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Is It Abnormal When A Baby Girl Doesn't Utter Even Single Words At 17 Months?

Posted on Tue, 19 Jan 2021

Question: Hi Doctor,
My daughter is 17 months old but, she has not started speaking yet.
She just blabbers some unrecognizable words. We have tried teaching her speaking papa, mummy etc but, as of now she doesn't speak anything. She just shouts and blabber.

Not sure if this is ok in terms of development with regards to 17 months child. Is this normal if she is not speaking anything till now or there is something which we shall do?

Regards,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Not normal. Early detection and early intervention are essential.

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. Let me tell you that this is not normal and calls for a proper evaluation and intervention. The first thing needed is a hearing test. Unless her hearing is proper, she cannot develop speech and language properly. The next step would be to answer the following questionnaire:
https://XXXX./online
This will help in excluding autism spectrum disorders.

The third step would be to get her evaluated by a speech and language pathologist. He would be able to intervene accordingly.

Please proceed in the indicated lines and feel free to update me accordingly.

I will await your response.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (2 days later)

Hi Doctor,
Thanks for your reply. I am concerned after reading your reply.

Regarding hearing test, she had hearing test done after 10-15 days of her birth and it was normal. Her hearing seems to be normal to us as she responds to noises like she dances on rhymes and songs. When we call her, she see towards us and smile. So, I am quite sure her hearing is fine. Still if you recommend, we can go for hearing test again. Please suggest?

Regarding step 2 and step 3, we would do it soon and will keep you posted. Does step 2 and step 3 depends on step 1 as per my understanding step 1 is normal.

Any other suggestions from your side to help her in speaking would be helpful.

Regards,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
A step by step approach needs to be taken

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the update. The first part of the concern is relieved since assumably her hearing is not at fault. The next part is making sense of what she hears. Then comes generating a plausible language response, and then comes converting it to meaningful set of muscular coordinations to implement the language response. A step by step evaluation is therefore needed. The other part of the evaluation can be done by you yourself and that is the MCHAT questionnaire (link provided in previous communication).

I could not understand your use of terminologies step 2 and 3. Please elaborate.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 hour later)

Hi Doctor,

By step 2, I meant MCHAT questionnaire and by step 3, I meant evaluation by speech and language pathologist.

Regards,
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Both essential

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for explaining.
Please undertake MCHAT and let me know what it says.
Also make sure to get an evaluation by speech and language pathologist so that proper interventions can be begun at the earliest.

Regards

Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy