Words count by 18 months - what counted for you?
Pediatrician said 'should have 10 words by 18mo'. Mine has mama, dada, dog, ball, and lots of nonsense. Do animal sounds count? Approximations?
4 Replies
5/7/2026
Approximations count! 'Ba' for ball, 'da' for dog, anything consistently used to refer to a specific thing.
5/8/2026
Animal sounds yes, signs yes, anything they consistently use with meaning.
5/12/2026
10 by 18mo is conservative - many late talkers catch up by 2. But worth tracking.
5/13/2026
Speech therapist friend says understanding (receptive language) matters more than production at this age.