Is he on the brink of an explosion?

Question

my 17 month old had been very active but also very quiet, he didn't say much so I placed him in speech. They still haven't decided if he's shy, doesn't care about talking, or have problem saying more words because he just won't say anything to them. Anyway, recently he has gotten more active, and has increased his baby talk like crazy, the other night he talked himself to sleep. He asks me questions and protest in baby talk every day all day now. Do you think he's on the brink of having an explosion of words.

Answer 1

Some children are shy. You also made a great decision by placing him in speech. I believe that helped him understand what some of the things around him are. Maybe he finally realized it's okay to talk. Children are definitely curious but i believe that is a great thing. Every child is different but i also believe if i put my child through speech and they still didn't talk as much as i expected them to then i would probably think there is something wrong with my child. I don't think he is on the brink of an explosion. I do think your child will be a great reader and will be able to talk really good in school.

Answer 2

Does he have an older sibling that talks for him?  My brother was the same - quiet but active - they had his hearing tested, etc, and the speech therapist said he was being lazy since I would do the talking / asking for him.  But he was about 3 when he went from quiet to a jabber-jaw.

Does your baby live in a bi-lingual home?  I have a good friend whose daughter was nearly silent (we thought something was wrong for a while) and then suddenly near her 3rd birthday she started speaking in nearly complete sentences in both languages. When a baby is raised in a bi-lingual home it takes them a few months longer because they have to process two languages.

More than likely at 17 months old, he will go from gibberish / baby talk to an explosion of understandable speech in a matter of weeks in the near future.  Like other mothers who say it was as if a talking switch was suddenly turned "on"!   Plus, you are ahead of the game if you have him in speech therapy already.  If there is a problem with his communication skills, they should catch it early.

Answer 3

Yes, I was worried about my son as well.  When he was 17 months old he did not use many words at all and sometimes would stop using words that he used before.  He just turned 2 this month and wow his communications skills have grown so much in the last couple of weeks.  It was like one day it was mom and dad and now it is I love you, where is dad, and so many more.  Just know that each kid is different and they all says boys communications skills are one of the last to learn.