Slow Speech in 21 Month Old???

T.,
I too have only one son -- and he is 20 months old and not talking yet - with the exception of mama/dada and sometimes nana. We are having him evaluated and starting therapy just just be on the safe side of the issue. I don't want him to behind when perhaps he is 2 years and having to play catch up. According to Baylor/ECI/Kid Care - they should know 10-20 words by 18-20 months; but like you said, no 2 kids are alike - and kids definitely develop at their own speed. There are lot of issues surrounding this on here at mamasource, so do some looking and I am sure you will see much the same advice -- it does not hurt to start early intervention now with speech and language help. At the very worse, you start therapy and you have to stop b/c he starts talking. Something I also have read previously and want you to know and try to consider as part of your decision whether to move forward, boys develop much later and sometimes slower than the average and there is something to be said about those kids that are born second to other brother/sisters that they have a chance to emulate one another - I talked at 12 months and knew my phonics at 18 months and walked at 18 - my son on the other had gross motor delay as well - and is not yet walking - although crawling up a storm and cruising too. B/C docs were concerned they ordered an MRI of his brain and spine at 12 months just to be certain nothing was neurologically wrong. And thank the Lord, everything was okay. So, all this to say, hang in there -- have your son tested if you are worried -- and know that it will likely all work out in the end just as it supposed to and as he is ready to do so. Good luck. Email me if I might be of any comfort to you during this time......I know first hand, how worried you can be with all this.....
K.

My son barely talked at 24 months, but now he talks up a storm at age 3. Boys are slower to talk than girls--they seem to concentrate more on the physical. Don't worry about it so soon!! :)

Don't worry. Boys especially can be "lazy" about talking, especially if you and your husband anticipate his needs. . . my son didn't really start talking until well after his 2nd birthday and then he just started spitting out sentences! He's even reading all of his letters and numbers now (he's just 28 months now). We were concerned as well, but were told to relax - that he was fine.
They will talk when they are ready. Encourage him with "use your words" when he wants or asks for something instead of letting him point or grunt (as mine did :) ) Good luck and don't worry.

T.,
PLEASE don't feel bad. My son is 22 months and barely talks either. He says up, cookie,thank you and that is pretty much it. He also have said once or twice(baby, cracker, bye bye)

He doesn't say mama or dada. I know boys are slower than girls. my son started walking at about 11 months.

I am waiting for ECI to call for an appt. My son got tubes in his ears at 13 months so I don't know if that has anything to do w/it.

I would definitely suggest ECI. Good Luck and be patient.

M.

My son, who is now 3 and talks up a storm didn't really say much at 18 months. At that point, I contacted ECI to have him evaluated. They eased my worries and offered me the following advice which jumpstarted him into talking. It seems really simple - they said to "not do things for him, but to get him involved in each decision." For example, if it is milk time, ask him if he would like some milk and then offer him two responses. Then, offer him two different cups - "would you like the blue cup or the red cup." At first, my son just pointed and said yes/no. But after a few weeks, he started responding verbally. Basically, they said to offer him two choices for everything I did for him (clothing, drinks, snacks, etc.). Hope this helps. Good luck!

I am having the same concern in my 17 month old son. He just barely started saying "mama" but not directed at anyone... he also says "Dada" but not directed at anyone. However, he says "Hi" really enthusiastically and at the appropriate times.

I talked to his pediatrician on Monday, and after treating the fluid that's behind his ears currently due to his cold, she'll have to reassess him. It might be he has fluid constantly that is not easily viewable during his regular exams, and therefore making sounds that he hears "muffled"... because he mimics the "sounds" of words but doesn't "say" them. If that makes sense... he makes the sound of "thank you" but doesn't actually say it. Perhaps that's how he hears it.

My son's father's other son had this problem when he was 2 and they put tubes in his ears then he was able to start talking... but they also put him in speech therapy.

Check with your pediatrician... good luck!