Quiet Baby..

[Crysi]

So Lochy is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to July birthday's (born July 30). But he only says "uh oh" and "what's that?" and "Mommy" when he's angry/upset. He is such a point and get kid and when I try to hold out until he says "more" he just walks away.

Anyone else have a very untalkative baby? He is in daycare with two older babies, one talks a lot and the other is still very quiet. I was hoping he would pick it up from them?

[Crysi]

He has his own way of communicating. I always know exactly what he wants. I just have his pediatrician down my throat about his lack of speech. I think she sometimes sees me as a dumb young mom (I'm 21).

I read to him every night and label everything, as a single Mom I have always talked to him a lot for company as well as explaining what's going on. I'm pushing the holding out on stuff but he honestly just walks away. He doesn't care at all.

He is where he "should" be on everything else, it's just his speech. I know lots of kids who talked "late" and now never shut up so I have no doubt he will talk when he wants to. If it wasn't for his pediatrician I wouldn't care at all. I just want to be able to say I've tried the best I can when I see her again.

Thanks for sharing your suggestions/stories. Definitely reassures me.

[jenkaye21]

Cooper was born the same day as Lochlyn and really doesn't say *anything* consistently except Dada and Uh-oh (which his doc says in NOT a word) :(
I read to Cooper every day, and name things for him, etc.  But he is the youngest of 4 and I think that has a lot to do with his "late" talking.
My third child, also a boy, barely spoke until age 2 1/2, although he communicated with us just fine in other ways.  His doctor was pretty concerned, but once he started.....wow!!! He is now almost five and wayy beyond most of his peers who are attending preschool (he is not) in language, letter recongnition/sounds, etc.  Anyway, I just wanted to agree w/ zazou: "speech delay often has nothing to do with intelligence" :)  

[zazou]

Medina has an understandable vocabulary of around 15-20 words (in German, Arabic and one English word). She labels some things in her own language but some are similar to the word of origin.

I started Medina on books very very early, so that is something I would recommend. We are a trilingual pair but Medina is growing up bilingual at the moment, which can delay speech.

Holding out is a good thing, that's something I would recommend. My husband's nephew starting speaking at around 3, before that we (my husband and I) couldn't understand much of what he said, he spoke in his own language and then one day, he starting talking. It is difficult but try and not to compare with other toddlers, every child is unique and develops at a different pace.

Oh and by the way, my Doctor of 25 years has two adult sons. Both started speaking at around the age of 3-4. One of them is a surgeon and the other a pharmacist. Speech delay often has nothing to do with intelligence.

[kaprovea]

Joel actually talks a lot adn labels things constantly .. Something I would do is continue holding out until he asks for more and if he walks away then he just doesn't get it .. Also label things constantly with him .. I also read to Joel a lot and he has a lot of label books like things that go and colors and animal books.

Just some suggestions.  I don't think this is unusual though.