Speech development for an 18 month old girl

I have been a little concerned with one of my 5 grandchildren who is an 18 months old girl.  The two areas of concern are speech development and very little smiling.  I know one should not compare children, but it seems to me that her speech development is somewhat delayed.  She seems very smart otherwise, but her sounds are almost animal like and she doesn't seem to enunciate syllables.  In between the animal screeching, she may say "ball" very quickly and low or my daughter says she says, Ma Ma and Da Da.  But, I've never heard it.  It takes a lot to make her smile and other people in the family comment on this unique trait.  She does play with her cousins both older and younger.  It is parallel play but I've read that is common at that age.  Once in a while, she may laugh, but it takes a lot for her to do so.  She does establish eye contact and she does point.  However, when I ask her to do something, she acts as if she doesn't understand.  My other 10 month old grandson seems to verbalize much better than her and he also acts as if he understands when I talk and all my other granchildren are always laughing and smiling.  Not her.  Is there something wrong or is it too early to tell?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

It is too early to tell. If none of this changes for the better by the time she turns two years old, it would be wise for her parents to arrange an evaluation with a developmental pediatrician.