[color=Teal]I know this topic has been discussed before, but I was just wondering at what ages your kids started talking. Our boys say the odd word here and there, but that's about it. They understand everything we're saying, but they just don't speak much at all. They seem to have their own "twin" language that they understand, but it's all Greek to us! ;p

I spoke with a speech pathologist about this a few months ago and she said to give her a buzz if they still weren't talking after their 2nd birthday. She said it's nothing to worry about, but I just don't want them to fall behind.

I'd love to hear some feedback.

Vanessa

Vanessa-I remember when we had our 2yo check ups and they went through all the things that they should be doing a 2yo's.....talking certainly wasnt one of them! A few single words (that really only we could understand) but not much more. They understood everything that we were saying though ie can you get your shoes? and off they would go.

The next 3-6 months were incredible as far as language development went...something just seemed to 'click'. Joel was slower than Cam by about 2months but they both speak long sentences now and you can have a full on conversation with them. The advantage of having twins is that if you cant understand what one is saying you just ask the other and they can translate for you!

Personally I wouldnt be at all worried especially if they understand what you are saying to them.



Caz Joel and Cam at 2 1/2years old-now 3 years old

Hi Vanessa, I can remember feeling the same as you are feeling. But like Caz, around two their language skills started to take off. It seems slow at first but it really doesn't take long to accelerate. I have found it to be completely different with my daughter; who knows many more words than my boys did at that age. They seemed to start later, but like you, I was told not to be concerned. Recently I took one of my boys to a speech therapist as he wasn't pronouncing words as clearly as his brother; and I was told he's very much in the normal range. I would say just wait and see how they go over the next few months and if you're still concerned check with your health nurse or a speech pathologist. But I reckon you'll find that by that time they're picking up new words all the time.
Cheers, Maycee

Maycee (35)
DH (33)
Twin boys (4/12/01)
DD (7/10/03)

Hi Vanessa,

My response is the same as Caz and Maycees our boys just started saying so many words and now they don't stop. Mine go to family daycare once a week and she has helped in a major way as she makes them use words when they want something and if they whinge she tells them "words" and every week they seem to come home talking more.....

Just see how they go and I am sure they will be talking non stop soon LOL



I

Kristy

DS 8
Twin Boys 2

Hi Vanessa,

My sister & i were the same. We hardly spoke and when we did it was to each other in our own "twin" language. We saw a speech therapist and it improved things rapidly so that when we started pre-school at 4 we were at the same level as the other kids.

Rach

Rach(26)
BJ(35)
Our sweet ID twin boys - Aidan & Keenan - born 5 Feb 05




This message was edited by RachieD on Friday, 15 July 2005 @ 3:07 PM

Hi Vanessa

I have a set of yr old twin neices and also anoter neice who is 3 weeks older than the twins. The twins practically hold conversation with you ad yet my other neice (the older one) hardly speak at ll - she tends to grunt more to get what she wants.

My DS took her to a speech pathologist and she pointed out that there was nothing wrong with her hearing or any other problems she was simply lazy so they began to teach her sign language so she could communicate, as she was getting frustrated. Within only a few weeks she began to actully speak.

Once your kids start to speak, I'm sure you'll think back to when they didn't and wonder just how quite it was then.

Good luck

[color=Teal]Thanks everyone so much for your responses. You've all put my mind at ease. I'll give it a few more months, and if things don't seem to be improving I'll give the speech pathologist a call.

There's no doubt that they're so close to saying things, and occasionally they come out with words that make sense, and they definitely understand pretty much everything we're saying to them. So, that makes me feel better. It seems that talking is just around the corner for them, and they babble constantly, so keep your fingers crossed for us!

Thanks again. You're all fabulous!!

Vanessa

Hi Vanessa

My boys turned 2 in June this year and like you, I am concerned about their speech. My problem is that I am always comparing to other children and I know I shouldn't because each child is different, but it's really hard not to. My boys have been late in everything - crawling, walking & now talking! However, I am comforted by the fact that they do babble on between themselves continuously and they seem to know what they are on about between themselves, I just wish I could understand! They also understand almost everything we say to them and can follow simple instructions, so I'm happy with that. Jonathan can say about 25 words and Peter can say a few less and he is not as clear as Jonathan when saying them?

I'm kind of reluctant to go to a speech therapist, because I don't think it's time to panick just yet? I think I will just wait and see how the next 3-6 months go.

Mum to twin boys, Jonathan & Peter
Born 20/06/03

Hi Vanessa

Our girls are nearly the same age as your boys (they'll be 2 in 2 weeks). I've also been worrying about their speech ( but them I worry about everything LOL). The "experts" say they should be putting two words together by 2 (eg milk Mummy) and have a name for themselves - my girls don't do that (although Eleanor did say "bye Daddy" the other day which was a first). I sat down the other day and wrote down all the words they can say and there were 20 or 30 each but my concern was that they don't say a lot spontaneously - mostly repeating what we say when we name things. However they do understand everything we say to them and can follow complex instructions (eg go to your room and get your teddy and bring it to Mummy). I think they just don't have as much one on one talking with an adult as a singleton does and they don't have to talk as much because they have each other to babble to.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I think this is a multiples thing (as well as each child being different) - I'm not going to worry about it at this stage and will see how the next few months go - I think they might be about to explode with language. DH described it as waiting for the dam to burst - they just have so much comprehension, I think it's just a matter of them working out that they can also say the words they understand.

In the meantime we're trying to talk to each separately as much as possible (eg "do you want a banana, Harriet?", "do you want a banana, Eleanor?" rather than just giving the same thing to each child). It seems repetitive but I think it helps.

One day we'll be posting about how to make them stop talking all day!!

Maree

Eleanor 1/8/03
Harriet 1/8/03

The girls turned 2 in March. They had about 10words between them and a heap of babble.
They've just passed their corrected age last mth.

Emily is going at a rapid rate and repeats almost everything, & altho not clear, we can understand her. She can just put 2 words together now but it's a hit and miss.

I was starting to worry a little as they can totally understand everything we say, and it is coming but their frustration is beyond belief and I just wish they could tell me what they want.

Jas on the other hand came out w/ 3 new words last week -these have taken almost 7mths..

Anyway, I'm trying to relax about the whole speech thing it is coming albeit slowly, and I am enjoying the peace but not the questions of other people questioning me as to why my kids are NOT talking yet.

That is VERY frustrating..