# 14 month old has stopped talking



## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

My dd has stopped using the few words she knew and has completly reverted back to "baby talk". She has an obvious language on her own, but it's not something we can understand. She has words that are attached with things, but they aren't anything close to what the word is supposed to be. It sounds like an actual Asian type language.
She has also stopped using a lot of her signs and she now just grunts and screams to get things. She won't point (never has) at anything.
Is this a normal part of this age?


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## kamilla626 (Mar 18, 2004)

I don't think it's necessarily specific to her age, but I do think it's normal.

Babies and toddlers sometimes seem to "forget" some skills, esp. while they're working on another major skill. I remember how excited dd was when she learned to walk backwards. Then a couple months later, she couldn't do it anymore. At some point, she could do it again. The same was true for some words and signs.

My understanding is that regressions like that are pretty common and normal. I think their little brains get overwhelmed with new learning and development, and they have to let go of some abilities while they work on other ones. I would just keep using the signs with her, and verbalizing what she wants before giving it to her, to help "remind" her of what she's already learned.


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

Oh good. I was just a little scared that maybe something was wrong. My instincts tell me everythings fine, but I still worry. Especially when someone points it out.


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## mamaley (Mar 18, 2002)

the previous poster said basically what i was going to say....my dd did the very same thing, also at 14 months. i asked my ds's speech therapist about it and she reminded me that toddlers will focus on one skill at a time, and then put the others on the backburner for a while...so with my dd, she was talking some at 1 year and then at 13-14 months stopped using words and babbled only, but she was really working on her motor skills at that time. now she's 21 months and she won't stop talking


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## luvmybucababy (Jul 27, 2005)

We're experiencing the same thing. DD(14 mo. also) was saying 4-5 words and using about 3 signs. Now she only uses a couple of the words, but they've changed and are less like the actually word and more her creation of the word. She babbles too in her own language and points and makes up her own words and sounds for things. I just realized while reading one of the other responses that she is really focused on walking right now. Maybe that is why she isn't so interesting in her verbal skills.
Glad to know some others are going through this as well!


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

the first thing that came to mind was that she is working on another major skill, just as the other posters have mentioned. like standing free, walking, or something to do with eating or self-feeding.

our little guy is also 14 months and just mastered walking free about 3 weeks ago, so it's definitely the age, too.

~claudia


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## katenyc (May 4, 2005)

This is interesting...my 14 m.o. daughter's spoken vocabulary maxed out at 5 and now she only says 1-2 of those words, but her signing vocabulary keeps growing and growing--and some are a sign/vocalization combo. (Her receptive language blows me away.) People have insinuated that the signs are preventing the speech from happening, but I don't think so







:

She's already a good walker, though. Maybe stair climbing? We don't have any in our apartment, but at the park, in our lobby, etc, she's constantly at them.








:


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## beeb (May 29, 2005)

Saying that signing prevents speech is bogus (you know this already - just corroborating). I believe the authors of the "Baby Signs" book have some data that shows that baby signers talk earlier than non-signers. Just be sure that you pair signs with the spoken word when you use them (you probably do this) and continue to ignore the negative comments.


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## mavery (Jun 3, 2005)

Does your dd make eye contact when she's grunting or babbling? Does she wave bye-bye? (Does she generally seem to be communicating well, even if not with words?) If so, then I'm sure you're right not to worry, she's probably just working on other things.

I hate to be alarmist, but the one possible worrying thing that sprang to mind when I read your post was "regressive autism", where kids lose language and communication skills they had already acquired. I don;t know much about it, but I've heard the term used and when I googled it just now I found it mentioned here: http://www.autismweb.com/signs.htm

The site says:
"According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Autism Facts, "a doctor should definitely and immediately evaluate a child for autism if he or she: .....has any loss of any language or social skill at any age."

If your instincts tell you everything's fine with her, it probably is. But if you have any concerns, it's probably worth checking with her doc...


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## dumpsterdivamama (Nov 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *katenyc*
People have insinuated that the signs are preventing the speech from happening, but I don't think so







:









: right there with you. My 1st dd was almost 2 before she said even 2 words that sounded like the real words. But, she signed a TON! She talks up a storm now, so who cares how early she talked. She was communicating, and that's all that matters. That comment was one of my BIGGEST pet peeves. I usually just politely responded when anyone would question the signing and her lack of speech, "Actually, studies have shown that kids who sign have earlier speech, and every kid is different. I am so glad she can sign, imagine if she had no way to communicate!"

Now, my 13 month old has 8 understandable words.







Aaaahhh, kids are so different!!

Sorry for the tangent







:


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mavery*
Does your dd make eye contact when she's grunting or babbling? Does she wave bye-bye? (Does she generally seem to be communicating well, even if not with words?) If so, then I'm sure you're right not to worry, she's probably just working on other things.

I hate to be alarmist, but the one possible worrying thing that sprang to mind when I read your post was "regressive autism", where kids lose language and communication skills they had already acquired. I don;t know much about it, but I've heard the term used and when I googled it just now I found it mentioned here: http://www.autismweb.com/signs.htm

The site says:
"According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Autism Facts, "a doctor should definitely and immediately evaluate a child for autism if he or she: .....has any loss of any language or social skill at any age."

If your instincts tell you everything's fine with her, it probably is. But if you have any concerns, it's probably worth checking with her doc...


She doesn't wave bye, but she never has. She's never waved hi or bye, pointed at things, or anything like that. She does make eye contact. It's like she's still talking to us, but in her own language.
She's been walking since 9 months, but she just learned walking backwards and spinning, so maybe that's why.


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## mavery (Jun 3, 2005)

I think it's a little unusual not to point or wave by 14 months? But eye contact is also a big thing. Anyway, you know your dd - go with your instincts but I'd definitely get a professional opinion if you have any doubts at all.


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mavery*
I think it's a little unusual not to point or wave by 14 months? But eye contact is also a big thing. Anyway, you know your dd - go with your instincts but I'd definitely get a professional opinion if you have any doubts at all.

I just think she's different in regards to the not pointing and waving thing. Instead of pointing at what's she's looking at, she will look at it, then turn to you and do her "talking". More like she's conversing about it than asking what it is. She's never really cared about whether people come or go (other than dh and I) so I think that's why she doesn't wave. We never wave either so I think it's just a family thing.
I never even noticed she didn't do either thing until interviewing a potential client for my daycare and saw that their 1 year old was pointing at EVERYTHING and waving all the time.


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## mavery (Jun 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kathryn*
Instead of pointing at what's she's looking at, she will look at it, then turn to you and do her "talking".

That's interesting. It sounds like she's trusting you to be paying attention to what she wants to talk about rather than having to direct you to it. I wonder if other ap/very connected kids do this? That'd be an interesting thing for someone to research.


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## KariM (Mar 13, 2004)

My DD also isn't a pointer or waver yet (she's nearly a year). Her big brother was a HUGE pointer and began pointing at around 9 months or so.

I was a bit worried when I read some autism info as well, but then when I carefully watched my daughter I realized that she was using eye contact with the object instead of a hand gesture.

I like to think my parenting style is the same, but it has been 13 years since her brother was a baby/toddler and my DD has been high needs since birth so I might be more in tune with her than I was with her brother. I know she was/is held a whole lot more than he was!

The one gesture she does use is sort of a "come here" motion with her hand. She'll open and close a partial fist. I use a similar gesture when I want her to crawl or walk to me and she's now using it when she wants an object. It's kind of funny because the objects can't move under their own power.









--Kari


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

I majored in early childhood development in college, and from what you've written, I would be concerned enough to have your daughter evaluated. Some of the things you've mentioned (loss of language, lack of waving, lack of pointing) can be indicative of autism. If your dd does have early signs of regressive autism, the sooner you intervene, the better. That's why I'd have her evaluated.

One thing that is sort of a "corner mark" of autism is that children with autism are unable to partake in something that's called "joint attention." Joint attention is when someone points at something, like, "look over there at that!" And then the child looks where you are pointing/looking. Children with autism usually do not look where you are pointing/looking. If your daughter does partake in joint attention, then I would not be as worried, but I would still have her checked out, just to be totally sure.

Also, the fact that you started this thread means that you are at least a little concerned, and your instincts are something to be listened to and followed through on!

HTH!

Lex


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## mavery (Jun 3, 2005)

Lex, what you said is just what my initial reaction was, but since she looks at an object and then at an adult to "talk" about the object, that seems like a form of joint attention, don't you think?


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## monkeybum (Jan 1, 2005)

My DS - now 19 months - has been considered "advanced" for quite some time - walking at 9 months, he currently has an extensive vocabulary and repeats everything we say, he has always been extremely social and interactive with people, kids, etc. He has been able to follow simple instructions (get the sock and bring it to daddy) since about 13 months, he was putting more than one sign together to make a "sentence" at 13 months after he'd only been signing for 6 weeks...everyone that comes in contact with him including his DCP say he is very alert, bright and advanced.

He has never been a pointer, and still only points if he wants his milk he'll point at that *sometimes*. He didn't start waving bye-bye until about 16 months and even then/now, it's only *sometimes* to certain people depending on his mood, the person and what else is going on around him, and only if I tell him to say it or if someone is waving to him.

So lack of pointing and waving are not always a sign of autism.

And he rarely will look if I say "look at that". He's busy looking at the ant on the ground, chirping to the birdies, saying "down mamma", splashing in the puddle, looking for daddy, getting his milk out of the fridge, etc. No time to stop and look at what I'm pointing at! :LOL :LOL :LOL

I guess my concern is that I have seen so many children "damaged" by a system that "labels" children, and more kids put through programs and treatment and what-not that at times, makes things worse - personal stories behind this one, but that's for another post...and I have an ever skeptical feeling about Drs. So, I guess my opinion - though I'm no expert - is that you should trust your gut. If you sense a real regression, then yes, you should look in to it for sure.

However, don't look for "set" milestones (like pointing or waving) at a "set" age to mean disaster. Every child is different. You can tell if she is communicating - so what if she's using her own words or language, the point is she understands that things have a label and that you "discuss" things with other people. She may not know all the labels and she may be discussing things in her own language, but if she is communicating then I would not worry.

We laughed at my son a lot - and still do - sometimes when we're in the car and DH and I are chatting away, DS will "babble" and every few words will be a word he knows well, like "ball" or "car" or "bus" or "mamma"...it's like he sees that you "talk", and alot of what we say sounds like babble to him still, but he knows there are words you throw in here and there too! It is really cute. He's trying to tell us all about something - I'm sure he knows what it is, just doesn't have the full vocabulary.

Trust your gut.









Kathy.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mavery*
Lex, what you said is just what my initial reaction was, but since she looks at an object and then at an adult to "talk" about the object, that seems like a form of joint attention, don't you think?

Yes, that could be a form of joint attention, but I would still be worried if she weren't participating in joint attention initiated by someone else.

Regressive autism is often linked to extreme food sensitivities and other environmental influences (such as vaccines), and is often very treatable. The earlier treatment begins, the better. It really has nothing to do with labels. . . many professionals would hesitate to label any child under age 2 as "autistic," but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't be willing to treat certain symptoms that are characteristic of the syndrome.

HTH!

Lex


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## Kathryn (Oct 19, 2004)

She does some of the joint attention you're talking about, but like the pp said, she really is far too busy for it. She introduced one sign back in last night so I think it was just a phase. I'm not worried about it, my gut tells me it's just how she is learning and she is fine. She is a very bright child.


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## lexbeach (Mar 6, 2002)

I'm glad she's doing the joint attention thing, and that your gut says everything is fine. It could very well just be a phase she is going through, though I don't believe it is a very common one. Regardless, you will know soon enough. . . if the phase does not pass ina couple of months or her language regresses more, then I would have her evaluated just to be sure. There is no harm in evaluation.

Just to clarify, children (and adults) with autism are often very bright, sometimes even exceptionally so.

HTH!

Lex


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