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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers
What does he want???



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amother
OP


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:19 pm
My baby is 17 months old but does not yet say a word.

He gets his message across by pointing and making noises. He will grab onto my legs and make urgent noises until I pick him up.

But theres something he does very often that leaves me baffled. If I am sitting and he is on my lap, he grabs my face and brings his face very close to mine and makes urgent noises . Sometimes if I'm lying down and he is on the bed, he brings his face close to my face and tries to put his mouth on my nose (like he wants to eat it but he doesn't bite.)

He is not my first child- he is my 7th. None of my other kids did this. I have no idea what he wants when he does this.

Anyone ever have this or have any idea what he could want?

(I am still partially nursing him, but my other babies knew exactly how to show me if they wanted to nurse. They went for my shirt, not for my face. So I dont think it's that. )
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amother
Ghostwhite


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:24 pm
He wants to tell you he loves you!
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amother
OP


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:27 pm
amother [ Ghostwhite ] wrote:
He wants to tell you he loves you!


Thanks but really not. He is making urgent noises like he needs something NOW, and crying. He kvetches a lot.
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amother
Carnation


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:31 pm
Maybe he does want to nurse even though your others did differently.
When my toddler does that he wants attention.
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amother
Blonde


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:34 pm
It sounds like he's urgently trying to get you to understand him. I'm not sure it's something specific. I'm so sorry that must be so frustrating for him and for you. Offer him a drink or food next time and see if it's what he's asking for.
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amother
OP


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:38 pm
amother [ Blonde ] wrote:
It sounds like he's urgently trying to get you to understand him. I'm not sure it's something specific. I'm so sorry that must be so frustrating for him and for you. Offer him a drink or food next time and see if it's what he's asking for.


That's a good idea.
A separate problem is that he likes almost nothing. He has very few foods that he eats. And he has many allergies, so he is limited to begin with.
But I will try that and see what happens.
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amother
Marigold


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 6:55 pm
Maybe get him early intervention-speech so he can communicate
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amother
Yellow


 

Post Fri, Jul 02 2021, 7:10 pm
Babies that age can be taught sign language. Maybe look into that.
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amother
Navy


 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 10:10 pm
My son does similar I think he does it when he’s hungry
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lucky14




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:16 pm
Are you in the US? Have you gotten him tested to see if he will qualify for early intervention?

That must be frustrating!

Does it seem like he is in distress? How do you react when he does this? What will he do if you just give him a big hug and start talking to him? Will he keep trying to do the same thing?

I don't think any of us are going to be able to figure out what he's trying to say but if you could get help from a professional (hopefully for free depending on where you are located) with finding ways for him to learn to communicate with you that would be helpful I'm sure.
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momof2+?




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:17 pm
My baby would grab my face and ‘eat’ my cheek when she wanted to be nursed.

Editing to add....hold on- 17 months?! My baby did that when she was 8 months +. Does your baby understand and show “yes/no?” I would try pointing to a bunch of options she/he might want. It must be frustrating to not be able to ask for something.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:25 pm
amother [ Yellow ] wrote:
Babies that age can be taught sign language. Maybe look into that.


Google "baby signs", it's a game changer! DD was super smart, but slow to talk, and being able to communicate cut down tantrums by about 80% or more.

I would take your child, and go around the house saying "show me." Point to things and say "Do you want food? Do you want bed? Do you want bottle? Do you want toy?" Just keep doing this until you figure out what on earth he's after. It's a big process of elimination, but it's worth it to figure it out.

Then when you find the thing, make up a sign for it. Every time he has that thing, use the sign. Before you know it, he'll be coming to you and signing.

Some people think that teaching your child to sign will delay their language skills, but this is not true. Once a child can make words, they are so excited by their new skill that they will forget all of their signs completely.

I remember one time DD was being really fussy in the kitchen, and I couldn't figure out what she wanted. She kept saying "mee-mees, mee-mees". After a very long trial and error, I opened up a cabinet and she got really excited. She pointed to a box of cereal and yelled "MEE-MEES!"

She didn't know that they were Cheerios, so she made up her own name for them instead. For the next year or so, we all called them mee-mees. Smile
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amother
Mintcream


 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:28 pm
He might be thirsty
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hodeez




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:29 pm
He would definitely benefit from early intervention, get him evaluated. It's life changing.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Jul 03 2021, 11:55 pm
I'm not sure why everyone is saying early intervention. He sounds perfectly age appropriate to me.

If he's delayed in other areas, then of course get him evaluated, but not just because he's trying to communicate.
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lucky14




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Jul 05 2021, 11:56 pm
FranticFrummie wrote:
I'm not sure why everyone is saying early intervention. He sounds perfectly age appropriate to me.

If he's delayed in other areas, then of course get him evaluated, but not just because he's trying to communicate.


She said 17 months. I think 17 months and not a single word would call for an evaluation.
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amother
Bluebell


 

Post Tue, Jul 06 2021, 8:47 am
lucky14 wrote:
She said 17 months. I think 17 months and not a single word would call for an evaluation.


I would also 17 months is on the later side for no words. My 'baby' only started talking after 2. I spoke to a speech therapist and she basically did a short assessment and said, his understanding etc is all fine, he's just not using words. But she wouldn't be worried as that should come. And it did.
The speech therapist did say though that there isn't much you can do at that age, other than modelling the language, reading books etc, all of which I was doing.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 14 2021, 2:22 am
lucky14 wrote:
She said 17 months. I think 17 months and not a single word would call for an evaluation.


I just checked back on this thread. I didnt realize it continued past Friday.
My baby will be 18 months in 3 days bezH.

I am the OP of the other thread, about 18 month old not talking.
The consensus is to get him evaluated. Thanks all for your input, and thanks ff for your interesting advice about signing.
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