reaching 18 mths but still not speaking up?

Question

My little boy is reaching 18 mths, but he can only say mamama and papapa and nana( banana ). I've tried teaching him other simple words but he don't seems to be interested at all. although he can't speak but he can understand what i tell him to do. Should i be worry or as long as he understand me he should be fine? I heard ppl saying a ear infection may be the cause i wonder how true it is and how do i know if he has a ear infection?

Answer 1

You will know if he has an ear infection. My son just turned 2 and has had tubes in his ears for a year, b/c of bad ear infections. He would be fussy, possibly low grade fever, you may see drainage, or he may pull on them or touch them.

Honestly... I would NOT worry at all!!! I say that only b/c when my son was 18 months, he probably said 4-5 words..... 6 months later, he says well over 100 and talks more (and more clearly) than any of the other children in his daycare class. I've see the most changes in my son from 18 months to 24 months, especially regarding speech. No worries! : )

Answer 2

Oh I love this question. I am a pre-preschool teacher. I am learning about this situation right now. I have 6 toddlers in my class everyday. Ages 18 months to 3, they leave my class at three and potty trained. Every child is different of course. I suggested one child be tested by a speech therapist, turns out he was ok, just a little stubborn. I f we give a child what they want when they grunt, they do not have to talk. Is it a possibility to have your child tested at your local elementary school? We are lucky enough to have this opportunity here. We even have a speech therapist who comes to our daycare and works with the children. Is your child sick often? If not, I would not suspect an ear infection. Upon much research , my co worker and I have been teaching our toddlers and babies "Baby sign", you can get the book used online on Amazon. We use flash cards . Teaching a hearing child does not substitute talking , it actually helps. You do the motion while saying the word. It is amazing the response We are getting from these children. I am learning as well. I have never even thought about sign language before this opportunity arose. The baby signs are one motion words. We have had parents ask what their child is trying to say to us, so therefore are making it available to the parents as well. I promise you will not be disappointed with this method.

Answer 3

It is possible that an ear infection can cause hearing and speech problems. The build up of fluid in the ear from an infection can muffle sounds (Like when you have water in your ear from swimming). A simple hearing test and doctors exam can determine if that is the case.
Your little boy could be perfectly fine and just taking his time to start speaking. However, there could also be something that he needs help with. You are his mom - and you know if something isn't right. The earlier you get treatment, the better his chances will be. One option is to go through your pediatrician. Sometimes they will try to push it off and say that your child is normal and you should just give it time. But If you feel like there is something wrong - do not back down. Ask to be referred to a developmental pediatrician.
Another option is to go through your local school district. In the US, they are required to provide early intervention services (yes - even before school age). They will test your child and determine if he needs services. They can provide speech therapy, occupational therapy, preschool services and more.
Your best bet is to try both options and get all the help you can get. Good for you for recognizing this early! Stay strong and don't back down if you feel that something isn't right with your child.
The previous post's suggestion to try sign language is also a great option. It worked well for my children. They loved the Signing Time videos (www.signingtime.com). It helped them to communicate with signs, but it also helped them to speak faster than anything else I tried. The videos integrate a combination of visual sign language (done by children), verbal repetition of the word, as well as displaying the written word on the screen. The music and songs make it fun to watch and helps with the memory retention.

Answer 4

He will do things in his own time. Don't worry. My first son walked when he was 10mos old, but my daughter didn't walk until she was a year old. Kids just do things at different times. Before you know it, he'll be talking and walking right out the door and on his way to school, so enjoy him while he's still a baby!

If you think he has an ear infection, take him to the dr's and have him checked.

Good luck and take care!

Answer 5

You don't say whether he is gabbling-ie not making any sense but waffling away in baby talk with all the right inflection to his 'conversations'.

If he is I wouldn't worry too much-children all do things at their own pace but instead of trying to teach him specific words I would suggest just chatting to him.

I talk to my daughter and son all day every day, just about what I'm doing or where we're going-I have the radio rather than the TV on and we sing words and I discuss topics with them as if they're adults.

I know it sounds silly, (and in the supermarket I get looked at like I'm a loony), but it really works-my daughter chats away now at 20 months and we have new words every day.

If your concerns are more serious than you're writing though pop to see your health visitor-if only to have your mind put at rest.

Answer 6

you probably should talk to his doctor about that. it seems like he should be saying more, and maybe it is his ears. since he can talk, maybe hes choosing not to say anything else. sometimes kids are just being onry, so talk it over with his doctor. they will do some tests on him to rule out potential problem. odds r hes fine, since he can say some things. but to be safe take him in. if he has an ear infection, usually they'll pull on that ear and cry a lot since it is very painful.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

. thats ok..my son doesnt talk yet too. but he understands what i say so nothing wrong with hearing! my cousins baby talked when he was 3! so dont worry. you dont need to worry. my baby bilungual so my son will take more time for start speaking..is your son same?maybe thats the reason

Answer 9

rub your fingers near his ear to see if he can hear, boys take longer to talk so its early days yet

Answer 10

i feel you should be a little concerned...notify the pediatrician,and let him or her know about it....better to find out if there's a problem now then later...