My Most Frequently Asked Question: When Should I be Worried?
My most FAQ: “When should I worry about my baby not talking yet?”
As both a speech therapist and a mom, I know how exciting (and sometimes nerve-wracking) it is to watch your baby grow and hit new milestones. One question I hear all the time is: “When should I be concerned that my baby isn’t talking?” It’s a great question, one that seems to come with very conflicting and misleading advice, and I’m here to help you sort through it WITH evidence-based research and WITHOUT the stress.
My General Rule of Thumb:
Let’s get straight to the point… here’s my answer to that question: If your baby isn’t using any words beyond “Mama” or “Dada” by 15 months, it’s a good idea to consider a speech therapy consultation. I’m not saying this to worry you—lots of kids develop at their own pace, and some might just need a little extra boost. Early intervention can make a big difference, so it’s always better to be proactive. My 15 month rule of thumb is a starting point, but there is so much more that goes into whether or not I would recommend Speech Therapy for a baby not yet using words at 15 months. Let’s dive deeper:
Other Things I Consider:
When I’m deciding whether a referral is the right next step, I look at the bigger picture. Here are some things to think about:
Are they using gestures or signs? Things like waving, pointing, or clapping show that your baby is finding ways to communicate. *Did you know? Sign language/baby signs COUNT as a first word! So if your little one is signing “more”, that does count as 1 word! Use of gestures and signs are an indicator of future language skills, so this gives me more information on their language foundation. For more info on gestures, see our blog on this topic!
Can they follow simple directions? For example, if you say, “Give me the cup,” do they understand and respond? This shows that their comprehension (receptive language) is developing. Children need to understand what a word means before they will say it. Following simple directions is a great precursor to spoken language.
Do they respond to their name? Babies should typically look toward you or react when you call them. If a child is not yet looking at you or responding when their name is called, it could be a sign of potential hearing loss or other medical concern that needs a closer look.
Are they babbling? Those adorable “ba-ba” and “da-da” sounds are key building blocks for talking. Knowing when they started babbling, what type of babbling they are doing, etc, can all help me know if the first words are close to emerging. *Did you know? Word approximations also count as words! So if your little one says “ba” for banana, you may not be counting it yet. But it sure does count! See below for more information on “what counts as a word”.
These are the first questions I ask when a parent comes to me with concerns for a baby not yet talking, so be sure to make note of these skills with your baby!
What “Counts” as a First Word?
Words
You know this one already, but I’ll include it. First words like ball, dog, yes, more, help, bottle, water, milk, etc all count as a word.
Word approximations
Let’s say your baby says “ba” for banana or “wah wah” for quack quack, this still counts! And if they also say “ba” for ball, it probably counts too! What’s important to note is if they consistently use that sound to portray meaning. So if they see a banana and say “ba” and then when they see a ball they say another version of “ba”, yep you can count that as 2 words!
Sign language
As stated above, sign language (both ASL and “baby signs”) count as words! So if they sign “more” and “all done” those both count as a word!
Animal Noises
Ever wonder why baby toys are SO animal (especially farm animal) focused? Animal noises are a really great way to promote language. The sounds are easier for a baby to produce than “real words”... plus they are so fun! My oldest’s first consistent word was an animal noise… a dinosaur growl to be exact!
Environmental sounds
Vroom vroom, choo choo, woo!, yay!, ewww, beep beep! These fun sounds all count as words, for the same reason listed above for animal noises.
Bonus: Second Language
Did you know?! If your baby says a word in two languages, it counts as 2 words! So if your bilingual babe says “more” AND “mas”, write that down as 2 words!
All in all, when you see that your child is consistently and independently* using a word to portray meaning, then you can add that to their list of first words!
*What I mean by independently is that they don’t just repeat what you say, they label an item or say a word on their own without a model first.
I’m Feeling Overwhelmed by all this Counting
Before we keep going, I want to stop and say this: milestones don’t need to be overwhelming and confusing. For most children, you don’t NEED to count words or get bogged down by numbers and criteria. For the majority of children, you can just keep doing what you’re already doing: encouraging language, modeling first words, and exploring and enjoying babyhood. These ideas and guide
How to Encourage First Words (10-15 Months)
If your little one is in that 10-15 month range and you want to help them get those first words going, here are some simple, fun ideas:
Narrate Your Day: Talk about what you’re doing as you do it. For example, say, “We’re putting on your socks. Socks go on your feet.” You might feel silly at first, but trust me—your baby is soaking it all in! Do this all day long, and encourage other adults in baby’s life to do the same!
Pair Words with Gestures: Wave and say “bye-bye” or point to objects and name them. When you go to pick up baby and they raise their arms, say “up? Up! You want UP”
Limit Questions: Instead of asking, “What’s that?” over and over, give them the words: “That’s a dog! Woof woof!” Focus on functional words like “car” or “go”.
Play Imitation Games: Babies learn by copying. Play games like “peek-a-boo” or “pat-a-cake” to encourage back-and-forth interaction. Give them wait time “peek…a…….BOO!” play it over and over and wait before “boo” to see if they’ll do it first!
Make a Word List: Keep a visible list of all the words your baby says. Post it on the fridge or a bulletin board, and add to it whenever you hear something new. It’s a great way to celebrate progress (and it’s super satisfying to watch the list grow!). Stay tuned to my Instagram for a Reel demonstrating this!
The 3 W’s: A trick I like to teach when educating parents is to follow the 3 W’s: watch, wait, word. As parents, we get into a habit of predicting our baby’s needs and meeting them before they have a chance to communicate that need. If we give them the wait time they need, you’ll see those first words and first communication attempts blossom. So, I recommend to practice throughout your day:
Watch what baby does: pay attention when baby is moving towards an item they want, or rubbing their eyes, patting their diaper, etc. Watch what they do and see what their intention is.
Wait: give your baby time to communicate on their own. Wait and see whether they point to something, reach for it, babble, sign, look at you, etc. See what they do and give them enough time to try harder to communicate when you don’t immediately meet their need. (By wait time, I mean a few seconds. I know you’re a busy parent, so I really just mean 3-4 seconds of waiting!)
Word: after that wait time if they don’t use a spoken word, then model it. “Car? Car! You want the CAR. I want car. Here’s the car! Car!” Then meet the need/give them the thing they are seeking. Reinforce what you are doing by repeating the word as you give it to them.
These are my starter tips for promoting language for any baby in that stage of emerging first words. If these tips aren’t working or you feel like you need more personalized help, I’d love to meet you! We can start with a free consultation and dive into your concerns and ideas. To book a free consultation, contact me here.
What to Do if Things Aren’t Progressing
Let’s say you’ve tried all of those tips for a few months and your baby is 15 months old now, but still no first words. What is the next step? Well the next step is to remind yourself that you are doing an amazing job and your baby is an amazing baby. At the end of the day, the timeline of our children’s development is not a reflection of our parenting. So if you are feeling hard on yourself or getting into a blame game, please pause and remind yourself that you are a great parent. Then, you have some options!
Schedule a Free Consultation: I offer free 15-minute consultations to chat about your concerns and help figure out if a full evaluation or paid consultation for parent training is indicated or what your next steps could be. Get started with scheduling here.
Find Another Provider: I provide in-person Speech Therapy in St. Louis MO, teletherapy for anyone in Illinois/Missouri, and parent education/consultations to anyone in the US. If you are looking for in-person or teletherapy direct services outside of my area, or you simply need help finding another SLP to talk with, I’m still here to help! Contact me here to get started.
Look Into Early Intervention Services: Beyond my free 15 minute consultation, my practice is private pay at this time. If you’d like to find a free or low-cost option, there are resources in every state for early intervention. Find your program here.
Why Early Intervention Matters
Research shows that early intervention is incredibly effective for kids with speech and language delays. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), children who receive support early often make significant progress in communication, social skills, and overall development. Starting early can really set the stage for future success.
Trust Your Gut
At the end of the day, you know your child best. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s always better to check in than to wait and wonder. And remember, you’re not alone—there are so many resources and professionals (like me!) ready to support you and your little one.
If you’d like to talk more about your baby’s speech development, reach out for a free consultation or book a paid session for a detailed home plan. I’d love to help you navigate this stage and cheer on your baby’s milestones every step of the way!
