Receptive Language / Joint Attention Questions

We had our one year check up (2 weeks late) today and my ped wants to keep an eye on Michael's language development. (My other DS, Ryan, is on track: he points, follows simple directions, gestures and signs, but doesn't talk yet.)

The only way I can describe Michael is "spacey" - he can't pay attention long enough for me to get any teaching across. He makes eye contact, and is social in Gymboree class, but I'm not sure how best to help him pick up language skills. I label everything "Michael's cup" and practice body parts when I change diapers and read. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

I'd just be patient at this point. He I have one who's much spacier than the other and often didn't respond to his name at that age.

I'd just talk and read to them, especially when you have them as a captive audience, and you'll see some break throughs soon.

 

I agree with Rachel, I would keep talking and reading to them. My DS often did not respond or pay attention that well at 12 months. Now, he is great at paying attention and talking well.

 

I totally agree with the talking! Keep talking and asking him questions. My ds at 18 months wasn't talking and the hardest thing for us was that he wasn't responded to what we said. The other thing is make sure when you talk to him you are on his level.

 

I find that my guys are "spacier" and less attentive/responsive when they're working on some milestone. When Nate was starting to walk at 13 months, he totally stopped talking (he was an early talker). I was soooo worried, but after he mastered walking he started chattering again.

I have some picture books that my boys adore (like THIS one). I will open them up and point to animals or objects, repeat the word several times, make the animal sound (if it's an animal), make the sign for it (if I know it), etc. I find it's good to start slowly; too many words at once or trying to describe too much about an object when first introduces it kind of overwhelms them. After they're familiar, I'll talk about the color, what it's used for, what it feel like, etc.

My boys were really interested in animals early on. Maybe you can find something that Michael likes (dogs or trucks or bugs) and start from there.

Good luck!

 

My daughter seemed to stop hitting milestones at 12 months. Later on it was her hearing and tubes where put in. At the time she said mostly "baba ba" babble. Also she was low in iron and that improved her endurance. Recently she had a B12 shot which is rare to have that low, and it has improved as well. Make sure you keep good records of when they do stuff and learn new words.

Heather

 

I am on the same page. I find that my boys at 15-16 months say very few basic words eventhough they understand most of the things we say to them. Nonetheless I believe that talk sing describe etc is the best thing to help them. Nevertheless there are many readings thAt suggest that twins speak a little bit later than singles because they get used to understand each other for a long time before they talk with adults!so worry not !