Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ekimswish]

Hey, I'm just wondering how well/fast/slow/difficult it's been for your children to learn how to speak here as babies, toddlers, and youngins?

My daughter is two and 4 months, Filipina mother, Canadian dad, and shows a 'little' interest in speaking, but basically not as much as I wish. While I see kids in Korea, Taiwan, or Canada who are speaking a lot at the same age, my daughter, and my friend's half American/Korean son, seem quite a bit behind.

What's the deal? Anyone else experience it?

[Juregen]

Why worry about it.

Some children are slower than others, I wouldn't start to worry until she passed 3 years and hasn't spoken yet.

[andrewchon]

Does she hear at least?
Does she look at at you with recognition?

[tzechuk]

Bi-lingual / multi-lingual children speak a little later than mono-lingual. I think my daughter, who is properly tri-lingual (English, Korean, Cantonese Chinese) now, started constructing full sentences at around the same age as yours. Before that it was pretty much single word responses.

ETA - she is 5 now.

[Lolimahro]

My son is 16 months, and he is just barely starting to use words (within the last month). He attends a Korean daycare 3-5 days per week and we use 99% English at home (neither I nor my husband speak Korean fluently - our only fluent language is English).

Couple that with the fact that I was a late-talker growing up in a monolingual household and I believe my husband was a quiet child - I don't expect my son to be having intelligible conversations for some time. Knowing what you were like as a toddler and learning how to talk might give you an even better gauge as to when you can expect your child to be speaking a lot. Some kids are just quiet - your child might actually know a lot of both languages but is not comfortable verbalizing yet.

If your pediatrician shows a lot of concern, you could take her to a speech/language pathologist to run some diagnostic tests just to be sure.

[Himself]

As long as your toddler has overcome all other developmental milestones, I wouldn't worry about it. All children are different. Some will walk at 7 months and others at 2 years. As long as your child shows some understanding of what you say, it should be ok. Like someone else said, ask your pediatrician.

My son is 21 months and just barely said his first word and hasn't said it since. He's just very stubborn. Other 2 kids that he plays with in Korea have been talking since 14 months old or younger. Now they are 24 months and don't stop talking. So, Korea doesn't prevent your expat child from speaking. Maybe your child doesn't yet feel the need to speak.

[big_fella1]

Also if she is an only child then this could be a factor.

I understand that only children speak later because they don't need to communicate with other kids. My nephew was almost 4 when he started speaking. Of course his stay at home father (not my relative) made it unecessary for my nephew to speak, as he would accept sign language.

Don't worry too much, but try to be less accepting of sign language. Good luck.

[naturegirl321]

My parents thought I was autistic because I didn't talk until my brother was born, when I was 2. BUt then I just started talking, sentences, paragraphs. My grandma came to help my mom take care of my brother and her jaw dropped when she saw me talking, she was so surprised.

I guess I just had no reason to talk. My poor brother. My dad said he was only hours old and I was dragging him around telling him not to stick his fingers in the sockets or he'd get shockedc. His eyes couldn't even focus.

[Lolimahro]

naturegirl~that's hilarious! I was the same way. I didn't speak till well after 2 years, and I started with sentences, also. I think the first thing my mom heard me say was something like "Let's go, we'll be late". 0_o

Also, taking into account your child's wintertime illnesses would be a good thing. Has your child had a lot of ear infections? This can prevent them from hearing properly so their speech might be a little bit delayed. Also, if your child has a pacifier in their mouth all the time, they can't develop the muscle dexterity in their oral cavity properly to speak well. There are many other factors, as well - these are just a couple.

My son is a very careful speaker. When he says a new word, he says it very quietly and shyly, as if he wants to get it absolutely right before speaking. Other children find that they can get what they need through pointing, crying, grunting, etc, so they just don't feel the need to talk.

One expat mom here told me about Floor Time - child directed play time focused on your child - and how it is used to treat all kinds of disorders in children, including (but certainly not limited to) speech delay. Here's a website that details floor time routines you can do with your child to encourage a wide range of developmental milestones: http://www.icdl.com/started/homeintervent/index.shtml It's pretty intuitive, and most parents are probably doing something like it without even realizing it.

[ekimswish]

Thanks for the responses.

Actually, I didn't speak until 4 because I was essentially deaf until past 3. Her hearing is good. I think one big thing is just her personality. She likes to be in control, so when we want her to repeat, she just shrugs us off most the time and proceeds to conversate with us in babble. But not always. She will listen and repeat sometimes, more and more lately.

We were just in the Philippines - wife and kids are still there - and surrounded by so many people, she started trying to talk a little more. I think hearing one language at home, and then another outside which we can't speak, is a problem for us in Korea. Also, we don't get many visitors. There're no grandparents or friends to pop by and hang out with her.

But my wife tells me she's speaking a bit of Filipino, English, and Korean now.

I guess the reason I panicked and posted the question was because of my friend's son in Taiwan who speaks Chinese so fluently at the same age. Saw him on videocam the other day. Was wondering if this is something common in Korea for mixed/or foreign toddlers.

[naturegirl321]