Does it count as a "word" if only I can understand it?

Question

My son has his 15 month appointment next week and at his 12 month his doctor said he should know at least 5 words by then. He says Momma and Dadda clearly but the other words are hard to understand for anyone who isn't around him a lot. (Fish is Ish, Kitty is Key). Do they still count as words even though he can't fully pronounce them?

Answer

yes because they understand what they are trying to say. it's not a random lol

Answer

My daughter is about to turn 18 months and still doesn't say even 1 word. Not mama, not Dada, nothing. She babbles and only does the bababababa thawing not associated with anything. Pediatrician said we will revisit it at her next appointment but that some kids don't say anything until 2 or more but if I'm really concerned that once she is 18 months she can be concidered to be evaluated for speech therapy. But that doesn't mean anything is wrong. Some babies just advance quicker than others. I know how frustrating and concerning it can be as a parent but hang in there. Your LO will catch up when they are ready 😊

Answer

Yes because you and he knows what it  means. My daughter is 21 months and has a lot of those "words" lol

Answer

Yes it counts. My little brother is over a year and understand a lot but won’t speak many words. He is a trilingual home so that might be slowing him down.

Answer

I think it does, if it consistently represents the same thing. 
My daughter says CRAPLOADS of things and she's 20 months, but a lot of them are poorly pronounced right now.  She's recently been replacing her fake words with poorly pronounced accurate ones, like all shoes, socks, and even feet were "cacas," which I think she picked up from daddy calling his sandals "chanclas" at some point.  Now. they are "yews, yots, and veet."  
Hats, however, are "yats."  Sometimes when she chatters, I can't quite tell if she asked for Hat or socks. lol

Answer

unless my doctor could understand him she never counted it. My son took speech therapy for this reason, but comparing him to others his age he needed it

Answer

I’m in the same boat. My daughter says mama and papa and says “ juice “ but doesn’t say it clearly and also says “ cheche “ which is my sisters nickname. And she says “ no “ but other than that I think that’s all she can say for now.  She has her checkup next month and she’ll be 16 months at that time

Does it count as a "word" if only I can understand it?

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