How to get my 18 month old to talk/babble more

[ClaireC91 10]

Hi. My DD2 is 18 months old and doesn't seem to make that many sounds... And I meet lots of babies younger whom seem to say a hell of a lot more than her. I'm starting to get worried as she goes to nursery full time and I can see a big difference. She isn't deaf as can hear&responds to me. But she has been taught signing but won't do it with me at home. I sing to her. We read every night to her. We have books that makes noises. I'm just starting to feel like a failure.

 

Any ideas?

[mrseggy 10]

Hi, You say she can hear but has she had a proper hearing test? i ask because my little boys speech is significantly delayed, i would to thought there was nothing wrong with his hearing, however further investigations revealed he had awful glue ear which had caused a severe hearing loss in both ears . He had grommets fitted last july and the difference is fantastic, tho his speech is still delayed the progress he has made has been amazing.

 

Tho in saying all of the above she is still only 18mths old still so very young, kids develop at their own level, i personally wouldnt be worried just yet, do speak to either your GP or HV about your concerns. Oh and your far from being a failure youre doing everything right!!

[ClaireC91 10]

She has had glue ear a few times. I've spoken to gp&health visitors whom dismiss it and say she will talk when ready. But her older sister does most of the talking for her! I think I worry more as I'm not with her dad. And he slates me for the tinest thing and the latest is she doesn't talk enough. And then his family who work for the nhs tend to say I'm doing things wrong. And I'm rushing her to grow up to quick..

[mrseggy 10]

I would defo want her ears checking properly if she's had it before, sound like your having a hard time with family, think i would just nod my head in the right places, and then do as i thought best!, they all sound very unsupportive!! honestly you sound like your doing everything perfectly and trust me i would certainly say so if i didnt think you were .

 

---------- Post added 24-01-2013 at 22:14 ----------

 

Actually my eldest spoke for my youngest daughter alot to, try and get you elder daughter to give her little sister a chance ..........easy said tho isnt it?.

[ClaireC91 10]

Thankyou. I get support from my family. But its hard at 21 trying to be strong and not let things affect me. I have started to ignore there comments and think no matter what I do or say I'll never be there ideal parent to her. She's a happy smily girl. My eldest thinks she's helping by doing so much which she is but doesn't get that lo needs her chance. My eldest is more grown up than 5 as she reckons she's 21 as we have girls night and that.

[mrseggy 10]

Being a mother at any age is never an easy task, but the fact that you have people pulling you down is really not on!. Honestly just let whatever they say go straight over your head, filter what advice they dish if its actuallly any good, but continue to do things yours way!!.

[pottedplant 10]

She has had glue ear a few times. I've spoken to gp&health visitors whom dismiss it and say she will talk when ready. But her older sister does most of the talking for her! I think I worry more as I'm not with her dad. And he slates me for the tinest thing and the latest is she doesn't talk enough. And then his family who work for the nhs tend to say I'm doing things wrong. And I'm rushing her to grow up to quick..

 

Is this the guy who isn't paying you any maintenance and hasn't seen his daughter for a year? If so his opinion is pretty much worthless to be honest - as is that of his family if they can criticise you but not their son.

[ClaireC91 10]

Yes same guy... I know she seems happy and content with how she talks&comunicates. Jusyt feel like dd1 spoke a lot more.

His family reckon I'm the evil one as they supervise his 4hour contact and she doenst like to go so apparently I've twisted her mind..

As all she does there is ask for 'momom' and they don't like it

[pottedplant 10]

Yes same guy... I know she seems happy and content with how she talks&comunicates. Jusyt feel like dd1 spoke a lot more.

His family reckon I'm the evil one as they supervise his 4hour contact and she doenst like to go so apparently I've twisted her mind..

As all she does there is ask for 'momom' and they don't like it

 

DD1 probably did - but that's the way with kids (I have 4!).

 

And you know what I really would try and disregard what the other family say if you can. You sound caring , very mature and trying to do the right thing. Are they?

[mrseggy 10]

Having read the other thread, i dont see why you even think his or his families opinions even matter!! he's been done previously for child abuse, his family have obviously stood by him and yet they see if fit to make YOU feel like a failure!! how on god's earth dare they!! IGNORE! anything they have to say, period!. Keep doing as you are and avoid them as much as you physically can!.

[doodle 10]

My friend's youngest daughter had delayed speech, for no reason. She did it in her own time and now talks like any other child. At 18 months my youngest daughter wasn't really saying too much either and she suddenly just started saying more and more. I do think younger children start a bit later when it comes to talking as their older sibling talks a lot for them! Please don't worry just yet, I don't think you need to worry until they are just over 2 years old when it comes to starting to talk.

[medusa 16]

I think it's worth having a check up on his ears and his hearing too. My stepson was delayed in all sorts of things including speech, caused by a combination of being a boy, being born premature, being a twin and being born with a cleft palate, but it wasn't until his dreadful glue ear and consequent hearing loss were diagnosed and treated that he started going in the right direction, just before his third birthday.

 

He literally went from grunts and random noises to recognisable words within a week of the operation and was speaking in sentences a couple of weeks afterwards.

 

What I'd like you to remember though, is that all children are different and develop on their own timescale. Your little one is only 18 months old, which is a big difference to my stepson who was nearly 3.

 

One of my friends has a little boy who toilet trained himself before the age of 2 and was out of nappies even at night time before he was 3, but he was almost a year old before he had any teeth at all. Another friend has a little boy who was born with 8 teeth. Both are normal, both are fine