What age for first proper words?

S

starbucks2

Registered User
Hi

My 18 month old has not shown any interest in talking as yet. I hear that boys are often slower anyway but am a little concerned.

What age did your child use first proper words - not just babbling or mamamama / dadadada noises?

How can I encourage him to use words?

Thanks
SB2
 
My daughter who is turning 18 months tomorrow, started saying her first words besides Mama and Daddy when she was around 13- 14 months old. Her first proper words were apple, egg, car, hot, up, down, dog, sheep, ball, toast etc etc. Now she can say about 50+ words today she used a new word Hotdog. I talk to her a lot, emphasizing key words in the conversation. For instance I tell her everything thats in the plate for dinner and when we go to supermarket I point out everything there and when we are reading a book i point to the objects and tell her what they are. If she makes a sound which is similar to a particular word then I emphasize on it again and again.
I have heard from many friends that boys start speaking a little later than girls.
 
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Hi SB2 I don't think you need to be too concerned as I think children this age understand a lot more than they say. My son started talking (cat, car) at about 10mths/12 mths, and now at 20 months has quite a wide vocabulary, including numbers, English/Chinese/Tagalog words and short phrases. I think it's just down to personality - I am sure they understand a lot more than they say and, as Geomum says, just keep talking to him about everything around. If he babbles a word, just repeat it so it sounds like a proper word.

And I'm sure that before long, you won't be able to get a word in edgeways! Just wait till they learn the word "no"... Good luck!
 
I read somewhere that Einstein did not start talking until he was around 4 years old! So there. :)

Please know that each child has his/her own unique developmental pace. Keep talking with him (i.e., allow for conversational turns), reading to him.
 
Buckeroo said:
I read somewhere that Einstein did not start talking until he was around 4 years old! So there. :)

Please know that each child has his/her own unique developmental pace. Keep talking with him (i.e., allow for conversational turns), reading to him.
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Thats true but it definitely gets much easier once they can communicate through simple words. I think instead of lengthy conversations simple sentences/ phrases are much easier to understand/ follow for an 18 month old. Also my daughter feels a great sense of accomplishment when she learns a new word :)
 
It's quite normal for boys to be 'late bloomers' and especially if it's your first child. Mine was late in just about everything - walking, talking, toilet training etc.

At some baby clinics, they will ask whether your child can say 20 words at around 18months. But not to worry if they can't - they might perform a hearing test just to make sure everything is ok and then follow up at 2yrs old to see if he has made any progress. I think he's fine just as long as he can understand and start to follow instructions.

I think my son was about 2 years old when he started using single words, and didn't start stringing together simple sentences until 3 years old. He's made a lot of progress in the past year since starting school and now using more complex sentences. As mentioned above, once he starts he won't stop and will probably repeat things 100 times!
 
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