16 Month Old Doesn't Talk...

My daughter is almost 21 months old and also is not interested in talking she says a lot of words but does not use them all the time. They learn at their own pace, I just started her in daycare one day a week to have her around other children to see if that helps. Good luck!!

I haven't had this problem personally, however, I have read several articles that suggested teaching sign language could delay actual speech as the little ones simply don't have a "need" to say anything. I'm sure he'll come around eventually. :)

I know its hard not to worry when its about your own child, but my oldest son who is going to be five soon didn't talk until he was 2 1/2 and that was momma, dadda, car, truck, simple stuff like that. All children are different. My friends little girl, just turned 2 and she isn't talking at all, i have another friend who has a 22 mo old boy who doesn't talk. I would really try not to worry about it. He is still ONLY 16 mo. There is nothing that you can do. I have learned that if a child has had a lot of ear infections that that can affect there speech, only because everything they hear when they have an ear infection sound distorted like you are under water. Have you tried sign language? We teach our kids when they are toddlers sign language so that they can still communicate with us. we have had three kids and they all learned sign language at about 15 mo. When my daughter was little she signed all the time. It was great cause she couldn't talk but she could tell me what she wants. There is a great book called Idiots Guide to Baby Sign language. It talks about why you should teach your children to sign, how it can help them relieve stress cause they can communicate with you, all sorts of great stuff. The signs that are in the book are totally easy and only stuff that a toddler would use. Other then that all i can say is that all kids develop differently but they will all catch up to each other. I hope this helps you. Have a great day and God Bless!!

Perhaps it's a speech delay. My now 7 year old started speech therapy at about 2 years old because he had a speech delay and he wasn't delayed in anything else. Still today he goes to speech therapy and he's one of the brighest kids in his class so it's just a speech thing for him. Talk to your pediatrician about it or maybe consult with a speech pathologist.

Good luck!

We put our foster child into Early Intervention in Royal Oak Schools when she came to us at 17 months. They are wonderful and the improvement is remarkable. She was only saying a few words at that time. She was not around many other children in her previous foster home. Now, at 21 months she is a non stop talker. I can only understand a few words out of her run-on sentence babble, but she is talking! She is able to say a lot of single words, some combined words (oatmeal juice is her favorite thing to say). Early Intervention is a program that is run through your school district. I can give you the phone number for the Oakland County contact.

We also did Baby Signing Time DVD's everyday. She loved it and I think it has helped a lot. She enjoyed the songs and music and seeing the other children do the signs. She took to signing really well. The pediatrician and the ladies at Early Intervention thought it was a good idea and everyday wasn't too much if she was interested in it.

Blessings,
A.

Hi L.,
I have an almost 5 year old boy and a 27 month old. My oldest, looking back, talked very early. I could understand everything he said at about 15 months. My youngest I am now, at 27 months, able to understand most of what he is saying. Other people have a really hard time understanding. At his 2 year check up our ped. said that we should have him evaluated by a speech therapist. I didn't really agree with her. Like your son, mine understood everything that was said to him and was very smart. He was also starting to potty train at 20 months. I told my ped. that I would start working with him one on one. He doesn't get a whole lot of that with a sibling plus I watch 3 other kids during the week. Now 3 months later he is doing a lot better. He is talking a lot more. I have him ask me for a drink or whatever he needs. We look at picture books where he tells me what the picture is. He still is a pretty quiet child though and I think that when he had something to say he would say it. Go with what you feel. I wouldn't worry about it but if you feel there may be something wrong talk to your ped. Good luck.
Chris

I would bet you almost anything your 16 month old does communicate and you understand it. First suggestion make sure the older children are not diong the talking and taking care of their sibling. When my daughter was about that age, the role in the house changed and I went to work while their dad stayed home. My daughter stopped talking, because her brother got things for her and dad understood the pointing and eh eh. She was in speach therapy at 5 in preschool and caught up, but now at 8 is back in it at school. Pay attention to what the 16 month old is doing when he/she wants something and then remind them to use words, it will take a while, but I bet if Mason is as smart as you think you will see an improvement. The entire house hold needs to be in on this and not just get things.

L.,
gosh i remember that worry. My son did not speak hardly anything until about 22 months. It worried me because it seemed like everyone elses kid was already putting 2 words together and mine hardly spoke one. Even once he reached 22 months and started to talk it was a slow progression until he hit about closer to 3 (until then it was getting better, more words but would've like to hear more) then once he turned 3 we couldn't get him to shut up. Now he's 3 1/2 and is talking very very well. He's now telling jokes and making us crack up. I think he was just observing, but i found the older he got and the less he spoke it caused more frustration for him beacuse he wanted so badly to tell us things but we simply did not understand him. Just keep talking to your child and give him lots of choices to encourage talking. He'll be fine. His brother probably talks enough for the both of them :)

having 3 kids myself, 1 girl and 2 boys, I know for a fact that all kids are different... :-)
I was a shy 2nd child and my older sister was my "mouth" for years.
My 2nd COULD speak, but didn't... He'd say a word then not say it.... But now that he's 3 1/2 he is speaking in full sentances. He's only been doing that in about the last 6 months...
Our 3rd is a year old, so we'll see....
Our ped. dr told us that boys are more activity focused while girls are more verbal focused...
And yes, when I see the 2 yr old boys running around in the store talking like they jsut graduated from harvard I also have those doubts of "is something wrong?" Just listen to your mommy sense and if you are still worried about it ask your dr...
More than likely he will walk up to you one day and just floor you with full and clear sentances...
Good luck.

My friends daughter doesn't talk either. She is about 16 months as well. I think that you already said this but as long as he is using nonverbal comunication. I would just keep an eye on his social development and try not to worry.
Blessings, K.

I have five kids and my youngest will be 2 in a week. She is fully potty trained, runs around like a little crazy person. She can follow any command, and she say's only a few words, I really mean, a few words! She loves the word no! I have had early talkers and late ones. Your son follows directions well, so don't worry about it. You can teach him signs, or not. I have some that learned sign lang. and some that didn't. They are all smart. I know a child that walked before mine, talked before mine, learned her colors and shaped before mine. Even wrote her name before mine. But my child read in preschool and the other child isn't there yet. Your son will be fine. I have heard people say that only if you weren't a good mom would you not worry. Give it up to God and he will take care of your worry. Good Luck!