Speech - Columbus, OH

my niece is 16 months and doesn't say a thing. I said something to my sister since I watch her all day. I told her that I wouldn't worry about it yet because she understands mostly what you are saying to her. I can tell her to go get a toy and she will go get it. I don't think you should worry, especially if he is understanding what is going on around him. My niece has 3 brothers ranging from 14 - 6 so I just assume that there is so much going on and everyone is right on top of what ever she needs that she doesn't need to say anything.
I have been working with her more, like going through her favorite dora book and saying the words while she is looking at me and I have noticed she is trying to say dora. I did the same thing with my son from the begining and he was saying astronaut by the time he was one. I think if you try something like that with something he loves and just keep repeating it he might want to say it.
Good luck.

kids speak when they're ready to. my son is 18 months old too and only has a couple words, but he has no problem getting his point across. my husband didn't speak until he was almost 3 and has a close to genius IQ. Einstein didn't talk until he was 5.
My advice is not to sweat it. he will sense your tension.

I agree with "talk to your doctor". It may be nothing, but IF it's a speech problem, the earlier they start working, the better. My son was diagnosised with some developmental delays at 3 1/2. He is in a special needs preschool & is doing great, but who knows where he'd be if someone had said something earlier. It never hurts to get him tested. I was told that (I believe) Head Start will come to your house, if needed.

Call 257-baby and get him evaluated by First Steps. I would also start signing with him to reduce frustration.
www.signsationalkids.com is a good place to start with sign language.

Once he gets in First Steps, he can get speech therapy at little or no cost to your family. MD's like to say...."lets wait until he is 2 and see if he doesn't start talking"......DON"T wait. The earlier the intervention, the better.

My children didn't have any speech delays, but we started using "Signing Time" videos at 9 months old. I feel this helped develop my childrens' language and they also learned sign language. They really enjoyed the videos!!! Also, I would have your son evaluated for a speech delay. In my area there is a Help Me Grow program. Check around and see what there is to help you in your area. The sooner you can get the help the better.

My son didn't really start to speak where he was communicating until around his 3RD BIRTHDAY! Everyone in my family was voicing concern, and I was concerned also. I got his hearing tested, had him evaluated for First Steps, pretty much everything I could do. His hearing was fine, First Steps denied him, and I had no choice but to just have faith that he would start talking when he was ready. Well, now he turned four 2 months ago, and is READING and WRITING! He counts over 100, counts by fives, and is a spelling WHIZ! He spells words like xylophone! So, do NOT worry! All kids are different. He will come around. If he hits 3, and still shows no signs of speaking, then you can take steps to try and encourage him, but for now, he's still WAY too young to get all worked up.

My 3 yo daughter has a speech delay and we used "Signing Time!" videos from the library and she and my 6 yo son picked it up really fast and loved the videos(sat quietly for 30 minutes!! I loved it just for that!). Now she signs and speaks and the signing really opened up her ability to communicate. She chatters all the time. We ended up buying the videos-they are great and have a menu selection for the parents to review the signs without all the video/song stuff. She used to just grunt, cry or scream and now she signs and talks and her speech is more clear everyday.
Hope this helps. I remember her speech therapist saying kids start talking at all different ages, too. My brother didn't talk until he was three and then he never stopped talking!! Making up for lost time! He is very intelligent and never is at a loss for words!
C.

My son is 23mo. and he is just starting to talk. At his 18mo check up his doc said that some boys only have 2-3 words that they can say at this point. My son was this way at 18 mo, but at 22mo. he took off. He now has about 20 words that everyone can understand. Try different games like pretending your on the phone or a is for apple. Also with my oldest we let her talk to grandma and grandpa on the real telephone. She was so excited she took off with her vocabulary.Be patient. All kids are different. Good luck and don't ever give up.

SAHM of 4 - Ranging form 3mo. - age 6.

Hi N.,
My three year old son wasn't talking at 2 years of age. We had him evaluated by the early intervention teachers in our county (check with your local health department) and he began to take a class twice a week with other kids with similar issues. HE LOVED THE CLASS (and it as free). I kidd you not...the boy does not stop talking now!!! :) He is a blessing and I am proud of his improvement but I think that between taking the class, occasional speech therapy, and just developing later than others...he has caught up to his three year old friends. You would never know he wasn't talking a year ago.
My advice...love and encourage him and take the necessary precautions as you seem to be doing already.

My son is 20 months and he just started "talking" to where we can understand him. He used to make noises and point for his speech. My oldest son was speaking to where we could understand him at 10 months. All kids are different! Just give it a little more time before getting too concerned.

I am in the same situation! I am in the process of receiving assistance from the county. It's free and they come to your home. (at least where I live) - Check with your pediatrician - they can give you info.

Your son is completely normal. I too worried, but my daughter didn't start talking to a few months ago and she will be 2 in a few weeks. Boys are usually a litte slower than girls anyway, plus you did mention his sister speaks for him. I was told that the best indicator that things are moving as they should is if he understands commands. Is he talking at all? Like, is he making any sounds and practicing? I was surprised to find that it is completely normal for the average two year old to only say a few words. I have heard, and read, that if the child isn't speaking by three, then there is usually some sort of treatment neccessary. Your son, though, sounds very observient, like my daughter is. My daughter still babbles for the most part, but she knows exactly what is going on all the time and she just takes everything in. Try to stop your daughter from speaking for him though, that will probably move him along. That happens a lot with siblings. My cousin has 7 kids and each are within a couple of years of one another, so you can imagine how hard it was for her to get her younger ones to talk because the older ones would take care of it for them lol.

Talk to him. It can be about anything. Make up stories, talk to him while he's watching you cook, or while you're cleaning. Tell him what you're doing. You can also try picking things up and say their names a few times to him. Sometimes all my daughter says is the first parts of words. She talks, but she uses "baby" words and not "adult" words. I know kee is kitty, ku is cup, bup is up. You'll learn, both of you.

If he points to something wanting it try to get him to say it's name before you give it to him. Try three-four times until he uses the right word, if he needs it, like a drink just give it to him. If you hold out for too long you'll frustrate him and that will make things harder. If it's a toy, you can tell him no and put it down away from him if you want.

People are lazy, same thing goes for babies. He's not going to talk unless you make him. Why should he? He always gets what he wants and needs without talking. Be gentle but firm, try to make things fun and silly.

Good luck.

I'm not sure where your from i live in ohio and my son wa sin the exact state you son is is.we got ahold of a group called help me grow and got him into a school called happy day to work wit his speech he went two days a week and he loved it.he is 4 now and still has some trouble with speech.now he goes to our district school and still ger sppech therapy twice a week.

There also an oil it's called fish oil you need the one with the omega 3,6,9 in it you can buy it at most drugstores it helps with speech.look up verbal apraxia and see if your son fits.

____@____.com

If people are speaking for him, then he has no reason to speak. I work for a pediatrician and heard her tell a patients mother this one time. Once the family quit getting things for the child when she pointed to them and made her ask for them then she began to talk on her own. There is also early intervention programs through help me grow if you feel this is a serious development problem. Check them out! They are pretty helpful

I wouldn't worry at all. My daughter was 2 years old before she said one word. I, like you, checked for everything. The doctors told me that if she understands your commandments, then not to worry and that she is on her own time. She woke up one day using full sentences! It was amazing!