By 16 months, which symptom may be present?

• A. Many spoken words
• B. Very few or no words
• C. Milestones achieved on time
• D. Regular social smiling

Answer: (B)

Language development by around 16 months should show emerging words along with gesture use and understanding. If a child has very few or no spoken words at this age, it can signal a potential language delay or risk for autism, even though there is variability among children. This is why this symptom is the most likely to be present as a concern at 16 months. Regular social smiling and milestones being achieved on time are typical signs and would not indicate a delay, and having many spoken words at this age would be more advanced than expected. When few words are noted, it’s important to evaluate hearing, language development, and social communication and consider early speech-language assessment.