2 year old does not talk much, no 2 syllable words
@shedevilgrrl88 (38)
United States
June 2, 2008 4:23pm CST
My 2 year old son does not say many words. He started out babbling and talking at the normal young age. He said mama and dada and baba at a normal age, but never really progressed from there. He says less than 5 2 syllable words. He copies every word that I say, so I know that he has no problem hearing me. The problem is that he only says the beginning of every word. For example, "caterpillar" is cah. "Dog" is dah, "Duck" is duh, etc. He will not finish a word. He has been through the hearing assessment and he can hear just fine they said. I recently had another son and he now says "baby," which is about the only 2 syllable word that he says, other than "bubba" for our cat, and "double," and I have no idea why he says that one. He reads books all the time, he's always talking to himself and he's a very happy little boy, uses lots of hand motions, but I just can't get him to talk. It's hard to communicate with him and sometimes he gets frustrated. Really I'm the only one who knows what he's saying and can understand him. Someone suggested sign language, but he has the normal attention span of a toddler, about 2 seconds! He's very active and never sits down, he doesn't watch tv either, he's not interested in it, so educational programs wouldn't help him much either. Any suggestions or reasons for the no talking?
5 people like this
15 responses
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
3 Jun 08
Depending on how old your child is, as in a young two or an older two, you child may or may not have a speech development problem. Have you taken him to be evaluated by a speech pathologist? And, believe it or not, sign language has been taught to babies, so your toddler could learn sign language with no problem. It would just take a bit of patience on your part.
@shedevilgrrl88 (38)
• United States
3 Jun 08
He just turned 2 actually. Since about a little after he was a year old, I expressed how he was to the doctor and they said I could always sign up for "early intervention" when he turned 2 if he had not improved by then. I think I might check it out just to see how he reacts to it. I don't mind that he doesn't talk really yet, he will when he wants to I guess, but it's just so hard to communicate with him. Especially since I want to potty train him. A friend of the family has a little girl that was born deaf so I know babies can be taught sign language, she goes so fast with it, it's unbelievable! She's 6 now. She is just so much more patient than he is, he is soooo impatient to learn things.
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
3 Jun 08
Is he really really quiet, with no noise much at all?And does he zone off a lot? It dosen't sound like it, but just to be on the safe side you may want to get his hearing screened and maybe even an autism screening. Autism would be the worst case scenario, but I've seen it happen to totally unsuspecting parents and there's no harm in checking.
@shedevilgrrl88 (38)
• United States
3 Jun 08
Nope, 100% opposite of him! I realize if he was really quiet and sometimes spaced out, that those are some signs of autism. He is definetely VERY active, bouncing off the walls from sunup to sundown, will not even sit down for 30 seconds to watch tv.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
2 Jun 08
One of our cousins was like that. he said very few things. finally his parents took him to a specialist when he was 3. they had him tested for autism and found out that was what was wrong. his mom is pretty much the only one that can understand him too and sometimes even she can't. he's 4-1/2 now. I'm not saying your son has that, but its possible. there are all different levels of autism. my other friend had a son that they kept saying just had add and adhd. then she moved out of state and when she moved her new doctor figured out that they were wrong it was autism.
@shedevilgrrl88 (38)
• United States
3 Jun 08
Well he has been tested already, and his hearing is fine. I know that there is all levels of autism, but he just doesn't seem to have the symptoms to me. He can talk and interact just fine and he is VERY active. He just doesn't say complete words and will not finish a word, I just don't get it. I know all kids have their own way of starting to talk and they will when they're ready. I just don't know how to help him any more on it. He repeats all words that I say, but he'll only say the first part of them. He interacts with people fine, is always bouncing off the walls, and does normal activities.
@patms1 (521)
• United States
3 Jun 08
If you have had your son to the doctor and he's been tested and found alright then maybe you are have the same thing happen to you that happened to me. My son was 15 months old and was starting to talk. Well guess what? I bought home a new baby and that was the last time my son had anything to say that wasn't baby talk again. Thank goodness I had the new baby and just didnt have the time to worry to much about it. My doctor told me he was fine so I figured he was just mad about the new baby. Well it turn out I was right. Ounce people stopped paying more attention to the baby then him he was fine. Now he's 45 and you can't shut him up. As I said, check with your doctor and hear what he has to say.
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
3 Jun 08
If your child's hearing has been tested, and the doctors are not concerned at this point, I would just relax. Kids do learn and grow at different rates.
I've known a few kids (all boys, by the way) who hardly said a word before the age of 3. One never even did any baby jibberish. Then at the age of 3, his first utterance was a 3 word sentence. :-)
I worked in day care when my son was little so I could be near him and still earn money (and he could have some socializing). I usually worked with 3 year olds, and many at that age still don't commmunicate that well.
By the way, when my brother was a kid, he had his own language. No one other than our immediate family understood him, and it was a problem once when our grandparents watched him without me (the older sister) being there to translate.
For instance, for him water was "oomguie". "Azoo" was another one.
My baby sister, when someone asked the time, would run to the kitchen clock and look at it, then run back and respond. "A E."
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
3 Jun 08
Have your kids play and interact with other children so as to encourage more talking or better yet why not bring your kids to a Speech Therapist to help solve the problem.
@shedevilgrrl88 (38)
• United States
3 Jun 08
He went to a babysitter with 3 other children for about 9 months. I thought I would see a big talking difference in him from being around other kids his age (he's 2 and there was a 2, 3, and 6 year old), but I never really did. Up until that time, he stayed with me at home every day and he never really interacted with other kids, so I thought it was from me. So when I went back full time to work and he went to a babysitter a little after a year old, I thought he would talk more. He defintely became more social with other kids and interacted more with them and picked up habits, like how to eat properly, playing with other kids, stamping his feet to tantrums, haha, but still not much with the talking.
@nishdan01 (3051)
• Singapore
3 Jun 08
I think you need not worry. I would say keep on talking to him. Put him in a playgroup for an hour or two. Do things with hom that interests him. Soon you will realize that your son has no problem. When it comes to communication, boys are a bit slow. It is okay if they could speak by 3. You need to give another years time.I too have a sone who is 2 years and 3 months. He started talking at 2 years. Now I could see that he could speak many new words. So you have to make your self believe that your son is okay. Communicate regularly and avoid comments like " My son is slow to talk" infront of him. Soon you may be surprised to see that your son is talking.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
2 Jun 08
It has got to be frustrating for both of you when your 2 year old doesn't talk. Have you had his hearing checked? I think that I would start there. Some kids do take longer to talk than others do. I had a cousin that had to be taught to talk like other kids are taught to read. But I would start with hi hearing.
@youless (112481)
• Guangzhou, China
3 Jun 08
Please don't feel worried about it. My son was the same. It seems boys speak later than girls. But once they start to talk, they will improve so fast. I can understand how you concern about it, and I was the same in the past. My son started to say ma ma when he was nearly 2 years old. And at that time it seemed that he didn't want to speak, but he understood you and he could point out and let you say it for him. Keep talking to him all the time. I think children will have a sudden surprise and perhaps after few weeks you will find your son talks a lot:)
I love China
@only1shi (404)
• United States
3 Jun 08
i think that it still may be a little young to worry about something being wrong. i may have him tested for learning disabilities and autism. keep an eye onhis behaviors and document anything out of the ordinary and speak with his pediatrician about it. if your pediatrician doesn't take you seriously, seek out another opinion, find a specialist. but never doubt your insticts. if you think that something could be wrong, run with it. most doctors are in it to make money, so the more trips you have to make to the office, the happier they are.
@roanne05 (1290)
• Oman
3 Jun 08
i also have a niece..my cousins daughter who actually talked at the age of 5..don't worry..even the doctors said he is alright...my niece was diagnose by doctors that she needs to be operated to she can talk but they are afraid..then after sometime she eventually talks...
@Essie119 (673)
• Canada
3 Jun 08
I had a cousin who did the same thing. She started talking around age three and there was no real problem whatever. She was able to get what she wanted by pointing at things so she didn't have to speak. She is now 15 years old and the top of her class. I wouldn't worry too much about him if I were you.
@Lissa1 (8)
• Australia
3 Jun 08
I would have to say, as hard as it is, try not to stress. My eldest at 2 had probably only 3 or 4 words he regularly used, 4 everything else i was his translator. Your son seems to show comprehension and understanding and that seems to be most important, give him time and time with him and the words will come. My eldest son now, at 4 has a vocabulary that is outstanding, its like he always understood, and now he can talk about it. Good luck.
@sxrxnrr45601 (1171)
• United States
3 Jun 08
I really would not be to concerned at this point Have you talked to doctors about it but me myself would not stress myself to much kids that age pretty much will do it when they are ready to I have a 19 month old that I know can say things but wont say them for me but for her 7 year old brother He can get her to day just about anything But I wouldnt be to concerned hun!
@tshamilton (42)
• United States
2 Jun 08
You don't need to worry at all! Kids talk at all different ages. My nephew who was 2 months premature started talking in almost complete sentences at the age of two and my step-nephew who was born on time didn't actually say anything until the age of 3, and now he won't stop. As long as he understands things and can hear and the doctor says he is fine and healthy, just keep doing what you're doing. Every child is different and they all talk sooner or later.
