My baby of 20 months have not started talking

[Guest]

Good day doctors and happy new year to you all. My baby of 20 months have not started talking, she only say Mama and baba and blabs most of the time.at 15 months I took her to the hospital to check if there's a tongue tie, and they said there was no tongue tie. At this point I am very worried, please what should I do.

B.W 3.25, weight at17th months 13kg.

Thanks..

[Modupe]

Hello mum

This is a RAPID SCREEN FOR DELAYS THAT REQUIRE INTERVENTION!!! IF YOUR CHILD HAS NOT ACHIEVED ANY OF THE MILESTONE FOR THE AGE UNDER WHICH IT IS LISTED.... SEE A PAEDIATRICIAN PREFERABLY A DEVELOPMENTAL PAEDIATRICIAN OR PAEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST IMMEDIATELY

Are you worried about your child’s development being slow or delayed?

Use this rapid screen. The child should achieve ALL the items in the age category before this – if not, see your Paediatrician (Developmental) for further assessment and management.

The earlier the delay is picked up and interventions commenced, the better the favourable outcome for the child according to evidence-based research.

3 months

• Lie awake baby on the back.
• Head should be in the midline and not falling to one side.
• Baby should look at your face or an object, and follow through 180 degrees.
• Get baby to smile at you.
• Baby should be lying with arms and legs positioned symmetrically.

6 months old should be able to

• Lie awake, baby on back.
• Lie with hands in the midline and together.
• Coo and gurgle with pleasure when you talk to him/her.
• Reach out to grab objects extended to him or her.
• When pulled to sit should not have the head falling back.

9 months old

• Should be babbling e.g. tata, dadada, yayaya.
• Reaches for an object and takes it to the mouth.
• Should be able to sit without support.
• Should demonstrate a parachute reflex (flying out both hands when when the child is held upright and the baby’s body is rotated quickly to face forward (as in falling) with nice open hands.

12 months old

• Should say at least one word mama, dada, meme, baba.
• Holds 2 small objects – one in each hand.
• Bangs objects together (one in each hand).
• Stands up holding unto furniture or mom’s knees.

18 months old

• Uses 6 recognizable words e.g. Mama, papa, thankyou, nana etc.
• Point to something in the room and say “look at that” the child should look.
• Walks without support with symmetrical movement of arms and legs.

2-year-old

• Puts 2 words together e.g. Mama biscuit, papa go, etc.
• Understands simple commands “give me that” ” fetch that”, “wipe your nose”.
• Runs well with symmetrical movement of arms and legs.
• Can kick a ball without holding on to something for balance.
• Holds pencil and makes circular scribbles.
• If walking on toes or very clumsy, see your Developmental Paediatrician.

3-year-old

• Should tell you their name correctly.
• Combines 3 words in speech.
• Builds a 6 cube tower.
• Names items in room easily: pen, book, phone, teaspoon, cup, chair, clock.
• Jumps off a step easily landing 2 feet together.

4 years old

• Speech is understandable to person not close to the child.
• Can copy/draw a circle.
• Walks up and down steps easily without holding onto railing one foot per step.

5 years old

• Speech is fluent with good sentence structure.
• Knows name, age and gender.
• Draws a person with at least 6 body parts (head, eyes, mouth, nose, arms and legs, out of heads hair, ears, fingers).
• Hops well on one leg.
• Can jump off 2 steps and land 2 feet together.

Note: This screen will not pick up mild problems but significant, if you are concerned, it would be best to see your Developmental Paediatrician as soon as possible.