My 3 1/2 year old won't talk. The only word he says clearly is MOMMA. When do children start talking? Could there be any problems going on that I don't know about that I need to? What do I need to do to help him?

macksmom

3 1/2 years is quite old for not speaking more than "momma". I was concerned when my daughter was almost 2 and didn't say more than a few words, I consulted her doctor about it and he said at her age not to worry too much about it and that one day she would just start talking. Sure enough right after she turned 2 she starting talking non-stop and hasn't stopped since but at 3 1/2 I would be a little concerned as well. By 3 years old your child should be able to carry on a conversation (to some degree of course).
Check out babycenter.com they always have great information. But I would definitly consult your peditrican about it.

saraispiel19

eαch child is different, some leαrn quicker some leαrn α little lαter...
however:
if your child continues to drop consonαnts, hαs difficulty nαming most everydαy objects, hαsn't stαrted to use two- or three-word phrαses, or by αge 3 cαnnot be well understood by someone who doesn't know him. αlso if your child stutters, it doesn't necessαrily signαl α problem. stuttering is α normαl phαse, especiαlly when his αbility to communicαte is expαnding so rαpidly. sometimes he'll be so excited to tell you whαt's on his mind thαt he cαn't get the words out fαst enough. but if his stuttering continues for more thαn six months, or if it's bαd enough thαt he tenses his jαw or grimαces in αn effort to get the words out, tαlk with his doctor αbout it.

tips:
-to get him to tαlk, you hαve to tαlk. during the dαy, comment on things going on in your child’s environment. describe the colors αnd shαpes of things, objects αround them, αnd tαsks you αre doing. point out people in the neighborhood like the mαilman or bαnk clerk. tαlk αs long αs your child shows interest. if he turns αwαy or αppeαrs inαttentive, stop. don’t give your toddler α cαse of αuditory overloαd
-reαd plenty of books
-sing!
-lαbel things
-αsk him questions
-keep it simple


good luck to yα mom<3

alkalineangel

What does your pediatrician say? Children all learn at different paces, but as conditions like autism have been creeping up, it is important to pay attention to exactly where your child is. Does he point at things and try to communicate with you? Does he keep eye contact? Does he like to have bodily contact?

Typically by this age children can speak close to full sentances. They can almost always put two to three words together. of course, like I said every child is diffeent. Do you read to him? does he seem eager to communicate? these are all important questions to ask.

I would suggest reading into the following article:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/nimhautismspectrum.pdf

My nephew has an autism spectrum disorder, and his mother went through the same questions you are asking. he is high functioning, with more autistic tendancies than autistic behavior (Asberger's syndrome), and you would never know he had an issue by looking or talking to him, but he was delayed at first, and with the right medical intervention he is much better.

imnot saying your child has this disorder, or anything close, but it is a disorder that is cropping up all over, and people should be made aware of what to look for, so they can get it under control. good luck!

firmbeliever

Please do consult a specialist!
Even if there is nothing wrong, it is better to know than to wonder!

I have a 2 year old and the talking rarely stops, but I do know another kid and he is the same age but rarely says 2 words and they consulted a doctor but seems nothing was wrong with him.

sdyantx

He does try to communicate by blabbling unclear words, he does make eye contact, he does point at objects. When we are in the car, I say tons of words asking him if he can say them and he does repeat the words but they are not clear and sometimes he says the wrong sound for the beginning of the word.He has not been tested but I have read alot of material and I do not believe he is autistic. He is however, a child who has been going through a divorce between my ex husband and I which was final Last November. Would that have an effect on his speech? He just got back a week ago from his summer visitation with his father, which he was away for a month. When he came back, he really seems as if he has depression. He is always crying, always holding his stomach as if he has a stomach ache. He acts tired, but yet he wakes up about every 10-15 minutes throughout the night-he can't sleep. His sister started talking very clearly and never stopped when she was about a year and a half. I don't understand the difference between the time between them. I know every child is different, but he acts as if something is wrong. He plays, and smiles, and acts as if he is talking, but he can't be understood, much less tell me what is wrong. VERY frustrating. Could depression be causing this?

GlindaofOz

He may just have a speech problem. My best friend is a speech pathologist and she said that a lot of kids have a problem where they know what they want to say but they physically cannot make their mouth move for the sounds to come out. It's pretty typical. I would get him diagnosed by someone in the special education field or by a speech therapist or pathologist. They can work with him to teach him how to fix the problem with his mouth.

I would contact your childs doctor and see what they have to say. There are speech therapist that can come to your house to test your child they usually work through a state or independent agency. The earlier something is done the easier it will be. As frustrating as it is for you imagine how frustrating it is for your son. My friend has been able to get kids functioning at much better levels after 6 months, please don't delay in getting him tested.

I agree, it is not autism especially if he makes eye contact.

alkalineangel

yes, after that info, I also agree it is not autism. I still suggest thogh that you speak with your pediatrician. They will be able to take the problems you are describing and form it into a solution. good luck!

Babsbu1007

I would talk with a doctor right away at 3 1/2 they should be talking with no problems. He could have a hearing problem or a language development problem. I can't believe your pediatrition hasn't done anything yet about it. Hope it all works out.

J_9

At 3 1/2 he should be talking relatively well, I won't say clearly, but understandably. I have to ask....when he was a baby, did you baby talk to him? Baby talking to a child will usually teach them to talk, well, baby talk.

It is imperative that we talk to our little babies as little adults so as to form good speech as they grow. We have a 5 year old girl in our neighborhood that asks me for a "bwink." I had no clue what she was saying, "drink" until I was talking to her mother and her mother talked baby talk to her.

I believe I read that he has an older sister, please correct me if I am wrong. But does he get what he wants just by making noises (my youngest who is now 5 used to do what I called "monkey" because he sounded like one). If that is the case, he doesn't have to talk. He knows how to get what he wants just by making squeaks and grunts.

You need to get down on your knees, on his level, and make him say the words you want. Sure, he'll resist, but if he wants something, he has to say it. Doesn't matter if it is clear right now, but he has to say it nonetheless.

You can contact your local elementary school and see if they have a speech pathologist on staff (really good idea actually) who can help you with this. He is WAY too old to only be saying Momma. Time to be Momma and get him to use his words.