saw it. So we did get him into an early intervention program and it has been wonderful. A year and a half ago he was testing in the 1%...he recently tested just shy of the 30%. We now have a 21 month old that is the same way...I'm a little more concerned...since we've already had one with a language delay...the pediatrician...a little less concerned. I'm guessing they just see so many that develop at their own pace and are fine. I've heard boys IN GENERAL...are a little slower to talk than girls...Our pediatrician said that at his 2 year appointment if there is still a concern, he'd recommend testing and what not.

How many variations of grunts are in his repertoire? At his age, a grunt that is used consistently with meaning, counts as a word. I would take a day or two and write down on a pad of paper every "sound" he makes that has meaning. When you actually are recording them on paper, you might be surprised at how many there are that you didn't think of off the top of your head.
And there is a wide range of "normal" on this, too. As few as 10 could be considered in the range of normal. I would spend a lot of time reading with him if you are concerned. And ask again at your next pedi. appt.