It’s with a blink of an eye that your once little bean was a fresh little newborn. You are now looking at an eating machine that is beginning to navigate obstacles and chatting away in their own little way. Common words like Dada and Mama are usually the first to come out but what if your 15 month old doesn’t say Mama -should you be worried? We look at the reasons for this and ways to encourage speech.
15 Month Old Doesn’t Say Mama – Why and How To Encourage them
If your 15 month old doesn’t say, Mama, there are many reasons for it and it doesn’t always mean that they are experiencing any sort of delay with their speech. It could be as simple as they do not hear the word ‘Mama’ often enough to associate it with you or to mimic it. Let’s look at how you can encourage your little one to say, Mama.
When Should My Child Say, Mama?
Your child should start babbling and mumbling sounds and words from around 6 months old. By the time your child reaches 15 months, you should expect them to be using small words like mama and dada in context.
At 15 months you should expect your baby to have mastered the words mama/dada. These words are easy for them to mumble and will only be the beginning of their endless vocabulary.
If your house is anything like mine then you could be in the race to instill the words ‘Mama/Dada’ into your baby’s vocabulary. Now I am not going to babble about how all children are different because we know that they are, they each develop in their own time but if your 115-month-old is yet to mumble those all-important words then continue reading to find the best tips to encourage your little one to use their voice.
My 15 Month Old is not Saying Mama
Many people believe that a child will always say Dada as their first word but it is not always the case. The consonant ‘D’ can be easier for a little mouth to pronounce but if a child’s primary caregiver is their mama then this can come first.
If your 15 month old won’t say mama then it is important that it is flagged to your pediatrician as by this age we would expect young toddlers to be using these words in association with their mother and father.
Your pediatrician will recommend a hearing test to rule out any loss in their hearing and also can send a referral to a speech and language therapist.
I must make it clear that even though your baby doesn’t say mama at 15 months it doesn’t mean that there is an issue. Many parents find that their child mumbles and babbles other words. My daughter’s first word was ‘duck’. I truly believe it was because I spent the first 12 months of her life singing ‘5 little ducks.’
It is important to recognize what your 15 month old can do rather than what they cannot. If they are displaying a good variation of sounding the letters and sounds of the alphabet then they may be exploring their vocabulary before shouting the all-important word mama.
If your child is copying your actions and showing excitement and engagement when playing games like peek-a-boo then it is unlikely that they will have hearing difficulty.
How Can I Encourage My Child to say Mama?
As previously mentioned my daughter’s first word was ‘duck.’ This is a classic example of repetition having a great impact on our children’s development. I can remember singing 5 little ducks and her little face lit up. After that I went duck crazy, she had one in every color for the bath and we read stories about ducks. I was a little duck crazy at this point so why on earth was I disappointed when her first word wasn’t mama?
Early in their life, our babies are like sponges; they absorb everything and take everything in. They have the time and ability to absorb the true beauty of their surroundings and show enjoyment in things they hear. This is when we should tune in to what we say to our little ones.
Encouraging them to say certain words can help them cement the sound and mouth movement they need to make the same noise. If you are working on the mama word then repeating phrases like ‘mama has a bottle for you’ or ‘ come to mama.’ Once you relate the word to yourself it won’t take long for your little one to relate the word to you. Ask your partner to help as well.
If you notice in many households the parents have a habit of calling each other by the term ‘ mommy and daddy’ this quite rightly stemmed from them relating the terms mama and dada to each other in the house.
Reading books where the main character is the mama can also help. Not only is this a great bonding experience but it is also good reinforcement for all sounds, not just the initial ‘mmmm’ you are longing for them to say.
Reasons Your Child isn’t Calling You Mama
What if there was a logical explanation for the lack of use of the word mama?
‣ Primary Caregiver – If you as their mom are their primary caregiver then your baby may feel there is no need to address you by the name mama. You are always there, your intuition will sometimes respond to their needs before they have muttered a word. They also may not hear anyone call you Mama, so there is no repetition.
‣ Self Image – For at least 40 weeks your baby was inside you and for the most part of their first year they were never that far away from you so don’t be surprised to realize that some children are yet to understand that they are separate from you. In fact, the need to address you may be far from close as they believe you and them are still one person.
‣ Notice the Other words – They may choose to call you something else. My mother wanted to be addressed by the words grandma and my daughter’s version was marmar. Young children are creatures of wonder and can create their own words for you even if you don’t recognize them.
FAQs related to 15 Month old baby not saying Mama
Is it normal for my baby not to talk at 15 months?
Seek medical advice if your child hasn’t started to babble by the time they get to 12 months. Their first words should be expected by the time they hit 18 months but the babble and mumbling needs development before this.
What words should a baby say at 15 months?
Around 75% of children are thought to have mastered the words ‘ mama and dada’ They should also have three other words that they use which are usually names of objects or other people. A favorite of many toddlers can be ‘more’ or ‘no.’
Why does my toddler say dada but not mama?
The sound ‘m’ can be quite nasally and many babies may find this one fairly difficult compared to the ‘d’ sound. When the initial sound is mastered the rest follows fairly quickly. To add it does not mean that ‘dada’ is the favorite!
Wrapping Up
To address the reasons why your 15 Month Old Doesn’t Say Mama it is important to remember the following:
- It doesn’t always mean there is a problem with their hearing or speech.
- If there is a link to their hearing then diagnosis will give them the best outcome for their future.
- Encourage talk and allow your baby to speak in return even if it is mumbling.
I know you will be desperate to hear those all-important words by now but give it a little time and encouragement. Your darling little one will be nagging your ear off in no time. For now, keep at it momma you are bossing it!
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