Babies learning how to speak?

Question

I just went to the doctor today for my son's 15 month check. One of the milestones they asked about was if he had 5-15 words. I know that at this age their progress is tracked by how many words they can speak and how that progresses. How do bi-tri lingual babies fit in? If he knows 'more', 'mas' (more in Spanish), and knows how to sign 'more' does that count as one word or three?

Answer 1

Kids have their own schedule. Talk with them and they'll learn. The tracking some psychologists use may be general and alert you to watch progress, but don't think all children have to learn the same things at the same rate. Communicate hands on- while doing things that give the child experience more than just abstract. Your kid doesn't have to be right on schedule. One day you're going to laugh about this when you can't get him to stop talking so much you can't hear yourself think.

Answer 2

Just start talking in both and before you know it he would know both!!

Answer 3

i wouldn't stress - your baby sounds very intelligent.

Anyways all babies develop at different ages.

My little brother didn't speak until he was three.  But when he started he spoke in perfect sentences.

Answer 4

I would count the same  word in different language as two. And the number does vary alot, some children on a site I go to (which were born in the same month as my daughter) speak about 10 words whereas others, like my daughter, are in the hundreds. I don;t think it is correct to say progress is tracked by that means.

Answer 5

I think it goes by what language is spoken more at home. you say he knows spanish words so is spanish spoken more at home than english but he says he knows how to sign the same word so is sign language used more? since they are both the same word it only counts as one and until he learns how to talk in either spanish or english you shouldnt' try sign language you don't want to confuese him