Yet another concern...maybe??

[dannlark]

OK, so we've got the ear thing and the balance thing and now both my DH and I are getting concerned with Ian's language skills, or lack there of...

He just had his one year birthday and says no words. He babbles and does a lot of grunting, but absolutely no "Dada" or "Mama" or "No" or "Bye Bye" or anything?!?!?!

Should we be concerned??? I know each child is different, but I'm pretty sure both my other boys could say at least a couple of words by now. He's VERY smart, has great eye hand coordination, good pincher grasp action, can stack blocks, can give kisses (when he wants to), knows who people are (If you say, "Where's Daddy?" he'll look to find him or toward him) and all the rest of stuff seems right on target.

Anyone that had the surgery done later have any language skills issues that corrected itself after surgery?? Should I be worried at this point? My DH is really concerned and for him to be so, I'm thinking it must be something...???

[Abby'sMom]

Children develop at different paces within a "normal range" but if you have any concerns I would recommend you contact Early Intervention (or it's counterpart) in your state. Here in MA children with craniosynostosis automatically qualify for services even in the absence of delays. If something is going on with Ian they will pick up on it quickly and give you the tools needed to help...hopefully what they will tell you is he is just fine in the language department and not to worry...either way I think early intervention is an invaluable service that I'm sure can help.

I'm sorry I don't have answers to your specific questions but I just wanted to let you know I think Ian is very lucky to have parents who are carefully observing his development. Keep up the good work mom! :hugg

[Amy K]

We REALLY need a forum devoted to development. I've got concerns about Camden too. So I understand the worry, Larkin. But it sounds great that he's doing all the other stuff though!

And it really stinks that in Oklahoma cranio is NOT an automatic qualifier for EI. :(

[HaydensMommy830]

Hayden is a little behind. He doesnt have his pincer grasp at all, he doesnt stack blocks. He doesnt crawl or pull up. He rolls & army crawls. But he is a very laid back little boy! He talks-mama, dada, Ty-Ty (for Tyson, the dog), nan-nan, non-non (for John-John, my little brother), baba, bite bite. He has ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) there is an Occupational Therapist that comes to see him & a social worker once a month.

[Claire'sMom]

Great questions Larkin. I know that I was concerned with Claire, she was a late crawler and did not start walking until 14 months. At her 15 month check up the pedi asked me if she talked much, and I said yes, but once we were home and I started thinking about it she really did not say much beyond Dada or Mama. But within the last month she has finally started talking more. I think each child is different, I would not be too concerned yet. Give it time and he will start talking.

[Jenny]

Hi Larkin! In the resources section, i have a growth and development chart that shows where about he should be, just rememember every child is different. I had early intervention with Kayla, they actually were with us before surgery, and continued until she was two, and "graduated". I started speech therapy with Belle at about 18 months, as she wasn't talking either, only a couple words. Definately check out your local resources, usually you can get that info from your state government website. It never hurts to get evaluated!

[mckennasmum]

so hard to say, isn't it? I have heard other parents say that sometimes the youngest is a late talker because the older siblings do all the talking for them?!! Don't know if that's true or not! He's just one so I don't know if you should worry too much yet, but it might be worth asking a health nurse, or ped next time!

[Nicholas' Mom]

Larkin, we have some concerns about Nicholas as well. He's 13 months and doesn't really use words either. He babbles a lot and we recognize sounds like da-da and ba-ba, but he doesn't use them with any real meaning. He just had his one-year check and the pediatrician was a little concerned, but not overly concerned. She suggested we wait until his 15 month check and if there isn't any improvement, she would put in a referral. She agreed that all babies are different, but thought he should know at least 10 words by 15 months. Many of my friends tell me their kids were either early walkers or early talkers, but never both. I'm hoping that is the case with Nicholas, as his walking is really coming along.

I hope everything is okay with Ian..

[cheryl2]

It's hard to say, he could be completely normal. Some kids just start talking later. But... I always have this to say to anyone who has a concern with talking. Get his hearing tested, even if you think he hears perfectly. Even if he was screened as a newborn and failed. Clara and I both have a hearing loss, and I belong to a Yahoo group for parents with kids with hearing loss. It's amazing how many parents went to early intervention, got speech services, but no one ever thought to check the kid's hearing. Children can have a mild or moderate hearing loss and adjust to it so well that parents will have no idea they have a hearing impairment. But it will impact their speech development. Hearing loss is another issue that pediatricians often aren't as informed about as they should be, just like cranio.

Good luck, it's very likely his hearing is fine and that he'll start talking any day now. But I just want to throw that possibility out there.

Take care. :-)

[Nicholas' Mom]

It's hard to say, he could be completely normal. Some kids just start talking later. But... I always have this to say to anyone who has a concern with talking. Get his hearing tested, even if you think he hears perfectly. Even if he was screened as a newborn and failed. Clara and I both have a hearing loss, and I belong to a Yahoo group for parents with kids with hearing loss. It's amazing how many parents went to early intervention, got speech services, but no one ever thought to check the kid's hearing. Children can have a mild or moderate hearing loss and adjust to it so well that parents will have no idea they have a hearing impairment. But it will impact their speech development. Hearing loss is another issue that pediatricians often aren't as informed about as they should be, just like cranio.

Good luck, it's very likely his hearing is fine and that he'll start talking any day now. But I just want to throw that possibility out there.

Take care. :-)

Cheryl, that's great advice. That is exactly what our pediatrician told us. She plans to send Nichoals for a hearing test if his speech hasn't improved by the 15 month check-up.

[melsch]

If it makes you feel any better, Logan waves bye bye, but that's about it. He says nothing...he used to say up up up, but now he doesn't even say that...but like Ian, he knows who people are and looks for them and does all the other things...Hopefully it's just normal for Ian..

[mattricia]

Wow...these July Jets... Jack isn't talking much either. Occasional "mama", "dada" or the ever constant "dis" which he uses when he points to everything in sight. He does wave goodbye, and has good receptive language. He looks to whom/what we ask him about.

I CAN NOT get him to do any sign language except "finished" when he's done eating or he wants out of his high chair. Fine motor skills develop before verbal skils, so they should be able to sign before they speak, but he just doesn't do it.

Our ped also said, we'll wait until 15 months to be concerned...

[Tawnia]

Yeah I agree getting tested is best to rule anything out but Azia didn't talk much (she said mama as a baby but didn't say it again until 16 months..Dadda at like 14-15 months and only a handful of other words before 13-14 months) and didn't walk until 15 months...now at 18 months all of a sudden her vocabulary has increased exponentially (to over 50 words and 3+ word sentences) over a matter of weeks. Kids all develop at different rates.

[Elizabeth]

Throw Isaac into the mix! He DOES say "Dye dye" when you leave...or he leaves...or if anyone is anywhere near a door...and now when he is done eating he waves at his food and tells it Dye dye. Other than that, no words yet. He has his annual EI (First Steps in Indiana) evaluation on August 12th and he is going to have evaluations for speech and developmental therapies in addition to the physical and occupational that he already receives.

When Isaac was about 2 months old he had a hearing evaluation done because we were concerned that he didn't startle at loud noises. They did a whole crazy thing where they hook them up to electrodes and see how the brain reacts to different pulses...They also did a tympanogram. Everything was normal for him.

Isaac does NOT look for people when coaxed, though. I think he knows our names, but just doesn't look. I know that he recognizes us because he gets excited about us, but he doesn't go further than that.

As far as motor skills go...Isaac pulled up to standing TWICE today! Once when he was mad (I put him in his crib so I could go to the bathroom and not worry about him eating dogfood) and once to get the dvd remote. (What IS it with men and remotes?!?!) So, while he is still very delayed in the gross motor arena, he is definitely coming along!

[mattricia]

Elizabeth, it's the shape of the remote. ;)

[dannlark]

Thanks everyone! I think we'll not stress until 15 months... He starts his procrit therapy on Thurs. and has his 12 month check up too that day with his ped (BIG shot day for him...sniff...GUILT!!). I'm sure she'll ask but I'll bring it up too and see what her thoughts are. She was surprised that he wasn't waiving bye bye at his 9 month check up. Still doesn't at a year. But he can show you his belly button and I think that's WAY more advanced... ; P

[marisajo]

I second having his hearing tested. Alex had no words at one year. He was referred for a hearing test, which he failed miserably. We then got referred to the ENT who found lots of fluid, even through he had never had chronic ear infections. Tubes went in around 15 months and speech therapy started immediately. By 18 months, he was caught back up. Especially in a cranio kid and with the balance issues you've mentioned, I'd definitely do a visit to an ENT/audiologist to rule out any ear issues.

[Janet]

I don't know if you were here Larkin....but I was concerned about Fiona's speech a few months ago....she was not saying much at all.....now at 21 months I can't get her to stop. I know how worried we are as Mom's....that will never change. I'm sure Ian that handsome devil is just fine. :hugg

[Tawnia]

Yeah I would have them check his ears now just because if it IS fluid they can put the tubes in at the same time as they do the CVR! :) If it isn't his ears...then worry about it after surgery :)

[babylaura]

Our HV is a little concerned because Laura (at nearly 9 months) doesn't babble. She makes very loud vowel vocalisations, the odd one off consonant like 'ba' or 'da' very loudly, but doesn't really babble. She does blow raspberries a lot!

That said she is crawling really well, starting to pull herself up, will give us a kiss if we ask her, looks at Daddy or Mummy if asked to and definitely understands 'bottle' and 'milk', so maybe she is just concentrating on other things.

[craniomommynbaby]

I agree with the previous posts about having the hearing tested. Simon had fluid in his ears which kept him from hearing sounds correctly. Once the ear tubes went in, things took off. The EI program can evaluate him and give their recommendations on speech therapy, but it will be good to see the pedi and possibly an ENT about the hearing first.

[lunadale1968]

Hi,
My son Bryan did not speek until after his First surgery at 3 years old. His first sentence was "Home Mommy" We all cried this was 1 hour post op after a 13 hour surgery. Our Therapist say thou each child is totally different. Bryan has been in pt,ot and speech since Birth. Good luck. Kathy

[momoftwo]

Larkin- I am late to post..had a ton of family in town for Logan's first birthday this past weekend. Anyway, Logan does not talk either..no mama, dada or anything close! Reagan did have a few words at her age. Logan just screams and points at everything! Like Tricia, I use sign language..did with Reagan too. Logan can do "more" "up" and "all done" ..so at least I know she knows how to communicate..but no talking yet either :(

[three.little.boys]

Larkin- just read this, sorry about the late post!

Quintin was the same way at 12 mos old. He would babble da-da-da-da or ma-ma-ma-ma, but not TO us...just babble. Now at 15 mos his language is exploding. He now says ma-ma, da-da, bye-bye, hello, oh no, brothers, grandma, and more (atlhough some only WE can recognise like "brothers")

I think he will be OK...just give him some time!