words

I heard yesterday a friend of mine's daughter said she is saying 5 words at 10 months. I asked another and she said her son was saying 12 words at 9 months. My girls are saying 'dada', 'mama', 'baba', and I think Krystal is saying 'whoa' (at least it sounds like it and she says it only when she falls down lol). I know that those three "words" are normal at this stage, but should they be saying more things? We try to show them things and tell them what they are as much as possible, but I'm not sure if I'm just over worried or if they are actually behind. I know not all babies are the same, but I am just wondering what is normal when it comes to talking at this age. Thanks!

 

well... don't stress over words before 12 months!! we got a mama waaaaay back before the 1st year, but it wasn't a real mama for me. it was just sounds and went away. by 15 mo. I think the pedi wants about 3 words - we barely got those in, ours are not very vocal, and now at 21 months they do have quite a few words, but you really have to listen for them...

I think most of the sounds they are making at 8-9 months are more sounds... at least that was the case for us. its so fun to hear them - enjoy it!

 

My boys were diagnosed as "behind" in speech b/c they weren't saying things like ba, ga, da at 7 months. They said "dada" 2 weeks after the evaluation. That was it until 10months when I got a "Mama" here or there. Now at almost 2.5 they are on track. I feel like it never hurts to have an eval. done if you are worried.

 

At 9 months my boys were barely making repetitive sounds like ga-ga-ga or ba-ba-ba. Our Ped wanted 5 words at their 18 month appt which they barely had and then they exploded at 2 with putting 2 words together.

 

IDK, our ped wanted five words at 12 months and my girls were saying at least 10. It really depends on the baby. They all progress at different stages. Mine talk, eat with spoons and forks, do everything under the sun, but they still don't exclusively walk. In time they will be talking so much you wish you had the silence again.

 

I think at least some it counts what's a 'word'. My MIL insisted my boys were saying 5 words and I don't know if they've even got one real word with meaning and intention. Yes, they say Mama when they look at me, but say it other times too!

 

My pediatrician said the girls should be using 5 words by 12 months at their 9 mo check-up. They currently use 6 words- hi, dada, mama, cat and baba(bottle) and they make a lot of sounds that seem like words.
They just this past week started saying Cat when they see our cat and it's their new favorite word... Considering the cat is their favorite "person" in the world, I'm not surprised. My babies are obsessed with him.

 

I mean, what do you consider a "word"? I think each parent differs. Babbling that kinda sounds like a word or really saying a word...heh heh. Mine have been babbling for a while. I think there could possibly be a little friendly exaggerating going on amongst your friends...heh heh. 5 "intentioned" words at 10 months sounds like a LOT to me as far as measuring development and in what I have read and 12 words at 9 mos (again, real words) sounds really out there. Don't freak out at all. By 10-12 months a couple of solid words is the average...usually momma and dada and or a pet's name, etc. I don't consider "ba ba" for bottle a word personally. I would not be worried at all - 5 solid words by 18 mos that a pp said sounds about right to me. If I counted babbling we would have 15 words right now, but there is not always intention and even though many times I know what they mean because they point, they use the same exact sounds for 5 different words at a time! Don't worry about it...especially at this age. That is just my opinion though.

Edited: I was posting at the same time at PP before me...so the ba ba reference was not to her. Again, I think people just differ on what they count as words and that is definitely okay. I would say that I also don't really count it much until I hear them continue to use the word. I have heard "words" occasionally never to hear them again.

 

I count it as a word when my girls can clearly repeat it to me when asked a question-
ex:
Me:"Who's that?" (when DH comes home)
"Dada"
"What's this?" (holding bottle)
"baba" sounds like "bata"
My girls cant say Bottle but they are clearly are using it to mean bottle.

They say "Ball" but Ball can mean anything from a block, their twin, any toy they have in their hand and occasionally an actual ball. lol. I don't count Ball because clearly they're not using the word to indicate a ball.
They have weekly PT and OT and I've been told by their doctors that they're advanced with their language.

ETA: spelling

 

Thanks for all the input! I guess they only really say one word right now, and thats mama. Its only when they are crying and want something, so they look at me and say it, lol. Dada is their word for everything, and they say baba for something, I just can't figure out what they are talking about when they say it. OH! And they make a long "thhhh" sound, I think its their way of saying "sss" when they are looking at each other. Maybe meant to be sissy? Wishful thinking probably lol. The pediatrician didn't ask if they were talking yet at their appointment, so I guess its okay for right now then since he only heard them babbling. Thanks again! Now I'm a lot less worried.

 

I think pp hit it on the head when they said some parents pick up words and others think it's babbling. My boys say "ga" for cat and "ba" for up...but it took me a while to realize those are words.

 

It seems really early to worry about words. Our Pedi. wanted them to have two words at 12 months.

 

Yeah - it is another one of those things that I take with a grain of salt from pedis. They are not language experts and as usual you will find a rainbow of opinions. One thinks you are on target, one thinks you are behind...yada yada yada. Personally, it probably won't cross my mind unless they are very quiet at 18 mos, but sounds like you have babblers! I wouldn't worry. Oh, and I LOVE that "thhhh" sound...LOL.

 

My boys are 9 months old. We got dada first, but it wasnt directed TO daddy, just in general. Then came nini, and mamama.