Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Needlman
A 17 Month Boy With Few Words | | | QUESTION | | | | My 17 month old son only says a few words (although he babbles all day). At this age, his older sister had an extensive vocabulary- should I be concerned? — Beth in Alexandria, Virginia | | | ANSWER |
June 8, 2000 | | | There is a wide range of normal for the development of speech. Boys typically are slower than girls. A 17-month-old who only has about 10 words in total is actually in the range of normal, according to most authorities.
Children who are temperamentally active may put most of their energies into exploring physically. As long as they can make their needs known, they don't seem to feel any pressure to develop large vocabularies. Most of these children catch up during their third year, and by 3 or 4 are talking normally.
In answering your question, it is important to assess your son's understanding of language. Most young children understand more than they can express. A toddler who understands well for his age is likely to be fine, even if his expressive speech is slow to come in. A toddler who does not understand well has more of a chance of having a problem.
At 7 months, your son should be able to follow a one-step command without your pointing ("Get a diaper" for example); he should know a few body parts (eyes, nose); and he should be able to point to a few pictures in familiar books.
If you are concerned about his ability to understand, by all means consult with his doctor.
Occasionally speech problems are a sign of hearing loss, or other conditions where early treatment helps. The only good way to be sure about hearing is to have it tested. Children who have fairly severe hearing problems can often respond to noises, or pay attention to lip movements, so that it is really impossible for parents to assess hearing.
Again, I would only be concerned if a toddler's speech and understanding were both delayed. I wouldn't worry at all about a 17 month old boy with a few words, who seems to understand what you say to him, and who likes to make up babble-words.
— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
