Speech Trouble?

[sportsmom]

My 16 month old daughter isn't talking anymore. She used to say words like "Mama", "Dada" and she'd even call her two teenage brothers by their names but now she doesn't use her words anymore at all. When she wants something she just points at it. She's the baby of the house, so she gets everything she wants at the drop of a hat and I wonder if that has anything to do with her taking her time to say words. She'll talk baby gibberish every now and then, but not too often. Some people tell me not to worry yet as children develop at their own stage. I'm just concerned because she was talking before and now she won't use her words anymore. Anyone have any suggestions or comments?

[ddaisy992]

if you havent already done so, talk too your doctor. Has ther been any changes in home situation or nursery?

[sara3]

she seems too young to be worrying about this, but if she can say the words then maybe she is choosing not to.

perhaps you could encourage her to say words again by not just getting everything she points at. say the word and ask her what it is, then reward with lots of soft rewards (big smiles and happy stuff!) and excitement when she uses the right words.

but she is still very little, bless her!

[Nik315]

I wouldn't worry too much, as others have said children will develop at their own pace. I work with young children and they can go from one extreme to the other. i know 13-14 month olds with an amazing vocabulary of words and on the other hand also know two year olds that still don't say anything. I myself didn't start talking until I was about two and a quarter so my mum tells me and from that point on you couldn't make me stop for love nor money. I really don't think that you have anything to worry about.

[cazzz1975]

you could try to encourage her to begin asking for things again by delaying giving her what she wants, when she points say the name of the thing she wants as you give it to her.

she may be just going through a growth spurt elsewhere, sometimes communication development takes a back seat when other area's are beginning to develop.

[Squitty]

I hope you remember this the first few hundred times you tell her to be quiet when shes older !

[sportsmom]

Thank you all so much for your comments.

daisy - my daughter has a doctor's appointment soon and the speech question is at the top of the list.

sara - she is extra spoiled by everyone in the house, I will have to ask everyone not to cater to her every whim when she points.

Nik - I have a nephew who wouldn't talk until he was 3 and that was AFTER speech therapy.

Cazz - I never thought about the growth spurt. My teenage boys are both going through physical growth spurts and I've been paying so much attention to them and never thought that she could be going through a development growth spurt herself. Thanks!!

Squitty - I know I should be careful what I pray for, huh?

[sara3]

Squitty (nice name!).. I remember encouraging my daughter to talk and wow.. did she talk! couldn't shut her up!

and my son ended up having speech therapy. I wondered if I failed him after my daughter's onslaught!

[ddaisy992]

thats good sportsmom I'm sure everythimg will be allright. :0)

[coccinelle]

Maybe get her hearing checked; this happened to my niece (talked then stopped) and she needed a little op. and everything was fine afterwards.