As you know, one of mine (Baby B) hardly talks. By age two (one month ago) we had 10-15 intelligible words, although he has lots of his own language. His twin brother speaks in sentences, and is even counting to three now. Baby B was, however, walking (even running) MONTHS before his brother. So they have different development, for sure.

Anyway, just in the last four weeks B has added a whole bunch of new words (OK, maybe double what he had) AND he has put two words together which he had not done before: 'Daddy, up', 'baby ball' (telling us it was the neighbor's ball), etc. It's definite progress!!!

Just thought I'd pass this along because several of you who are worried have LO's a little bit younger -- and the language picture is getting brighter!!!

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DS was very delayed in his expressive language (although he understood 2 years ahead of age level).  He was after 2.5 before he ever said momma.  He started formal speech therapy 8 weeks before he turned 3 (we had to quit that when he turned 3 thanks to insurancce).  He then had therapy through the school district. although the first therapist he had for a year wasn't the best fit for him.

Anyway long story short.  He is now 6 and has a vocabulary above age level.  There are times that we have to tell him to please be quiet and stop taling so much.  I am not sure how much I credit the speech therapy for his progress becuase we worked with him so much at home. (The second year of therapy in the school he had a much better therapist, and by then he was making fantastic prgress).  He is still in therapy for articulation issues, and I am hoping that we have one more year after this one.

Molly

it is the 'we want him to stop talking so much' that I can't wait to reach!!!!

I keep hearing this, so I am optimistic -- I just think it's that we are all different, and he is doing it HIS way. He certainly gets his points across, they just aren't always English or even words!

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I just started lurking on this board and saw this post. I'm a speech-language pathologist and thought I'd offer up some insight. Sounds like your boys are making great progress. I'm sure you've heard someone ask this before, but do you notice where the more talkative brother talks for baby b? I've noticed that happening before with some twins I've worked with. Best of luck

I  still say  that I think in my case it wasn't his twin sister talking for him as much as she was talking all the time, and he couldn't get a word in.  Honestly she did do some talking for him and if he did a bunch of gibberish I would ask her to translate.  For my DS I figured that he had 3 strikes against him in being on track for speech.. 1) preemie, 2) twin and 3) boy.

Molly

I have heard this before about twins, but unfortunately I can't say this is the case in OUR case. Baby B actually was the more expressive of the two FIRST -- before either one had actual language. Pointing, making sounds, reaching, etc. He really does 'communicate' well, actually.

Baby A is the more laid back (MOST of the time), or was until he started speaking -- and now he is loud and demanding, in a funny way! (If I don't respond right away when he is with a maid and calling me from way upstairs, he calls "Moooooooommmmmmmyyyyyyyy!" and it reverberates through the whole house!! Very funny....)

Anyway, I was hoping it was that -- one just talking for both of them, but they are SO different and want different things ALL the time -- so I think Baby A is 'doing his own talking' -- just not much talking yet!!

Thank you for writing -- I'd love to hear your comments more often!!

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informs me..that when a child is working on an area of delevopment ie: physical or some other area..other area's of delevopment are put on the back burner;
an earlier walker may not be a early talker viceversa....

babies usually focus on one big developmental domain at a time. Typically, they'll focus on getting down those big gross motor movements, which is usually within that first year, and the second year is typically the time for the big language explosion. If a child is doing okay receptively (comprehending okay), I am not AS worried about expressive language until around two (as long as there aren't any other red flags).

he's going on 20mos, and I can't say he really talks? he does the "momma, momma" sing song and makes "lots of noise" but no words that I would count? His hearing is great! and he takes direction very well you can ask him to get momma's phone, and he does LOL or he'll hear a phone ringing, and take the right phone to the right person The ped isn't concerned....yet sigh Probably by his 2yr appt (late March) hopefully he'll be "talking" if not, we'll go from there.

His 11yr old ds had speech problems, and is still in speech, talks up a storm now but needs to slow down and pronunciate....

and said wait a few more months. It seems to be working -- not to say there won't still be issues, but there really has been a big change in the last month. "big" a relative term, but still!!!

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much of anything at close to 2. We've been round the block and back again having him evaluated by Feeding Teams, Speech Pathologists & Develop Ped
Develop Ped ment'd verbal apraxia but it is not diagnosed till age 3
I worry each day that it will never happen at all
I am totally in love with my little man, but I am often curious (we're no tell till he is old enough to learn) if the donor's boys have delays as well. I guess I should have asked
(None on DH's side) I feel like a failure most days...particularly when I am a certified teacher. How can it be that I cannot teach my son when I successfully did so in the classroom for many, many years

Anyway...enough about me. I'm babbling. So happy for you and as my mother says...once they start they dont stop! So...I'm sending these wishes on to you!
Lots of love

I really thought about you each time we had a breakthrough, and when I posted this. I know you have been having a tough time of it, but I think at least in this speaking thing that you WILL see improvement soon.

Isn't it funny that it's only boys? Also, my dad tells me that my grandfather (who died when I was a baby) was really worried about my brother, who didn't really talk til late (maybe going on three?) My parents just said 'his sister talks for him' and left it at that.

As an adult, he is definitely more of an introvert than an extrovert, but truly the most brilliant person I personally know, and the most articulate!!!

SOO..... we just have to wait for these little guys to 'bloom'!!!

Hugs, Murph, and you are a great mom. Don't you DARE question yourself.
XO
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So kind of you to send such promising news my way! Thanks for being super supportive. Awesome to hear your LO is making great strides.
It does often seem to be a boy thing. Go figure!

First off, I am sure you are not a failure! It is hard being a mother, and some times we are too hard on ourselves! IS your son in speech therapy now?

You may be sorry you asked once I'm done...but I'll try to keep it short for your sake!! LOL!
We've been through so much to try and get our son the right help.
He was evaluated last year by the Feeding Team at Chop who sent us home saying feeding was behavioral
I trusted my instincts and called Early Intervention. He was diagnosed immediately with a shortened frenulum & oral motor dysfunction
The EI team seemed FAB...but the S.P. who has been coming on a weekly basis isnt so great. My son has made NO strides.
Surgery was performed in August to correct the tongue tie
Hearing has been checked 2 times - Audiologist
We are considering St Joseph's for feeding since CHOP failed us so miserably, but I live 2 hours from N Jersey
We are considering a local rehab outpatient facility for speech that was recommended by a friend I used to teach with (speech teacher)
Not crazy about the facility. VERY CLINICAL
The only sound my son makes is Bah. He makes bah in every string of syllable...that's about it
My son seems to have responded more to his Baby Babble DVD (Part 1 and 2) than anyone else he's seen. He loves those DVDs

We dont know where else to turn. We are overwhelmed. I hated the creepy clinical setting of the rehab center...I'm so mad at CHOP, I dont even want to go there...I just dont know where to turn to get him the help he needs

OH...there is supposedly a woman in my area who is known as the speech guru
She charges $250 an hour and doesnt take insurance

Thanks for caring and asking. It's been a long road between feeding & language. But...heck...he sure is an adorable, happy, loving little guy
(OH BTW...he has been seen my a Devel Ped who said that he may eventually be diagnosed with verbal apraxia)

for being such a strong advocate for your child. Sounds like you've done a lot of good, proactive stuff for your son. How long has he been in therapy? some times it does take a while to see improvements...at any rate, I, of course, cannot diagnose or anything even close to that here, but I am happy to help/answer questions, etc if I can. Best of luck to you, Sallen

I get worried one week and then calm the next. It is so strange how they do the exact same things though, and are on the same levels. So I feel like it is my fault. They are only connected by DE and not the sperm...so they should be doing different things as most full twins even do things at different rates. I guess my twins have their own pace and abilities for all the other things, still pretty darn close...but they are on the exact same page for talking...or non-talk. So I always go back to it's my fault. I push one week and let down another, I guess. I try to tell myself they are boys, twins, preemies, and hear a 2nd language 40 hours a week...so they are a little slow in the speech department. They seem very advanced for following instructions and learning new things. Puzzles aren't that much fun anymore because they are so good at them. Maybe I need to get some for 4 year olds since they have the 2 and 3 year old puzzles down.

They know about 15 words but will say some of them tons one week and then hardly any the next week. They point out everything I ask and make sounds for it, lol. I just want them to say the noun .

I know my pedi will not be concerned but I will tell him what I learned here about speech development regardless of how easy other areas are for them. I really feel like they will blossom in a few months but I don't want to get behind in the therapy classes just in case. But here I still sit and hope. I think mostly my non-action is based on the fact that when they do say a word, it is very clear...at least for now. Like duck, book, momma, go-go, car, nana. Trying to get them to say BAnana, hehe. Does nana count as a 2 syllable word ?

They start whining now alot, grrr, because of the words and I will say, Use your words! My one twin starts signing the MORE sign, lol. That's the only one he knows. (More like...use your WORD, hehe.) I guess I will need to start working on signs if they are going to be slow in the speech department.

Thanks for making me feel better. I will keep working with them.