Parents of one year olds - is your DC using words in a consistent manner?

[arivecchi]

DS2 is 14 months old and he now uses about 8 words. However, he uses them randomly. For example, he can say mama, but he does not always use it when he wants my attention. When did your DC start using words consistently?

[BabyMine]

TT is 19 months and has about 8 words that he always uses correctly. He also signs 4 words. He is iffy on mommy/mama. He likes to call me dada/daddy. I get more of the dada/daddy than mama/mommy.
He knows:

-kitty
-ball
-dog
-up
-down
-hello
-bye bye
-car

Signs

-please
-thank you
-hungry/food
-more

[mecawa]

DD2 (15 mo. friday) just started using the words she says correctly/consistently. She has about 8-10 of them and she has others that are kind of random.

She uses consistently
dada
mama
DD1's name
bird
bear
pup
cup
banana
ball
Baa (when she sees sheep or you talk about sheep)

[arivecchi]

So I need not worry about this then? DH thought DS1 talked more at this age but I am not so sure.

[wellyes]

However, he uses them randomly. For example, he can say mama, but he does not always use it when he wants my attention.

It sounds like he uses the words appropriately, just not consistently. That sonds like my DD at that age. Didn't really get consistent word use until 18-20 months.

I also think signs are easier than verbal words - my DD got the sign for "more" way earlier than she was able to say anything. As long as he's communicating, you're golden.

[arivecchi]

It sounds like he uses the words appropriately, just not consistently. You are exactly right. The one he does use consistently is uh-oh because he is constantly getting in trouble. :)

[sewarsh]

My DS is 18 months. started talking at about 15 months. he has a really large vocabulary in my book - i'd say at least 30 words and just started using 2 words together as soon as he turned 18 months.

My doctor told us some kids are walkers and some kids are talkers. my son is definately a talker. just started walking at 18 months! all kids are different. sounds like your kid is on track.

[JBaxter]

Jack does
thank you ( dee doo )
bye bye
pepper (0ur dog)
shoe
bobo ( boobie when wanting to nurse)

signs - More, please, all done horse diaper water and leaf

OH he also sings itsy bitsy spider

[mommylamb]

I think he sounds right on schedule. DS only had a handful of words at his 15 month appointment (like maybe 4 or 5 tops) and I was worried, but by 18 months he had a lot of words and by 2 he could count to 10, knew all his letters, and spoke in full sentences.

[pb&j]

At age 1, DS had about 4-5 words, all used correctly.

DD is 16 mos and has a lot of words (maybe 15-20?) that she uses correctly.

If it's not being used in the right context, I don't count it as a word.

However, DS did not say "mama," other than as a babbling sound, until he was over 18mos, and DD hasn't said it yet, either. Both said "Dada" pretty early - so unfair!! ;)

[lmh2402]

DS will be one on friday and he has no words that i can discern at this time

i'm actually wondering if that is normal...

other than making a sort of "woof" sound whenever we talk about the dog, all his other babble is just that...babble

[BabyMine]

DS will be one on friday and he has no words that i can discern at this time

i'm actually wondering if that is normal...

other than making a sort of "woof" sound whenever we talk about the dog, all his other babble is just that...babble

Babble is good. It sounds normal to me but if your concerned talk to your Ped. All children hit milestones differently. PP was correct in stating that some children are walkers and some are talkers.

[lmh2402]

Babble is good. It sounds normal to me but if your concerned talk to your Ped. All children hit milestones differently. PP was correct in stating that some children are walkers and some are talkers.

at the moment, DS doesn't seem close to doing either

even trying to get him to walk...he will take a few steps holding our hands...and then jelly-legs, so he can drop and speed-crawl off

our one year appt is next fri, so i'll talk with her then

thanks

[karstmama]

my son didn't walk til he was 2 & didn't talk more than the word 'oo-ah-dah' (water) til he was 27 months. he's 39 months now & just starting to use sentences he didn't get from another source (like a book or 'elmo' or something i just said).

he's definitely delayed, but it's a data point for you...

[legaleagle]

The ped's checklist for the 15 month appointment just asked whether he used 3-5 words. Apparently any word used correctly counts, even if you only here it one or two times. Try not to worry!

[JoyNChrist]

My doctor told us some kids are walkers and some kids are talkers. my son is definately a talker. just started walking at 18 months! all kids are different. sounds like your kid is on track.

This. DS was speaking short sentences (I see dog, we go bye-bye, etc) at his first birthday party (yes, really), but our nephew who was born a week after him had no understandable words at that point. But DS was just tentatively walking, while DN was running all over the place. Now, at 3, they're pretty much on the same level with everything...DS might be a bit more verbal, but not much.

I think all kids are just different. If it worries you I might bring it up with the ped, but I wouldn't be overly concerned at this point. My cousin's son is 27 months with only maybe 5 words, and the ped just started talking about having him evaluated.

[AnnieW625]

Elisa knew about 6 words at that age. She knew mama, dada, hi, dog, bye, and cow. Sometimes she'd call a cow a dog, but other than that I didn't worry too much and I tried not to compare her to other kids who we knew who could tell you their names, and their whole life story at that age. Kids mature speech wise at soo many different times between 1 and 2. Our clinic/insurance (Kaiser) said that at 2 most kids can easily say 20 words, when DD couldn't do this then we looked into speech therapy. I wouldn't do it before then unless your ped. thinks it's an issue and honestly I'd still hold off.

ETA:
DS will be one on friday and he has no words that i can discern at this time

i'm actually wondering if that is normal...

other than making a sort of "woof" sound whenever we talk about the dog, all his other babble is just that...babble

I personally think that is normal. I wouldn't worry (but then I do have a pretty open mind about things and purposely don't read child rearing books or stress out about finding answers for things on the internet or comparing to other kids).

[lchang25000]

My doctor told us some kids are walkers and some kids are talkers. my son is definately a talker. just started walking at 18 months! all kids are different. sounds like your kid is on track.

Glad to hear that. DS started walking at 9.5 months but has not had any real consistent words yet though he does say "mam" and "dad" sometimes. Not sure if he knows what they mean since sometimes he says it at random times. He does babble A LOT and understands almost everything we say. He is 14.5 months.

[maestramommy]

By 14 months, no words at all. I think Arwyn had one word (flower) by 18 months that she used consistently. And maybe "yah!"

I know my kids are delayed, but your DS sounds typical, or at least within range.

[BeachBum]

DS will be one on friday and he has no words that i can discern at this time

i'm actually wondering if that is normal...

other than making a sort of "woof" sound whenever we talk about the dog, all his other babble is just that...babble

Our ped (and another one we used with our first DC) wanted 3 words at 12 months. They didn't have to sound just right, but they had to be used in the right way. So "gee gee" was DS word for kitty and he said it when he saw the kitty, so that counted. "woof" would count as a word for your DS.

I would give some thought to his receptive language (does he seem to understand things you say?)... and keep your ears open. He might be saying words that YOU don't recognize yet. For example my 14 mo old calls a sock an "ah ch" which obviously sounds nothing like sock. But he says it as he pulls them off, finds them on the floor etc. He definitely thinks he is saying sock.

[L'sMommy]

DS is 14 mo, and he says dada consistently. he says uh-oh throught the day because we say it to him a lot (because he's always doing stuff he shouldn't be doing). he says mama once in a blue moon. he knows the sign for milk and more (although the sign he uses for more isn't the official sign, but i know what he means when he's doing it). he will bring our shoes to us when he wants to go outside. he knows the name of our dog when we say it but he does not say it. He is probably a bit on the delayed end - there are a lot of delays on DHs side of the family. DH didn't talk until he was 4-5, but he's completely normal with a successful career so I try not to worry too much.