Single Dad...1 year old not attempting to talk?

Question

I'm 19 years old and a single father. I have a daughter, Rina, who turned a year old in Feb. Rina has always been a VERY quiet baby and recently i started wondering if that's a bad thing. She never attepts to make any baby talk sounds or really any noise for that matter. While I'm at school, she spends the day at my parents, who only speak italian. When I'm home with her, i speak English to her. Can that have an effect? Any suggestions would be a great help. Thanks
Is her not making noise at this age normal? Has anyone gone through this situation?

(please save nasty comments for someone else. They do me know help what so ever)

Answer 1

girls usually do start earlier then boys, but not in all cases. My son didn't start talking much until he was nearly 2 years old. My neighbor's daughter who is 2 weeks older than my son was having conversations with people before 20 months. I didn't know her before then. Both of my nephews were talking before my son was but my husband's younger cousin didn't speak a word until a week or 2 before he turned 3 years old.

My suggestion would be to work with her with simple words. When you change her diaper tell her what you are doing, point to things around the house and tell her what they are, same when you go for a walk or to the park. It may still take her longer because she is hearing 2 different languages at the same time. I have heard that it is easier for young children to learn different languages than older children or adults, so she may start speaking both Italian and English at the same time.

The other thing is that you might want to think about getting her hearing tested. I know they do it before babies leave the hsopital here but I am not sure where you are. I don't want to alarm you, but it is something to think about.

May I also say that it is really nice to see a father, especially as young as you are being so mature and responsible. My brother-in-law is turning 20 next month and I can't picture him sticking around for a baby never mind raising 1 on his own.

Answer 2

Some kids are naturally quieter. My 4 yo was a quiet one too. She was not talking at one and made very few sounds. However, she was very good at pointing and saying 'eh' and getting her point across. One day she was about 16 months and I acted as if I had no idea what she wanted and she finally comes out with very distinct "COOKIE!" Now she rarely stops talking.
I have heard that hearing two languages can make language acquisition slower, but does not interfere with eventually knowing both perfectly. So don't change that if bilingual is an option. (I wish my daughter had that option.)
On the other hand, if she really isn't making any noise or at least on occasion making babbling noises (bababa gagaga mammaama) then you might want to check in with a pediatrician or pediatric nurse. If they are worried there is often early intervention available for hearing or language problems.
Best of luck!

Answer 3

We went through the same thing with my daughter (she heard three different languages since she was born) and she didn't do the baby talk either. She actually started talking when she was little bit over 2! But now she understands (she's 3 and half) all three and speaks two, so I'm glad we did this. As long as you are sure that your baby's hearing is ok, you don't have to worry about the talking, she most likely will talk later that usual.
And by the way, I wish you the best and you are a great guy to step up and be the dad she'll need you to be. Good luck to you and your daughter.

Answer 4

According to the book Health, Nutrition, and Safety for Children "The range of speech and language disorders is as great as the variations in normal speech and language development (Cohen & Spenciner, 1994) Some abnormal speech patterns include:
No speech by two years of age
Stuttering
Substitution of word sounds
Rate of speech that is too fast or unusually slow
Monotone voice
No improvement in speech development
Unintelligent speech by three years of age
Inattentive behavior or ignoring others.

It also states in the book that "Most toddlers can follow instructions and understand simple directions long before they can clearly express themselves with words.

Your best bet would be to talk to her pediatrician to determine if your daughter has a speech problem or not. You seem like a very caring dad and want the best for Rina. Keep on speaking the two languages to her. I have a friend who's 4 year old grandson speaks English and Cambodian (I don't know the actual language) fluently. Children who are taught two or more languages are usually very smart.

Answer 5

Pat,

First way to go...Us guys need to stick together I commend you for being that single dad thumbs way up! As for her not making sounds..I wouldn't worry about that my daughter didn't start making sounds until she was around 5-6 months. Just let her come into it on her own. I think the Italian grandparenting IS GREAT! It gives her a head start at verbal differences in language. You might want to say or associate a tangable item with English and then in Italian just to give her an idea that what you are saying in English is the same as your parents in Italian.Best of luck to you!

Answer 6

I would share your concerns with pediatrician. The language difference shouldn't be an issue yet, as she is not trying to actually speak words clearly. The lack of babbling to me is a concern. She should be trying to communicate. Does she look at you when you talk to her?
Her are some ideas to help with language:
talk to her all the time
tell her what your doing or about your day
avoid the TV as much as possible
read books to her (talk about the pictures)
continually identify objects, dog cookie, milk, etc.
If there are no speech delays, she will start to talk as long as language is used around her all the time. Surprisingly, children can learn two languages fairly easily.
Another suggestion, is to teach yourself and her sign language. It helps to encourage verbal words because the child is able to communicate without the frustration.
When you are doing stuff around your daughter does she take and interest? Does she interact with you at all socially, such as smiling laughing acknowledging your voice? Does she have problems with eating different food textures? I would consult with your docter and she may need to be evaluated for a a speech delay. Only a professional can truely tell if there is a delay or she is just a quiet child. Your county should have an Early Intervention office which will help you with your concerns as well. Sometimes a quiet child is that, quiet, They can also help you to teach her sign language. It really is a valuable tool and your parents can learn them as well, to help with language barriers.

Answer 7

the two languages is not an issue she may talk a little later for learning two at once but in the long run it will be very good for her. I would be concerned if your daughter is not making any noise. Does laugh and giggle, grunt when she wants something? Can she basically communicate without words? If she is not making sounds at all then I would think that your pediatrician would have picked up on that by now. If you have not mentioned it then make an appt. to discuss it and see what he/she thinks. Best of luck!

Answer 8

If she doesn't exhibit an obvious hearing disorder (reacts to noise, turns her head toward the sound, etc.) there is nothing to worry about. Play music for her. A lot of children attempt to sing before they attempt to talk. If she is not saying 'dada' by age 2, contact your local 'early intervention' office. They're usually affiliated with a public school system. Her pediatrician should have that info. This is a free service, and they'll provide evaluation and speech therapy if needed.

Answer 9

Have you had hearing tests done? This may be a cause. I don't feel that the two languages effect them at thtat age. They are like sponges and soak in everyhting! I used to be a daycare teacher in a bilingual school with 2 year olds, We spoke Eng. and Spanish and the ones that only spoke English or vice versa when they enrolled learned both meanings! Good Luck.

Answer 10

Yes, it is abnormal for her not to be making sounds and no your parents speaking italian and you speaking english does not have an effect on this situation.
I would get her hearing checked first, does she seem to respond to music or people talking to her? If her hearing does turn out to be fine, I would say take her to the Dr. for a check up and just talk, talk, and talk some more to her. She will come around sooner or later! Good Luck!