No talkin' and no walkin'

I'm starting to get a little concerned about the girls lack of words. The only clear thing they say is Da-Dee (Daddy). Breena says Ma once in awhile, but I swear she doesn't associate it with me. Breena is also not interested in walking, has only very recently started pulling up. Baylinn will walk with her toys and pulls up on everything, so I'm not as worried about her though I was sure she would be walking by 10 months and it's almost their first birthday and she's still not.

Shouldn't they be saying something more by now?? Don't get me wrong I'm in no hurry to be chasing two toddlers running in opposite directions while yelling "NO!" at me, but I don't want them to be too far behind KWIM??

 

I didn't start talking till I was 2.5 years old I guess, my mom took me to a speak specialist. they told her, this is what she told me in case my twins don't speak when they normally start. They said, as long as babies can understand words like you say "where's your NOSE?" if they point to their nose, they understand. Doesn't mean anything if they don't want to speak it just yet.

I don't think the speech thing is an issue at their age, it sounds pretty normal. Not sure about the walking thing.

I hate to base the developement stages on what's the normal. All kids are going to walk when they are good and ready.

 

Mine started walking at 16 months and 19 months, which seemed awfully late even with them being preemies. I was told it's just a hugely individualized thing, and pedi and EI weren't concerned.

As for speaking, I think that's also pretty variable. Apparently I didn't really start to speak until I was well over 3, but then started right in with full sentences . . . the consensus was that I knew how to talk but just didn't want to until then.

You could always inquire about having them evaluated by Early Intervention - that way if there's some concern they can start getting services. I think it's generally free to have the evaluation, and then it varies by state - in Massachusetts all of our EI services were free, but I hear that's not the same everywhere.

Good luck!

Rachel

 

The "normal" range for both those milestones is up to 18 months so you've still got plenty of time. Of my three kids, Ainsley walked at about 15.5 months, Sierra at 16.5 months, and Dax at 13 months. Ainsley talked at about 16 months, Sierra just a few days afterwards, and Dax at around 11 months.

While some kids are talking away at one year, most aren't and even having one word is great. Dax has been talking for 3 months and he still doesn't say much at all. There are also plenty of kids who don't walk until later and this is especially common with twins. I hate some of those milestone emails and articles that suggest that your kids should be taking steps and have a first word by this time. That's just not true and it causes parents needless worry. As long as the girls are progressing, they are doing fine. :hug99:

 

Well mine are just a little younger than yours and Caleb is not even crawling yet :lol: . Braxton CAN crawl but won't and he can pull up on things though it looks as if he's using every ounce of strength and effort in his body. Neither are even CLOSE to standing alone or walking. Caleb has been behind since about 6 or 7 months old but Braxton was evaluated by EI at the same time and didn't qualify. I know how hard it is when it seems like every baby at Gymboree is running circles around your babies. It's so frustrating. They're still in the level 2 class (6-10 months) because to move up they want you to be 10 months AND crawling. Ugh. If it will put your mind at ease, I would call EI. I did it when everyone around me said leave them alone, they're fine, blah, blah, blah. But I at least felt better knowing I did all I could do to help them. And funny thing is the ones who told me not to call are the same ones that make comments implying something's wrong with them that they're not doing this or that (not naming names....MOM :lol: ). I say give them a call but that they totally sound within normal range.

 

Mine were walking around 13.5 months and not really babbling anything coherent until about 16/17 months.

eta: Actually, now that I think of it, they did have a word or two, but that was IT.

 

Both of my twins started walking right around 13 months, my older DD walked at 11 months. Neither of the twins are saying anything at 14 1/2 months, just lots of jabbering. One twin said "up" a couple times several months ago, the other twin says "mama". They do understand what I'm saying though. My older DD was saying 4-5 words by this age, but is now in speech therapy for articulation.

 

I wouldn't worry -- they have tons of time before they're late on either of these milestones. My older one didn't walk until nearly 15 months (even though she was pulling up at 7 or 8 months), and she didn't have a single word besides "uh-oh" until after 18 months (seriously, not even mama or dada).

My little ones, who are close in age to yours, are not even close to walking. Kevan pulls up on everything and is cruising just a tiny bit, and Karina is just now starting to pull up. (She's in the help-I'm-stuck-standing-in-my-crib phase right now!) But, neither has any words at all. Karina babbles gaga and mama and various similar things, but that's it. Kevan doesn't have any consonant sounds, just vowels (I am a wee bit concerned about that).

But, our pedi isn't the slightest bit concerned with any of this....

 

I agree with the others, I wouldn't worry yet. :hug99: I know it's so much easier said then done. :hug99: My two didn't start walking until they were 14 months, but once they did, they did it perfectly. As for talking, at 11 months we had no words other then dada/mama but they didn't say it towards me or my dh, just in general. They started having words around 14ish months.

 

Yeah...my 4 year old didn't talk until 2...the doc. said he was fine, just a bit behind most kids his age. but, what's funny, is that he did walk quite early, at 8 months...lol. Don't worry

~kate

 

I second, third, ... that there are all sorts of ranges for milestones that are ok. But it is so hard not to compare and not to worry. If you are worried, talk to your pedi. and see what they say.

 

i would agree with everyone else...don't worry yet. they will get there in their own time. mine are crawling not walking and DD just started to crawl a month ago and pulls herself up on things now. my DS stands by himself a little and i had him take 1 step but he only does it if when he is standing and i distract him and he will take a step towards me otherwise he doesnt. they say mama and dada..good good..baba...i keep trying to repeat words to them and keep saying what they can say. when they say something i say that's right and i repeat it. i read somewhere that when they talk you should acnowledge it and repeat it back to them so they know you hear them and they will talk more. who knows if that works but i try. your doing good with them don't worry. my cousins DD is 2 weeks older then my twins and she has been walking since she was 9-10 months old. keep in mind though they were standing her up constantly on their laps floor whatever since she was 2 months old. she never crawled either. i let mine just develope and learn (with help from me when they do it) on their own.