Mobile but Muffled
Dear Dorie, My 1-year-old is beginning to walk and doing quite well, but he’s not talking as much as his older brother did at this age. Is there anything I should be doing to encourage him?
Dear Mobile, When you’re the parent of more than one child, one of the most difficult things to do is to avoid comparisons between your children. Each child progresses in his unique way and your job is to support that individuality. Most parents I know have two very different children and they are constantly amazed by the genetic variations. Rarely will a family have incredibly similar siblings — it’s just nature’s way of keeping us parents on our toes!
That said, there are many things you can do to encourage language development. Start with factual repetition of things that your son does or one-word phrases that he says. For example, if he says “ba” to mean the word ball, respond with something like, “Yes, that is the ball. Would you like to play with it?” By doing this, you are elaborating on his thought and exposing him to additional relevant vocabulary.
Let’s take a common example for a slightly older toddler. While sitting in the high-chair eating noodles, the toddler says, “bus-ketti.” You would respond with something like, “Yes, you are eating spaghetti. Does it taste good?” The key here is a positive affirmation of any attempt to talk, regardless of the situation.
Sooner or later, your son will start combining words into phrases. Until then, keep narrating. Good luck, Dorie DORIE MEEK is director of the Infant & Family Support Program, provided by Saint John’s Health Center in partnership with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Submit your questions to
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 29, 2007. Read the original PDF.