14 Months and not saying any words.. is this normal?

Question

My son can mimic words and he understands a lot, but he can never just see a dog and say "dog". Is this abnormal?

Answer 1

Nope, each baby develops at his/her own pace, but please talk with your pediatrician about your concerns. Here is an article I found from Baby Center.

When and how it develops
Even before your baby knew the meaning of the words you used, he picked up on the emotions behind them (such as love, concern, anxiety, and anger). By the time he was 4 months old, he recognized his own name, and by 8 to 12 months he understood and could respond to simple requests such as "No" or "Don't touch." The older he gets, the more detailed his understanding of language becomes. Here are some of the developmental highlights you can look forward to in this area during the toddler years:

12 to 18 months
Your toddler may not be saying much yet, but his ears are wide open and he's eagerly absorbing all kinds of information. He's starting to comprehend the world he lives in: When you name a common household object, such as a chair or a ball, he'll show that he knows what you're talking about by looking at it or pointing to it. You can help him by labeling things as you talk to him; he may be particularly interested in names for things he sees and uses everyday, like "spoon" and "car." And many toddlers love to learn the names of different animals and the sounds they make. When he hears "duck" he immediately thinks "quack." He's also learning his own body parts; though he may not be able to name them all yet, he'll know what you're referring to when you say "nose" and point to his nose. Build on this by playing naming games with body parts: "Where is your nose? Oh, there it is!"

By 18 months, your toddler may be speaking only a few words — five is typical — but he'll understand about 50. And he'll be able to understand and begin to follow your directions even if they involve two separate actions. For example, he'll understand "Pick up those building blocks and put them in the toy chest."

19 to 24 Months
By now, your child can understand simple questions such as "Do you want more milk?" Though he may only be using 50 to 75 words, he actually understands as many as 200 of them and is capable of paying attention to what you say. Around this time he'll start showing off his knowledge by putting together simple sentences. These sentences will likely consist of a noun and a verb and be directly related to his life, like "Dog bark" or "Go car."

When you're reading a picture book to your child, ask him to point out particular items. You'll be pleasantly surprised when he can pick out a cow or a duck. Though he may not use the word in his own speech, he knows what it is.

Your child is also beginning to understand that his wants may not necessarily converge with yours. When you disagree with him — perhaps over which toy you want to play with during your afternoon play session — he'll understand that you may have a different favorite toy than he does. He may start to feel possessive of his favorites, letting you know which toys he thinks are "his." He'll also try to assert himself — folding his arms resolutely under his armpits when you want him to hold your hand, for example.

25 to 30 months
Between ages 2 and 3, your child develops a pretty good understanding of language. Development experts say most 2-year-olds understand at least 200 to 300 words and add as many as 10 new ones to their vocabulary every day. By now, your child may also be able to understand and respond to who, where, and what questions. If you ask him, "Who loves you?" for example, he'll probably point to you or say "Mommy" or "Daddy."

31 to 36 months
By the time he's 3, the vocabulary your child understands will be quite extensive, numbering as many as 900 words. Of these, he'll use about 300 regularly. It's not just quantity, though. His vocabulary is increasing in quality, too. He's beginning to truly understand adjectives, such as dirty and clean. He's also expanding his grasp of common verbs, such as walk, run, or play, and prepositions such as over, under, and behind. Ask him to sort pictures of objects into categories and he'll be able to put the toys in one pile, the clothes in another, and so on.

When to be concerned
If by the age 3 your child seems to have trouble understanding the simplest directions and suggestions, or if a period of three to six months passes where his communication skills don't progress at all, talk to his doctor. Also consider consulting his pediatrician if others can't understand him most of the time or if he's still dependent on physical gestures to communicate (like pointing to the cookie jar instead of asking for a cookie). For a more detailed discussion of when to worry, see our warning signs of a language delay.

What comes next
The number of words your child can understand and say will continue to grow rapidly. By the time he reaches age 4, he'll understand about 1,200 words, 800 of which he'll use in everyday conversation. By the age of 6, most children have a vocabulary of nearly 13,000 words. In the next few years, he'll begin to comprehend ever more intricate constructions such as complex commands and sentences that link past, present, and future events.

Here is the milestone chart for babies 13-18 months
http://www.babycenter.com/0_milestone-chart-13-to-18-months_1496589.bc

Answer 2

*lol* I have this argument with my mom all the time. My son babbles a lot sometimes but even though he often makes noises that SOUND LIKE words that doesn't mean he is using those words. Like if he walks around for 5 days making a noise that sounds like "golf" and once or twice does it when daddy is actually practicing golf that doesn't mean he says the word golf.,

Also my son will use a word for 2-3 days and then never again. For a few days he would say "fish" when seeing a fish -then nothing. The for a week he played peek-a-boo with his toys (saying "a-boo") and then never again. *lol*.

Anyway you might be surprised what the milestones are for that age. I know I was. I thought at one they should be saying 20-30 words. It's not from 12-17 months they are supposed to say TWO or THREE words =)) Big difference -and remember that's by the end of the timeline, not the start.

Here is a list adapted from the AAP:
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp#mychild
Here is a checklist that you can follow to determine if your child's speech and language skills are developing on schedule. You should talk to your child's doctor about anything that is checked "no."
12 - 17 months Yes No
Attends to a book or toy for about two minutes.
Follows simple directions accompanied by gestures.
Answers simple questions nonverbally.
Points to objects, pictures, and family members.
Says two to three words to label a person or object (pronunciation may not be clear).
Tries to imitate simple words.

http://www.blankees.com/baby/speech/lan04.htm

Answer 3

Well, most kids have a vocabulary of at least a few words by now. Can he say Mama/Dada (not just babbling it, but to name you appropriately)? If so, I really wouldn't worry at all. And if not, I still wouldn't really worry until he's 18 months. If he's not using any words appropriately by then (such as saying Mama for you, dog when he sees a dog, etc.), then you might want to get him evaluated just to be safe. But really, you haven't mentioned anything that's a real cause for concern yet. Try not to worry too much, make sure the TV isn't on very often (if at all), read to him, talk to him (make sure to pause and listen, so he has a chance to respond), look him in the eye when speaking to him and when he speaks to you, and label EVERYTHING in his environment!

Answer 4

Every child learns at their own rate. I had one who was literally talking in sentences before she was one year old (her first word was "the horses went bye-bye"), and another who didn't say a thing until he was 2 1/2. Both graduated valedictorian in their classes. I have a grandson who didn's start talking until he was almost four. Instead, since his father has a hearing impairment, he signed everything.

If he is understanding words, then he is fine. He just has not decided that he needs or wants to talk. At 14 months, that is normal. If he is mimicing sounds, then his hearing is probably fine also.

Give him another six months before you begin to worry.

Believe me, within a year you will be wondering why you were in such a hurry for him to talk ...especially when he starts the "shy" stage.

Answer 5

Your son is doing fine. The fact that he is trying to mimic words he hears is a sign that he's trying to make words. I too was concerned about my son. My son was born with microtia, a medical condition in which he has a "small" ear numb on the left side and no ear canal. Since birth I had been worried about his speech. Will he develop ok? 2 weeks ago I had him evaluated by Early Intervention for my own sake. I was driving myself crazy thinking that he wasn't saying "words." He says mama, dada, up, down, all done and I thought he was behind. It was at that evaluation that I learned what their "words" really are. They are sounds that they make consistently for something. IE instead of dog my son says "oof-oof". My son was big on animal sounds at the beginning of this month he can moo, neigh, oof, tweet. Now at the end of the month approaching 15 months he's saying bye bye, hi, up, down, bathtime(not clear but clear enough for mommy/daddy to understand), all done, get it, mama, dada, uh oh. Don't worry about your son he will be just fine. Just continue labeling things he points to, be verbal about every little thing..sing songs, dance, read books. Good Luck and you are doing a great job!

Answer 6

I've come to the conclusion that every child learns at their own pace. All you can do is encourage them. Read to them, talk to them. Help them learn. My son is 14 months old as well. He only says doggy, daddy, hot, hi, eye (which also sounds like hi, lol), and I'll get the very rare "mama". He comprehends a lot. I can ask him to bring me his cup by saying "more?" and he'll bring me his cup for more to drink, etc. Some kids dont say a lot until they're a little older then they just have a language explosion.

Answer 7

Sweetheart the baby is only 14 months thats only 1 year and 2 months. Be happy he's saying something some kids aren't even talking at that age. Its normal. Trust.

Answer 8

This is not abnormal. Our oldest son was 3 when our younger one began talking at 1 year.
My sister kept hinting that "maybe there was something wrong" with our oldest. He had a 4.17 GPA in HS, has a BS in Philosophy from UCBerkeley and is now studying law.

The younger son, a blabbermouth from age one, is now a very quiet computer genius!

Go figure!

Answer 9

I can't say for sure. My now very verbal kids seemed to speak late compared to others their ages, but like someone else said, they all learn at their own pace.

But I would encourage you to talk to your child's pediatrician if you're concerned. The doctor can either put your concerns to rest, or direct you to where to seek further help if it is necessary. Either way, you are taking a proactive stance and helping yourself feel better!

Answer 10

according to our doctor visit at 15 months. Our daughter should have 3 words in her vocabulary. She did... baba, dada and mama. She is 17 months now and she is identifying everything. We are working on animal sounds now. So, dont worry. Children develop at their own pace.

Answer 11

Don't worry. Still there is enough time to start talking. The children repeat the words they have heard. That repetition helps them to begin speaking.