As parents, it’s very normal to worry over our children’s milestones. We want the best for our kids, and we want to nurture their growth. So it can be very stressful when they are not hitting a particular milestone. If your 19-month-old is not talking but understands everything (or is a little younger or older), and you are worried, you’re just like thousands of parents out there.
Late talking is very common and definitely something we can work on!
But it’s still nerve-wracking.
Even as a Speech-Language Pathologist myself, when my son was showing signs of late talking, I was worried. I remember that he only said four words at 18 months of age: “agua,” “mama,” “papa,” and “wow.” But he understood so much more than this.
Is Your 19-Month-Old Not Talking, But Understands Everything?
During a baby’s development, they begin to understand words and language way before they start speaking. This study from the University of Pennsylvania actually points to 6-9-month-olds being able to understand the meaning behind many words that they hear. Even at that young age, they are learning language before they actually begin talking.
Because their understanding of language begins early, it’s comprehensible that they’re learning at a faster rate than their speaking skills can develop. So, if your toddler seems to understand many words but isn’t talking yet, this is definitely a factor.
What Causes This?
I recently wrote a blog post on the most common causes of speech delays, but for the specific case of a toddler not talking but seeming to understand language, it’s typically the case that they have a speech delay, or that they’re struggling with coordinating their mouth and tongue to form words for speech.
What Can You Do?
If you are worried, it can’t hurt to have your child evaluated. A late-talker evaluation can help you learn what’s going on that’s causing your child’s speech to be delayed, and it can help you develop a plan for moving forward.
Late talkers can absolutely catch up, but generally speaking, the sooner you can have them evaluated, the better.
Children with a speech delay are more likely to catch up to their peers faster with their speech and language skills with early intervention versus if you were to wait.
Late Talker Evaluations
As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I have worked with over 1,000 children over the years to treat their disorders. I would encourage you to begin with a late talker evaluation to help understand what is impacting your child’s delay in speech and to establish a plan to help them.