Does anyone else's child speak Sea Lion?

[Fi from West Dulwich]

Scrumptious 17 month old O has many qualities for which I am rightly proud (smug?), but I must admit English is not one of his strengths. He does however do a good line in what can only be described as a bark reminiscent of something you'd expect to hear on a Polar ice cap. He has been talked to, sung to, given lots of attention; in short all those things you are meant to do to ensure your child develops the linguistic skills of humans. And still the bark. He CAN do Mama, Dada, Hector (dog), DUH (duck, dog), Pooter (computer) and a few others but mostly when prompted, he doesn't really volunteer any words. Hearing seems fine, and he seems to understand most things, he simply doesn't seem remotely interested in communicating with WORDS (or my words at least). I try not to jump at his every bark but there is only so many times you can ask whether it is the yoghurt he wants before he throws massive paddy. I understand that boys are more inclined to go down the sea lion route than girls, and indeed it is slightly embarrassing to see his younger female cousins outstripping him verbally. I don't really mind, well I suppose I do a bit, but wouldn't be bothered as long as I could be reassured that he will speak in his own time and that I won't find myself having to return him to the Zoo when his true parentage becomes evident.

P.S. Should add that he is physically very advanced - walked at 10 months, is huge, great balance, and spends all energy on running around and not, clearly, on more cerebral activities. It seems that perhaps his brain is in physical mode and not ready to turn its attention to language, which makes me feel a bit better.

[Vickster]

I always thought the rough rule of thumb was walk at 1 and talk at 2, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. I do think boys take a bit longer as well. My son point blank refused to say any words until around his 2nd birthday, but it was clear he understood everything we said to him. Soo frustrating. Mind you, he is a torrent of words now, so once they get it they REALLY get it!

[Fi from West Dulwich]

Oooh, great, thank you, I obviously have been surrounding myself with over-achievers.

[snowboarder]

The only thing my 16 month old (boy) can say is Oh-Oh. Which he repeats again and again. Other than that he talks a lot, but it appears to be in a foreign language. It IS frustrating as he walked pretty smartish so thought we were progressing well. He has a couple of signs (from sing and sign) - most widely used is 'more' which seems to mean more/again/i want/do this. HE gets frustrated too when I don't get what the pointing is about.

[Fi from West Dulwich]

That's EXACTLY what O is like! Except instead of Oh oh it is all sea lion bark, "Diggle Diggle" and other such unintelligible phrases. Good to know he is in good, if peculiarly male, company. And like you we were really complacent (we were really a bit smug in secret, to be honest) when he walked so early, which has made his disinterest in words rather hard to take as the rest catch up - where's O's USP now he's not the only mobile kid on the block?! And there was I thinking I wasn't the least bit competitive.

[Moos]

Definitely totally normal. My son (now 3) talked at 2 and hasn't stopped since.

[Fi from West Dulwich]

Thank you all, clearly I am being too harsh on my little sea lion, poor sausage. Felt very mean after posting for even worrying - of course he'll talk; right now he is simply too busy putting stones in the watering can and climbing the furniture. Unfortunately for him he comes from a horribly articulate family, and his cousins are revoltingly bright, and typically quick talkers being girls. He will doubtless get there in his own time and meanwhile he babbles and barks happily.

[damzel]

Mine was only saying mummy and daddy at 2 although it was clear she understood everything. She had about 30 words and absolutely no sentences until about 6 weeks ago but just in the last 2 weeks it's all starting to come together and we're seeing rapid improvement every day - she's 2 and a half.

Interesting about the "walk at 1 talk at 2" thing - I hadn't heard that but it seems to fit as mine didn't walk until she was 16 months.

[woofmarkthedog]

Fi

Don't worry about it

Boys will do this & girls will do that

It all comes good in the end

I'm now telling my 9 & 6 year old to " Please be quite darlings" ( shut up )

W**F

[snowboarder]

Ok, I wasn't too worried but have had a msg that suggests maybe I should be! None of bsb's friends say much either. Oh dear!

[Fuschia]

I have B/G twins and it has always been very noticeable that her language is mich more advanced... now at 26m he is meaking huge leaps.

I found a useful site about language acquisition that went through the various stages from passive understanding to single words (clarity isn't important as long as you can understand) then phrases like "No milk" and then "Hot milk" and then "My milk" that sort of thing...

DS1 was an early talker, though. So I think it's just them, not us. When you have twins you realise how much is down to differences between children, rather than something you have or haven't done ad the parent...

[damzel]

Snowboarder, I don't think you need to be worried yet. Mine just nattered to herself at 16m but in her own babble language. She had an appt at the time (and a few since) with a paedeatric doc at St Toms (about something unrelated) but I mentioned her lack of language and he wasn't concerned - he actually said "well she seems to know what she's saying". Having said that, she is going for some hearing tests soon but now that everything is finally coming together with her speech, I'm thinking that her hearing is fine and she was just a bit slow on the uptake (as were 2 of her cousins who apparently didn't say much till they were 3 and are perfectly fine and are now 17 and 12).

[Fuschia]

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/not_talk.html

http://members.tripod.com/caroline_bowen/devel2.htm

http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/BrownsStages.htm

[crystal7]

E doesn't say much either and i have moments when i wonder what i'm doing wrong- first born and a girl i expected her to have more words at 18 months. Suppose she says around 20 but many only a few times and seemingly forgotten. She does however chatter away in what sounds like a foreign language and understands lots. She also is more interested in running climbing on everything and jumping off and opening /closing gates/doors! She'll get there..