ADVICE: how to encourage communication skills in 14 month old

[Jubear]

Hi All,

Hoping you lovely ladies can provide me with suggestion on our to encourage my DS with his language skills. He will babble and say a few words but he won't repeat them when asked. He also dosen't say mum or dad to us or when seeing the next door neighbours baby he doesn't really give her attention. I think that might be because she is only 8 mths and we only see them when we are outside, which DS is really interesting in (like cars moving or dogs being walk, etc).

I'm a first time mum and just want to make sure I am doing my all to help him grow... So if you could suggest ways for me to help him, it would be great.

All the best.
Jubear

[Liz]

I wouldn't worry too much at 14 months. But I highly recommend baby signing. My 12 month old already signs about 5 words. she only really vocalises 'daddy' and 'uh-oh' tho.
Just keep talking in normal language (not baby talk) and he'll soon pick up lots of words

[Traveller]

I'm a big fan of sign language. A few simple signs for eat, drink, sleep can be picked up really quickly by a toddler and will help him make the connection between language and action (when used in conjunction with spoken words). It will also allow him to communicate a bit easier before he is talking.

[TaRhLi.]

I wouldn't worry too much, my twin boys are 14mths next week and my DS2 still only says mumma, DS1 will say mum, dad, bye bye (but only when he wants) but he babbles a lot...

They don't have the same language skills as DD at the same age, but they are more developed in their motor skills - I just think boys are more about doing whereas girls are more articulate. We never use baby talk and will always acknowledge anything they are playing with ie: Do you have a book, is that a car etc.

Saying that they do understand what is said to them and they are able to communicate in their own way their basic needs, so they will get the talking thing in their own time

[AnyDream]

Lots of face to face time, eye contact, telling stories, nursery rhymes or singing, or just chatting about what ever. Don't be afraid to exaggerate your voice or facial expression, or just be a funny mummy. Even things like clapping hands, making shapes with your tongue and oohing and ahhing and smiling when he copies you all help with learning that talking is something people do together, kwim?

[beansbeans!]

I second everyone. But especially Marydean's post. Pay attention to what he is looking at, and verbalise whats happening. When he wants something verbalise it, 'oh would you like the apple?' etc. He doesnt have to respond to everything but he'll notice you encouraging him etc

But dont worry too much.

[smamfa]

I second what everyone else has said about not worrying. And they gave some great ideas.

The only thing I would add is that with my boys I used a lot of repetition.

If I was giving them an apple I would be prattling something like "Do you want an apple? Here's a nice apple. Apple...mmmm... apple." So I would use the key word multiple times. If we saw a car it would be "Look at that car. Car. It's a green car. The car's gone now." Yes, I sounded like a complete idiot! But when you think about it, if they need to hear the word x times to learn it, you're going to get to x more quickly that way. Plus they just love that you are talking to them!

Speech therapists and other specialists seem to do the same kind of thing I've noticed/read.

[Gigi]

Lots of face to face time, eye contact, telling stories, nursery rhymes or singing, or just chatting about what ever. Don't be afraid to exaggerate your voice or facial expression, or just be a funny mummy. Even things like clapping hands, making shapes with your tongue and oohing and ahhing and smiling when he copies you all help with learning that talking is something people do together, kwim?

ditto, my child didn't really speak until three, and it worried me at the time - although her comprehension, humour and communication in every other way was great (she would act out what she wanted, people KNEW what she wanted, even without words). Everything Marydean says, i second.

it was so weird, after three years of just "mum mum", "dad dad" and "mummy booby" (for milk), she turned three, and it was like a waterfall was turned on! all of sudden, complete sentences, from nowhere.

i remember her 18 month health check, when SUPPOSEDLY, babies are meant to have ten words by then (and my child sure did not). They all learn at their own pace.

[trishalishous]

Lots of face to face time, eye contact, telling stories, nursery rhymes or singing, or just chatting about what ever. Don't be afraid to exaggerate your voice or facial expression, or just be a funny mummy. Even things like clapping hands, making shapes with your tongue and oohing and ahhing and smiling when he copies you all help with learning that talking is something people do together, kwim?

Agreed! I vocalise everything we do, all day long.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Yep ya have moments when u hear urself and laugh. But its learning a language and we all know how hard it is to learn a different language. Simple sentences and repartion are great. I love baby einstein dvds too, some are very simple and they have a sign dvd too. Doubles up for babysitter while i sneak away and clean something

Sent from my Galaxy with the barefoot princess covering me in kisses, so please forgive the mistakes

[meow]

ditto, my child didn't really speak until three, and it worried me at the time - although her comprehension, humour and communication in every other way was great (she would act out what she wanted, people KNEW what she wanted, even without words). Everything Marydean says, i second.

it was so weird, after three years of just "mum mum", "dad dad" and "mummy booby" (for milk), she turned three, and it was like a waterfall was turned on! all of sudden, complete sentences, from nowhere.

i remember her 18 month health check, when SUPPOSEDLY, babies are meant to have ten words by then (and my child sure did not). They all learn at their own pace.

I agree with this! You are looking for communication, not so much language at this stage. Those social skills of enjoying shared games such as peek-a-boo and joint attention such as looking at you and back at something exciting like a truck and back to you are much more important.

If it helps, my son had over 100 words at his 18 month check up and is autistic and has severe language delays. He had friends from mother's group who could barely scrape the 10 words together at that point but went on to develop completely typical language skills.

[Jubear]

Thank you everyone for your support and advice. I will take everything on board and keep helping my boy with your suggestions.

All the best
Jubear

[Ezz]

I was worried about DS2 not speaking much at 15 months & made a conscious effort to teach him words. I haven't done much sign language with either of my boys (although I have friends who rave about it). Instead, I just focus on particular words in our day-to-day interaction. As some of the others have said, I would repeatedly use words (eg apple, drink, up, down, please) - but I wouldn't make them into sentences - just focused on the word/s that I wanted him to learn. I also found that reading books a lot & pointing to/talking about the pictures helped him to learn words (particularly animal sounds and names of other things - car, ball, truck, water, tree, etc).

You may find this blog post helpful (written by a Speech Pathologist)
http://www.theusefulbox.com/2012/05/...esnt-talk.html