The weird thing is, he said his first words months earlier than the girls did at only 9 months whereas both my girls were around 14 months! \u00a0I wouldn’t consider him delayed (yet) because he is meeting all the other milestones for language development like understanding what I have to say, easily following one- and often even two-step directions and pointing to pictures in books when prompted. \u00a0And he does often try to repeat words he hears, they just don’t become part of his regular vocabulary.<\/p>\n
And even as the doctor discussed the possibility of needing to look into it more in a few months if things don’t progress, he gave me hope by (more than once) stating that oftentimes “Einstein type” children are slower on language development than their peers. \u00a0And this is what I’ve been feeling too. \u00a0He is achieving cognitive and motor skills that the girls didn’t do until much later. \u00a0And he often sits, watching people and things taking it all in. \u00a0It’s like his brain is just processing everything else in the world instead of trying to formulate speech.<\/p>\n
I’m trying to stay optimistic about it because my gut tells me there really is nothing wrong that is going to cause long-term problems but our days are hard because of his lack of ability to communicate. \u00a0He often ends up in screaming, crying fits of rage when he doesn’t get what he wants and no matter how calmly I talk to him, he can’t tell me what is wrong (thought I usually I know, and it’s usually about food). \u00a0He also makes a lot of “mmm” sounds (with a raised inflection at the end, like a question) if you ask him what something is in a book or he is trying to show you something new.<\/p>\n
I try to talk to him normally, as I do the girls. \u00a0I point out lots of things during our day “Doodle, do you see the black bird?” and we’ve been reading a lot more. \u00a0I try to decode what he is telling me which is not always easy with his single syllables that often sound the same!<\/p>\n
But he is\u00a0starting<\/em> to try to put two words together usually saying one word, pausing then adding another with a nod to make sure I understand “Dada…bye bye?” \u00a0And he does say\u00a0some<\/em> two-syllable words like his sister’s names and lizard (“li-ler”). \u00a0He also participates in conversation pretty well. \u00a0If we ask the girls who wants milk with dinner, he’ll throw his hands up and shout “Meeeee!” and he asserts himself by saying “no!” and “mine” and proclaiming “Dude!” when he wants to do something himself (we’re working more on referring to him by his name!)<\/p>\n So I’m not\u00a0really<\/em> worried, yet. \u00a0But I am keeping a close eye and ear on his progress and hoping for small changes each day!<\/p>\n Want to check up on your child’s early language development? \u00a0Download my\u00a0language development\u00a0in the first year chart.<\/p>\n
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