“My child understands but doesn’t speak” is a sentence I often heard from parents who brought their child in to see me for a speech and language assessment.
While in most cases this was true (the child understood at an age appropriate level), there were a few children who actually did not understand what they should have.
There are children who are true “late talkers”, meaning that they are developing as expected in every area except for expressive language (spoken language).
But then there are those who do have difficulty understanding, and have fooled their parents, making them think they actually understand more than they do.
When I say “fooled” I don’t meant that your child is doing this intentionally.
Rather, they are using strategies, almost like coping strategies, that help them fit into their surroundings.
Below I will explain 5 ways parents and educators can check to see if a child is or isn’t understanding language. When a child struggles to understand spoken language, this is known as a receptive language disorder.
My Child Understands But Doesn’t Speak
How Some Children “Fool” The Adults Around Them
*This article may contain affiliate links*
Making A Choice
When a choice is given the child takes one of the items offered, regardless of wanting it or not.
This leads the parent to believe that the child has understood and made a choice.
In order to see if your child can truly make a choice, pay attention to your wording.
Many children will choose the last word in the list of choices.
Therefore, make sure you switch the ordering of the choices. For example, “do you want yogurt or strawberries?”
The child may say strawberries because it is the last word they heard.
If you said “do you want strawberries or yogurt?” and now they choose yogurt, then that is definitely what is going on.
Try giving a choice between a non preferred item and a preferred one, if your child chooses the preferred item (no matter the order of presentation) then they are able to understand and make a choice.
But make sure the items are presented verbally.
If you show your child 2 items they will easily be able to chose the one they actually want.
In this scenario you are evaluating the ability of your child to understand spoken words.
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Joint Attention
A child may use joint attention to feign an understanding.
Joint attention is basically sharing attention.
An example is when a parent looks at an object and the child or baby turns to look at the same object.
Children are often assumed to understand more than they do because they are able to use joint attention.
In therapy sessions when I would request a specific item from a child, I would always make sure NOT to look at the one I wanted the child to give to me.
If I said “give me the car” while looking at the car and not the ball, for example, the child would most likely have given me the car because that is the item I was looking at.
Following Routines
Parents often assume that their child is able to follow directions because the child’s teacher has no concerns at school (In this example I am referring to preschoolers or kindergartners).
However, children are quite good at following what the rest of the group is doing.
Let’s say the teacher says “it’s time to clean up and then sit at the carpet”, the child with comprehension (understanding) difficulties will typically wait and see what the others are doing and then follow along.
At home this can happen when a child knows what to expect.
For example, after breakfast they always go upstairs to get dressed.
So when the parent says “go upstairs to get dressed” and the child goes, the parent assumes their child has understood the direction.
Parents also often use gestures and pointing without even realizing it.
So the parent may say “go and get your hat and mitts on” while pointing to their head and hands.
If it’s cold outside, the child will figure out what their parent means.
Use An Object For What It’s Meant To Be Used For
Here is a great example. Dad says “throw me the ball” and the child throws the ball.
Of course it seems like the child has just followed a direction.
But, that’s what you do with a ball, you throw it.
If dad would have said “sit on the ball” that might have been a different story.
♥ You Might Also Like: Baby Sign Language Basics – What you need to know! ♥
Prepositions In Directions
This was one that often came up during my years practicing as a speech-language pathologist.
Many times I would ask a parent about their child’s understanding of early prepositions (in, on, off, out, under) and they would tell me they have no concerns as their child follows instructions containing these words at home.
When I asked for an example I would often get an answer like “he throws the dirty napkins in the garbage when asked”. This is great, but it’s also what you do with a dirty napkin.
If you said to the child “throw the dirty napkin under the garbage” would the child do that?
In my speech therapy sessions I often had kids follow silly directions or directions with objects such as a box and blocks.
This way the child cannot predict what I might ask them to do.
For example, “put the block under the box” or “put the baby (doll) under the bed”.
Another way I would check for comprehension of “in” and “out” was by using a box and blocks or a toy bus (open at the top) with small figurines.
Usually when children are asked to put something “in” or take something “out”, there is only one option and the requested action fits the object being used (e.g. putting something in the garbage that belongs in the garbage).
However, in order to check for true understanding, I would have several blocks around a box as well as 2-3 blocks in the box.
Then I would say to the child “take a block out of the box”.
Many times the child would take all of the blocks that were laying around the box and put them all in.
Parents would stare at me baffled as they thought their child understood these words.
What Does This All Mean?
I am not telling you all of this to scare you or because I think that you should be testing your child.
But, if you have a child over 18 months who is not using words to communicate or using very few words and those words only consist of nouns and a few verbs, don’t assume that your child is understanding everything.
Think of the examples I gave above with regards to your child.
Play some silly games where you ask your child to do something unexpected like “put the dirty napkin under the garbage” and see what happens.
Or try saying “hug the car”, but make sure there is a teddy bear and car near the child.
Keep in mind, that the age of your child will determine whether or not they should be able to follow the directions.
That being said, Kerstin Meints, Kim Plunkett, Paul L. Harris and Debbie Dimmock (2002) found that children as young as 15 months understood the prepositions “in, on, under” in typical situations whereas by 18 months most children understood these same prepositions in atypical situations.
Chances are that when you say “my child understands but doesn’t speak” your child truly does understand, but realize that perhaps there could be more going on.
This is why it is so important to have a speech and language assessment done by a licensed speech-language pathologist rather than just “waiting it out” and hoping for the best.
Be sure to get your child in to see a Speech-Language Pathologist for an assessment if she is over 18 months and is still not using any words (regardless of being able to understand).
In the meantime I highly recommend reading the book “It Takes Two To Talk” by Speech-Language Pathologist Elaine Weitzman.
This book is packed with information including strategies that you can use at home to help your child speak!
My Grandson is 27months old and not saying anything. He understand and communicates with sign very well. He sometimes makes a gah sound when saying thank you and a thzzz sound when he wants us to look at something. Today his other grandmother told him they were going to go to the park. 20 minutes later I asked if he was going to the park and he knew to nod yes. He follows instructions very well and can identify objects when asked. If you ask him something that he doesnt know he will point to his head and shake no. He just wont say any words.
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for your comment. I would advise you to encourage your grandson’s parents to have him evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. While many children are late talkers and can catch up on their own, some do not. And for another group who do go on to speak on their own, they will end up struggling with reading and writing once they are a bit older. I have written an article on that subject you may want to read.
Early intervention plays an extremely important role in a child’s development and can help prevent future issues.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Glad to have discovered your blog Tanya. And yes, it is awesome to read about receptive language disorder from an expert. I remember clearly at 2 my son having the problem but this was mostly due to the fact that we were living in a multi language home. My wife and daughter spoke one language, my househelp another language and I another language. At the moment, my son was mostly engrossed in English cartoon. So, there was just soo much for him to comprehend or even try to understand. A therapist told us to be intentional and just switch to one language. It did help.
Hi James,
Thanks for sharing your story! I am happy to hear that you sought help for your son!
A lot of really helpful information in here. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed the article.
Hello. This is a great website and very helpful article. We are worried about our 15 month old son who doesn’t yet have a recognizable word. He was two weeks premature, a low birth weight, and has only just started cruising but isn’t fully walking.
He does occasionally say “mamamamama” but that’s only when he’s annoyed with something, and isn’t directed at his actual Mama. Once or twice he very shy-ly tried to copy ‘baby’ with “abaybay”, but it’s been weeks since I heard that.
He has recently started pointing when he wants to go somewhere in a room and now gestures to be lifted up. He understands quite a lot: can point to body parts on my body; will ‘give mama the ball’ when asked; understands “no”; makes an occasional attempt at waving, and recognises when we’re copying the voices from his cartoons.
Its the expressive language that we’re concerned about.
Is it too early to be concerned? The 18 month milestone is fast approaching, and I guess we’re quietly hoping he’s just a late starter, as he was late to sit up, late to crawl, and is late to walk.
Any advice much appreciated
Hi Marcus,
Thanks for your email! Your son sounds a lot like my daughter did at that age. She was also born 2 weeks early and low birth weight and didn’t talk until she was about 18 months old (she could also follow directions and had great comprehension). Has your son had any ear infections? My daughter only had 2 that we knew about, which is to be expected. But due to my background I knew that some children can have fluid in the their ears without obvious signs of an ear infection. And for some children a mild hearing loss due to fluid can be enough to through their ability to learn to talk out of whack. So I took her to a pediatric audiologist to have her assessed. And sure enough, she had a mild hearing loss and fluid was seen in the middle ear.
She was then seen by an ENT (ear, nose and through Dr) who recommended having ear tubes inserted. She had the procedure done at 16 months and started gaining more and more words at 18 months.
That is my long winded way of suggesting to have your son’s hearing checked. It may not be hearing related but it is something that you can fairly easily rule out.
It could also be that he is a late talker. You can read more about that here.
In the meantime I would suggest modelling short phrases for him. For example, if you know that he wants milk you could say “you want milk…drink milk” or something like that. Also narrate as you go about your day with him. Keep the phrases short, but grammatically correct whenever possible.
Introducing some sign language is also a good option to build his expressive vocabulary. This will help ease frustration while he is still learning to to talk.
I have written 2 articles on sign language. First take a look at this one about the basics of signing with a young child and then read this one next.
Another great resource is the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is a parent guidebook that gives ideas parents can easily incorporate into everyday life.
Since wait times to see a speech language pathologist are often quite long, it is also a good idea to put your son on a waitlist. If he suddenly starts talking, you can always take his name off!
I hope this helps.
My son is 2 and nt saying nothing at all should I be worried
Hi,
I suggest having your son seen by a speech-language pathologist for an assessment as soon as possible! A two year old is typically speaking in 2-4 word phrases to express wants and needs! In the meantime you can get the book “It Takes Two To Talk” to learn some strategies you can use at home to help him communicate.
You may also want to consider introducing some sign language. Please take a look at 2 articles I have written on the subject:
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
My son is 4 about to be five and doesn’t speak 😕 it makes me very worried about his future when I pass away is it too late he goes to speech therapy and seems to understand for most part what I’m saying he will get mixed up but realizes he’s confused and usually will correct behavior
Hi,
I’m sorry to hear about your son’s struggles with communication and language development. You have done the right thing by taking him to a speech-language pathologist. You could also take him to a pediatrician to rule out anything else that might be going on. Perhaps the speech therapist has already suggested this. Unfortunately, I can’t really recommend anything else or give you advice as the information you have provided is very limited. I would suggest reaching out to the speech therapist with any specific questions you have. All the best to you and your son!
My son of 23 months started walking at 5 months and talking (I play with car, I go to outside, Mum come play with me) around 7 months. He knows a huge range a words, is really sharp when it comes to colour identification (yesterday pointed to a light yellow towel and said, “lemon colour”). BUT HE REFUSES TO USE THE CORRECT WORD FOR MILK. He calls it bulk. At first we thought it was a m/ b issue, but when we press him on the correct word, usually after a long cry and tantrum, he will sometimes quietly say, Milk. So why is he not using the word milk if he knows it?
Wow, your son has met his milestones well before what is expected! I wouldn’t worry to much about him not saying milk properly. You need to be careful that it doesn’t become a power struggle. Just keep modeling the word milk when he says “bulk”. He may prefer his way of saying it for whatever reason. I’m sure in the next few months he will start saying it properly!
Hello,
my daughter is 2.9 years old. She started walking from like 10
Months old but she does not speak much.
She seems to understand most of the stuff like if i ask her to hide in the kitchen shes does it, knows all the colours and can count until 10, she knows lots of words, she asks us like water, food, pee when she needs to do so..if i ask her do you want to go to sleep she does reply correct when she want to do so, or like do you want ton play with the ball she replies correct. i push her a bit to say like i want food, i want water she says it back but and some times she does say it by herself. Shes says like walk if she wants to go for walk or bicycle for going out with the bicycle. She says i fall down when it happens. But specific sentences. If i ask her to say a sentence with 2-3 words maybe 4 shes does say it and she mostly does not say it back. She learns a few words weekly but what worries me is the fact that she does not do say complete sentences by herself so much or add verbs unless i ask her to and repeats them back. Like i said she says a few sentences maybe 5-10 but that’s it.
She is very active btw and does not let us read her books. But she plays a lot.
sorry for my english it’s not my native language ( the child too). I feel like she memorises words or sentences and then she forgets about them. Like the other day we were in the car and i told her “we listening to music”. We said it a few times and started repeating the whole sentence. But then today i did it again she did not reply and then after 10 mins i said the same sentence again and she repeated the whole sentence. I’m not sure if i’m overreacting or not. We just started logo-therapy like 2-4 weeks ago. Like i said she some times seems not be listening to me and when i show her that i’m sad, comes to me sad as well and she does what i ask her to.
Hi,
Since you mentioned English is not your first language are you speaking another language with your daughter at home and if so is she speaking more in the other language? I am also curious what you mean when you say you just started logo-therapy with her? I am not sure if that is a typo?
It sounds like you are doing all the right things! Keep modeling expanded sentences and make sure to use complete sentences when you are speaking to her. If it is feasible you could also consider enrolling her in a play based preschool program so that she has more language exposure from children around her age.
As for the books, try reading to her at bedtime when she is calmer. Books are a great way to build vocabulary and grammar so don’t give up on reading to her.
The book “It Takes Two to Talk” is a great guide for parents that teaches you how to help your child communicate.
I also suggest having her assessed by a speech-language pathologist as this person can give you more strategies to use with her at home.
You can also take a look at these articles I have written:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
The Benefits of Child Led Play For Speech and Language Development
I hope this helps!
hello , my daughter is 2years old and does not communicate verbally or physically. She says zero to no words , she won’t try to repeat words. She doesn’t point to what she wants. I have done a hearing test and she passed that . I have done speech therapy but no improvement, we eventually stopped due to the office being under staffed we no longer had a spot for her at this point I am trying to get early steps or early interventions involved to help guide on what I should do . She loves to play pretend with her dolls , loves to play with her other kids and is very involved with activities at her at home center. She won’t or can’t follow directions. Again no communication at all other than babbling and crying when she wants something there is no communication. I feel as though getting my foot in the door for a specialist has been nearly impossible. I need help .
Hi Valerie,
I’m sorry to hear that you are struggling to help your daughter communicate. Please get her referred to a program such as early intervention or something similar as soon as possible. Keep in mind that once she gets started with therapy progress may be slow. Unfortunately there is no “quick fix” for these kinds of issues. I am happy that you have had her hearing assessed as that is always my first recommendation when children are not speaking.
It is a great sign that your daughter enjoys pretend play! Keep encouraging that and narrate what she is doing while she is playing so that she is constantly being exposed to language.
I would also suggest you try and start signing with her in order to build her expressive vocabulary. Here are 2 articles I have written on signing:
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
The book “It Takes Two To Talk” is a great guide for parents of children who are struggling to communicate. It provides strategies that you can do at home. I highly recommend it.
You can also take a look at these articles I have written for some additional tips that can help with speech and language development:
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any specific questions that I might be able to help out with.
All the best to you and your daughter!
Hey I have a 2.5 year old and I am very much so concerned about him not talking I have heard him say words and he understands alot and does alot of hands on however, he is not where he should be at this point. He does walk on his toes at times and is also a picky eater. he is now in early intervention in been in it for about 6 months but them words still not coming out. I am afraid he may on a spectrum of autism but the doctor so far only diagnosed him with delayed speech how can I help my son. I worry so much and I am loss at this point.
Hi Nikia,
It can be difficult to give an autism diagnosis before a child is 3. Keep your son in the early intervention program as they should know how to best help him. I would recommend introducing some sign language to your son in order to build his expressive vocabulary. You can take a look at these 2 articles I have written about sign language:
The Basics Of Signing With A Young Child
How To Get Started With Baby/Toddler Sign Language
I am also a big fan of the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It’s a wonderful resource for parents and provides wonderful strategies to get your child talking.
There is also the book “More Than Words” that is specifically for parents of children on the autism spectrum. It is a great guide that focuses on communication as well as social skills.
You can also have your son seen by a developmental pediatrician. These specialized pediatricians can diagnose autism.
I’m sorry that I can’t really help more than that. If you have any specific questions don’t hesitate to reach out!
Wishing you and your son all the best.
Hello Tanya!
I have some concerns about my loving, silly 16month old son. Around 12 months he would repeat us when we said mama, dada, nana and a few other words. Looking back now I noticed in videos when he was around 9 months he would respond to his name constantly, then videos when he was about 12months I would repeatedly say his name and it would take more for him to respond. Fast forward to him now at 16months he can say about 15 words but I don’t feel as if he uses them as much as he should, like he won’t say baba or milk when he wants one. He just tends to whine/fuss so I ask him if he wants one he shakes his head yes. he will repeat some words after I say it first but not all of the time. He doesn’t seem to repeat mama or dada when I prompt him to say it anymore. He will however come up to me while I have food and say bite bite bite, or when he wants up in my lap he comes up and says upup up. Now When it comes to new words I say I’ve noticed he has tried try to mimic them or sometimes says them correctly but then he doesn’t tend to use them again. He also seems to not respond to his name even more so now. He will respond here and there or when he’s not really engaged into an activity, he does seem to have good eye contact most of the time when I finally get his attention But then sometimes when I call his name he will look at me and then look away, especially if I don’t have something to really keep his attention. He brings me toys, shows them to me, shares them while giving eye contact. He loves peekaboo, and playing other games with me sometimes and at times he even plays with his 2year old sister. She does tend to take things away from him and has hit him, which obviously he doesn’t like. So there is a lot of time where he does more of independent play In the same room with us. Sometimes If anyone tries to take something from him he says no and isn’t really happy. He does seem to have quite a bit of tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. When it comes to commands I can ask him to put something in the garbage and he will, at times when I ask him to bring me a certain toy he will and then other times he won’t. Usually when I point to something he tends to look at it, there are times when he’s engaged in an activity he won’t. He tries to communicate when he needs help, like if he wants a pair of sunglasses on and he can’t quite do it himself he comes up to me and say help(it’s not clear but I know what he’s saying). Not very often will he point when he wants something from us, he just kind of puts his hand up in the direction to what he wants and then goes uh uh uhhh and whines until he gets it. Im sorry this is such a long post, I am so worried about him. I am losing sleep over it. I did make an appointment with his pediatrician and one with the early intervention office. While I wait I’m just wondering what you might think though? Could it just be a language delay or autism or another type of delay? Thank you in advance
Hi,
First of all I am very happy to hear that you have taken the steps to have your son seen by his pediatrician as well as someone from early intervention as that would have been my recommendation.
However, based on all of the information you have provided I wouldn’t be too worried at this point. I know a regression in skills can be a red flag for autism, but this isn’t always the case. With a young child there can be other reasons for this. For example, if he is learning other new skills or has had an illness.
Continue to do what you are doing by trying to get him to communicate using words. If he is whining and pointing, prompt him with “use your words”. You may also have to give him the word. So if you know he wants milk then say “milk” to him and hopefully he will repeat you some of the time. If you can sense he is getting frustrated then back off a bit.
Here are 2 other articles I have written that you might find of interest:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
I hope this helps!
My son is 4 years old and he will be 5 in fourth months，He could understand my instructions, I told him to bring the orange we bought yesterday, he really brought it, but he never said a word, only said “Ma”, his aunt said to him,if you call me aunt, I will give you chocolate, he still only said “Ma”, A few years ago he could call me Dad, but for a long time now he has only said “Ma”.Recently,I took him to the hospital for an examination. There was no problem with his oral cavity and listening. He was not focused always and often laughed while running and made a sound of “Ee”，I think he was trying to speak, but he couldn’t, his concentration was really hard.
Please give me some advice on how to get him speak.Thanks.
Kyrie
My daughter is 23 months she was born 3 months early and spent 96 days in nicu . First I’m going to tell you things she can say then get into my concerns. I also want to say she has a check up May 20th this year and I will be talking to her pediatrician about all my concerns as well. My daughter says a variety of words and phrases. Dog, ball, sippy,diaper, pants, shoes, socks, nose, eyes, book, cookie, hello, hey, what is this, where did it go, hey what’s up, let’s go, I see, bear, circle, oval, oh no, oh wow, slide, outside, okay, it’s okay, meow, woof, see you later guys, mama, daddy, no, bye-bye, open this, open door, book, move this, tea, drink it, sit down, come on, yeah, so cool, up, jax( her cousin), nanny, 1,2,3,4 and ABC (( still working on getting to 10 and getting past c ) . There is probably more ( she babbles alll the time (( more then she used to )) I think she’s actually trying to say words and may be actually saying them, this is just what we can understand of what she says )) I’m also trying to teach her 3 signs and week now, currently she doesn’t know any signs ) … she will go get a book “ go get mommy and book from your room “ — when I point at the book and ask her what it is she will not say “ book “ also she will not repeat the word “book “ after me, she only talks spontaneously… same for dog, if we see a dog in a book and I say “where is the dog” she will not point at the dog— but if we’re at the park or at nanny’s she will point at a live dog say “ dog “ and go and interact with the dog… I want to point out if I say “ do you want your sippy with milk “ she will literarily take me to the fridge say “ open “, grab the milk hand it to me, go to the counter where her sippy cups are and point and yell at me until I put milk in her sippy and hand it too her, if I ask her to wait just a second she will stop yelling and stand until it’s done. If I say “ are you ready to take a bath?! “ she will run to the bathroom door and try to take her pants off and put her arms up for me to take off her shirt and put her in the bath ( she loves baths )… but she cannot say “ bath “ ( which is okay I think her vocabulary is okay, and she learns new things daily ) my main concerns or I guess questions are is there a need for me to be concerned that my 23 month old doesn’t understand everything but does understand a lot, also, should I be concerned that she does not copy me when I say words ( like she doesn’t repeat them back to me after I say “ say dog “ or “ say bear “ ( words I know she can say, and she’s always said them in the correct context ). I’ve also asked her to get me a ball book etc etc without pointing ( just make sure it wasn’t in a completely different room) she looked around until she found it and gave it to me … so I feel like she CAN understand some things, it’s just all so confusing for me, and I need a professional opinion.
Hi,
I’m not sure who you saw at the hospital, but it does not sound like it was a speech-language pathologist. What were you told by whoever saw him as to what the next steps should be? Based on the information you have provided, I urge you to have your son assessed by a speech-language pathologist as well as a developmental pediatrician.
In the meantime I would advise that you introduce your son to some sign language in order to build his expressive vocabulary. Please read the articles I have written on sign language to help get you started. Read this one first, followed by this one.
Please take a look at the following articles as well:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
The book “It Takes Two To Talk” will also be very helpful. It is full of information for parents for children who are struggling to communicate. I highly recommend it!
You can also try to set up some communicative temptations for your son. Communicative temptations means that you set things up around the house that will entice your son to communicate with either gestures (Sign language), sounds or words. For example, put some of his favorite toys out of reach, but in sight. Encourage him to communicate in order to get help reaching the toy. So let’s say he has a favorite toy car. Put it up high on a shelf. If he whines and points you can model saying “car” or “beep beep” or demonstrate the sign for “car”. The goal is that eventually he will repeat you and then start using the word or sign on his own.
I would also suggest that your son be evaluated by an audiologist who works with young children to rule out any potential hearing issues. Even a mild to moderate hearing loss (often caused by fluid in the ear in children) can affect a child’s ability to learn language.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.
Please give me some advice… first I want to tell you what my daughter can say then I will get into my concerns. She says a lot of words and phrases. She’s 23 months and was born 3 months premature, spent 96 days in nicu. She says.. dog, book, sippy, see you later guys, hey, hello, cookie, cat, meow, woof, circle, oval, shoes, socks, pants, bye-bye, what’s this, what’s that, ball, 1,2,3, abc, oh wow, oh no, hey what’s up, momma, daddy, nanny, Jax ( her cousin), drink it, here you go, where it go, move it, open this, open door, outside, slide, etc. I counted 45 words and phrases when I wrote them down with her say ( without including each work per phrase ) ( and I’m sure much more I’m forgetting & she babbles a lot and I can’t make sense of some of what she says ) my concern is this, if I ask her “ where is the dog “ in a book she will not point to the dog, but if we’re at nanny’s or the park and a dog is around she will point say “ dog!” And go interact with the dog. If I ask her say “ dog “ or anything at all she will not repeat after me, but she says everything spontaneously without being asked and in the correct context too. She cannot say “ milk “ but if I say “ do you want some milk in your sippy cup “ she will go to the fridge have me open the door, grab the milk and point to where her sippy cups are on the counter…. This is an everyday thing. Also when I say “ do you want to take a bath !?” She will go to the bathroom door and put her arms up for me to undress her… Also if I say “ go to your room and bring mommy a book “ she will bring me a book but if I ask her to say book she will not say book. Is there a concern at this age? She’s not 2 quite yet and my step son is 26 months and just now started pointing to things in books around 25 ish months ( he’s delayed though he doesn’t say but maybe 5 words and only says them if you say “ say dog “ never spontaneously so I don’t know what’s normal and what’s not please give me some advice… she does understand about half of what we say ( or atleast I think so ) she definitely suggest that she does with actions and such but idk I just need advice.
Hi,
Based on the information your provided, I don’t think there is any reason to be concerned. Given the fact she is a preemie and spent 96 days in the NICU I would say it sounds like she is developing well. Definitely raise your concerns with your daughters pediatrician. It is better to be proactive than reactive when it comes to your child’s development. You can also have her assessed by a speech-language pathologist if you continue to be concerned. If you have private insurance you can probably have her seen fairly quickly. You can also see a private speech pathologist without insurance coverage, however, depending on where you live the cost of this could be between $150 and $300. Having her assessed may give you some peace of mind.
If money is an issue then it would be best to look into publicly funded speech-language programs. However, the waiting lists for these are typically 6 months or more.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
My son is 3 and sounds similar to yours. Please let me know what you find!
Hi!
So glad I came across this. I already have some great new tactics to try, so thank you!
I know it is redundant because there are many similar scenarios, but maybe you have some insight?
My second son is turning 2 in a few weeks. He seems to understand complex directions. For example, I can say “do you want to take a bath?” at 7am (not bath time) and he will look at me, go to the bathroom, look around, and shrug. When I say “do you want to take a bath?” at bath time, he runs to the bathroom, turns on the faucet, and starts attempting to disrobe. If I ask “do you want milk? Do you want juice? Do you want agua?” he will shake his head or nod at each option, usually laughing and clapping when I get to the thing he actually wants.
He does not, however, say ANY word without being asked. He says “nyeh nyuh” constantly, emphatically, almost like he is telling a story in jibberish. When prompted, he will say Dada, Yeah, Dog, Nose, Woof, Uh-Oh, More, Shoes, and Cheese. He does a wide variety of accurate animal noises when prompted. He knows sign language for “more” and “all done.” What I am seeing when I ask him if he can say things is that he genuinely can not form the word. It seems like he tries. Like “pumpkin” is “dun dun.”
Are there physical exercises I can do with him to help him actually form the words? I really don’t think it is a lack of understanding!
Hi,
Given the information you have provided, I strongly suggest you have your son evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. By the age of two, children typically can use 50+ words and are combining them into two and three word phrases. However, the pronunciation of those words are not expected to be clear. Around the age of two someone who doesn’t know the child should understand approximately 50% of what the child is saying.
A speech pathologist would be able to determine why your son is having difficulty with his pronunciation as well as helping him expand his ability to communicate.
Sign language is a great way to help build your son’s expressive communication. I have written two articles that provide more information on signing with a young child (and it’s role in language development) and the best signs to get started with.
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
Here are 2 other articles that can help you work with your son to improve his expressive language skills:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
I also highly recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk as it written for parents whose children are struggling to communicate. It will provide you with many techniques and strategies based on the level of communication your child is currently at.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi my son in 2 years and 10 months .. he will be turning 3 in June… I am so worried he does not speak at all , the only word he says is ‘abba’ and that’s it… he recognises colour and numbers and animals but can’t say what they are (I have a sticker book where u can open them and match to the right objects and he does really well on that) please give me some advice on how I can get him to speak. Thank you
Khudeja
Hi,
I strongly suggest you have your son assessed by a licensed speech-language pathologist as they will be the best person to help figure out what is going on with your son’s speech and language development. In the meantime, you can take a look at some of the articles I have written for ways parents can help their children at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
This Is The Best Toy For A 3 Year Old With A Language Delay!
Top 10 Melissa & Doug Toys For Toddlers Learning & Language Development
The Best Learning Toys For 2 Year Old’s May Not Be What You Think!
Best Learning Toys For 3 Year Old’s To Encourage Language Development
I would also suggest teaching your son some sign language in order to boost his expressive vocabulary. You can start with this article first and then this one.
Additionally, the book “It Takes Two To Talk” is packed with hands on information for parents to help their child build speech and language skills at home!
Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
Hello, My daughter is 3yrs old. when she had just turned 2 she could recognize object, colors and 1-5. she would point to flowers and say flowers. She seemed to be on the right track. Then covid happened and since then she has had little contact with anyone but her parents. We also celebrate 1 year of living with and taking care of my father-in-law who is 83yrs old, blind, diabetic and has early dementia and can’t walk. We moved and had a long adjustment period. I unfortunately neglected her development while taking care of him and trying to make life smooth again. She didn’t adjust right away and she seems to have regressd. She understands and can talk, she just doesn’t. she can say “I want milk, I see a cat, where’s the ball? There’s the ball. I feel mad, I like music, juice please,” and other simple phrases on her own but doesn’t unless we Push her to speak or ask her. She can read a few books from memory. She usually just cries or groans. she knows her phonics and is learning her letters. i tried asking her to pick up a cup on the floor and for 10 min. she was confused and thought I meant the cup on the table. we teach her simple sentences and try baby can read. and flashcards. A doctor said she probably has autism but my husband doesn’t believe that and I want more information before labeling in order to help her better. my daughter is shy due to practically NO contact with other children whatsoever and a few adults. I just need advice. Thank you
Hi Erika,
Thanks for sharing this information about your daughter. I would take her to a speech-language pathologist for an assessment. A speech pathologist cannot officially diagnose autism but would be able to tell you if they see any red flags. A developmental pediatrician would be able to provide an actual diagnosis (assuming there is one).
I would stop with the baby can read program and flashcards because all that teaches is memorization. Please take a look at the article I wrote that shares information on the best ways to teach a toddler to read.
Children learn best through natural, face to face interaction with adults and peers.
I’ve also written an article that discusses why it’s not always best to focus on academic skills, you can take a look at that here.
The book “It Takes Two To Talk” is a great guide for parents that provides strategies for how to encourage a child to communicate more effectively.
Here are two other articles I have written that will give you some more ideas for how you can help your daughter at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
Please try not to worry about labeling your daughter (even if she does end up having autism). Having a diagnosis is actually a good thing because it will allow you to access more therapy (often for free) and that would be in the best interest of your daughter and her development.
I know you are concerned that she has had no interaction with other children. This alone is not a reason for a speech delay. The interaction with peers can definitely help her, but the lack of it also would not cause delays. There are many children that have no real peer interaction until the start school.
However, if you are able to enroll her in a play based preschool program (stay away from the academic ones as the goal is teach her how to communicate effectively) it would allow her to see how other children communicate and possibly learn from them. But again, this is not something you should feel that you have to do.
I hope that this helps. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Hello Ma’am, my baby is 2 years old and 4 months. He can count 1-20, he can identify colors, he cas sing few lyrics, he laugh with us when we play with him, when i say catch the ball he catched it, when i say no, he stop from doing something, when i say i will put his diaper he respond by shooting his feet to the diaper, he knows ABC’s and its phonics sound. But he doesn’t talk in full sentences, he rather grabbed me and point something instead of saying what he want, but we ofund him he can immitate what he watched, even saying almost of the words being said when watching nursery rhymes, but when talking to us he doesn’t talk that much. I enrolled him to a play school but told me that they don’t see anything wrong. Thank you.
Hi,
It sounds like your son is progressing well, but the lack of spontaneous speech is something to keep an eye on. This may come as he is exposed to more peer interactions at the play school. At home, try waiting before giving him what you know he wants (food, toy, activity, etc.). Tell him “use your words” and then wait. If you know he wants a toy ball for example, you could say “I see you want your ball, use your words” and then pause. If he proceeds to point and/or whine then say “Tell me ‘I want the ball'” and wait again. If he responds with “ball” then give him the ball and say “you used your words and said ‘I want the ball'”, even if he only said the one word. Continue to model short, complete sentences for him.
At 24 months most children are typically putting 2 to 3 words together to spontaneously communicate. By 30 months it is around 4-5 words.
If over the next month he still isn’t speaking spontaneously, I would have him assessed by a speech-language pathologist.
I highly recommend the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is a great resource for parents and is packed with strategies you can use at home to get your child talking more!
Hello! My son is about 3 and a half and he acts very smart, but says very little. He can say the numbers 2, 8, and 9 and watched YouTube kids constantly and if he watches a counting video, he will repeat the numbers he knows until the right one comes up. He responds if I count to 10 with him, and still the same. He knows how to function YouTube kids, sorting colors together, and even his Thomas toys by the colors. He understands things like “Hi, hey, train, choo choo,” and will sometimes attempt to meow if our cat does so. He absolutely hates sharing most of the time and will hit you, or scream if you mess anything up about his toys. I am concerned and I’ve have one doctor say he might be autistic, while another says a speech delay. His entire life he has been screaming. I also have a following recording my older daughter took him.
Hi,
I would suggest you have your son seen by a speech-language pathologist as well as a developmental pediatrician. In the meantime, try to have him spend less time using YouTube or the TV and rather spend time interacting with family members and peers.
It may also help to introduce some sign language to him in order to build his expressive language. I’ve written 2 articles about signing with a young child. Read this one first, followed by this one.
The book It Takes Two To Talk is also a great book for parents! It is written by a speech-language pathologist and has wonderful suggestions that parents can easily implement no matter the level of communication their child is at!
You can also take a look at these articles I have written as well:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi, Erin Kour could you please confirm if you have taken your child to the doctor and what they said?
My grandson is 3 years and 6 months but cannot talk. He recognises numbers, colours, shapes and alphabets and could read or count them forward and backwards. He can repeat words but cannot communicate. He would drag you to what he wanted but cannot name them. We are in London in the United Kingdom. We sent him to special school and he likes it very much but it is too expensive for us and we dont know where to get further help for him. Kindly advice us on this matter. Thanks a lot
Who is the author of the book you recommended “It take two to talk”? as I found two books with the same title on Amazon?
Hi,
I’m sorry to hear that your grandson is struggling with his speech and language development. I strongly recommend you encourage his parents to continue with the speech therapist. There should be government funded programs in the UK like there are in North America. At this point it is more important to focus on his language development (via an SLP) and perhaps enroll him in a less costly nursery program for social-emotional development. The early academic skills can wait at this time.
You may also want to consider teaching him some sign language in order to boost his expressive communication skills. I have written 2 articles about how to get started. I realize the articles mention baby sign language, but don’t be discouraged. This sign language is appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers as well. Especially if they are struggling to communicate.
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
You can also take a look at these articles as well for more general information on helping children learn to speak.
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
The author of the book It Takes Two To Talk is Elaine Weizman.
I hope this helps!
This sounds like my son who just turned three. He is extremely smart when it comes to the alphabet, numbers, colors, and has actually studied to learn to recognize a ton of words by reading them. He knows how to say pretty much anything but he just doesn’t unless prompted or playing/ reading/ repeating situation. He drags us to everything he wants & reaches our hands to the object. If he wants juice I’ve heard him ask a couple times but it’s rare. He’ll usually just walk around with an empty cup until I offer to get him some. I’m behind to come to where we need to have tested to see if he’s on the spectrum, we wanted to wait until he was at least this age because, my husband like others have said, also doesn’t believe this is true and doesn’t want him stuck with a label for his whole life. Apparently speech delay & speech impediment runs on his side of the family but I don’t have details as most are deceased. We have done the early intervention since each therapy & a little OT but he aged out last month. I have to find out my next step with the school district. He just started daycare back up & that seemed to kickstart something in him but not enough that I can tell. He seems at a standstill. He’s another screen kid, although I’ve been trying to limit it as much as possible. He actually doesn’t even want his iPad much lately he’d rather play amongst himself or get word confirmation with me. Which is good but trying to limit the background tv has been difficult as everyone in our house doesn’t want to keep it off. I will definitely check out more articles & the suggested book.
Hi Melissa,
It definitely sounds like your son’s expressive language is delayed. Is this what your were told by any of the therapists that worked with him? Did any of them mention red flags for autism? Please do not be worried about your child having a label. In fact, getting a diagnosis typically gives you more access to funding and therapy.
I do not recommend taking a “wait and see” approach with regards to your son’s language development. Research shows that early intervention is extremely beneficial, especially in the long run. Time spent in therapy also usually ends up being longer when you wait until a child is older.
In the meantime encourage your son to “use your words”. If he is handing you an empty cup and you know he wants juice, prompt him with “use your words” and then pause. If he starts to whine model what he could say. For example “I want juice (please)”. Even if he imitates “juice please” that is a win!
I think you will find the “It Takes Two To Talk” book very helpful!
Also, his daycare teachers should let you know if they are seeing any red flags for ASD or speech-language delays and can provide next steps.
As for the screens, I strongly suggest turning off the “background TV” as this can be a real distraction, especially for children with language delays. Face to face communication is the best way to encourage expressive language.
I hope this helps!
I am very happy to find this page as most of the concerns reported here are the samething with my grandson who is 3 years and 6 months old but cannot talk. He can count and recognise letters up to 40 and even in reverse order. He can read letters of the alphabet as well as colours and shapes. But cannot talk or repeat words correctly. He can hug and kiss if you ask him to do soo. He wears his clothes ,shoes and socks as you tell him to do so. He has seen speech language pathologist but I am not very sure as it was his parents who told me so.
He is attending private nursery at great cost to me in the United Kingdom for three months now but I am not sure if there has been progress but waiting for more such lessons for me to re-assessed his progress. I must order the book “It takes two to talk” and other books you have recommended and I hope I will return to you in due course.
If you have further recommendations to us we would be grateful.
Hello!
I’m glad I found your page. My just turned 2 year old just doesn’t talk much. She understands (as an example I can be behind her while she is playing in her kitchen and ask her to bring me a pink cupcake) and she will bring me the cupcake on a plate. She knows about 40 words, but just kind of says them here and there and they can be a little difficult to understand. She says a few 2 and 3 word phrases as well – like: all done, I done, I get up, I sad, what that, etc. It seems however her preference is pointing, leading, and motioning actions or grunting. She plays pretend and mimics actions more than words. I’ve talked to our pediatrician more times than I can count and she believes she is a late talker, or just slightly behind schedule. All other developmental milestones have been early or on time. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Her brother was the complete opposite and far beyond the milestones for speech so.its very hard for me to compare. My pediatrician says my son was abnormal since he was speaking so much and so well so I may be a little too concerned about my daughter because I’m comparing her to my son. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for your time.
Hi,
In the case of your daughter, I am inclined to agree with your daughter’s pediatrician that she is most likely a late talker. By the age of 2 children typically have at least 50 words and are regularly using 2 and 3 word phrases.
That being said, there are things you can do at home to help her.
The book “It Takes Two To Talk” is a must have resource for parents of children who are late talkers. It is written for parents by a speech language pathologist and goes over various levels of communication. Once you know where your child is at, the book gives great information on activities you can do at home with your child to strengthen their communication.
You can also try introducing some sign language to bridge the gap to more words while easing frustration.
Below are 2 articles I have written about signing with a young child:
Everything You Need To Know About Baby/Toddler Sign Language
How To Start Signing With Your Baby/Toddler
You can also take a look at my article 17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
I would give it another 4 months after trying some of the suggestions I have provided.
If by then your daughter still isn’t consistently speaking in 2-4 word phrases and/or does not have a 50-100 word vocabulary (including nouns and verbs as well as some pronouns and descriptive words), it is probably time to have her assessed by a speech-language pathologist. The wait lists are often quite long, unless you have private insurance coverage or can pay for this on your own.
I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.
Hello my nephew of 23 months dont speak at all. No mama no papa
He just point out everything he want.
He responds when we call him and when asked to do small things he did it.
He recognise the parts of his body….can you please advise us..thanks a lot
Hi,
I strongly suggest that your nephew be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. There are free public services available (in North America) but there are often long wait times to get in. If you have private insurance coverage, many cover speech therapy, your nephew will most likely be seen sooner.
In the meantime I encourage you to let his parents know about the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is packed with information and activities and is written specifically for parents of late talkers. It is an amazing guidebook!
You can also direct his parents to this website where I have written many articles about language development.
Sign language is also a wonderful tool to get kids communicating with purpose. Here are 2 articles I wrote that should be of help!
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
I hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Hi,
We have a 20 month old boy, who has hit all his developmental milestones, but speech is still a concern. He uses words like Mama, Daddy, Car, Bear, Blue, White etc, all the time, but take a while to grab a new word. He can recognize these things in person, toys and pictures and would call out, but does not uses sentences at all. He can understand things like “Give it to Mama”, “Get your car”, “Put socks in the basket”, and does a lot of babbling but not clear words or speech. He calls water wa-wa and if he needs it, just says wa-wa and not anything else. This causes frustrations and tantrums because he is not able to communicate what he wants, or we are not able to understand it. He has been going to daycare since he was 8 months, so has definitely been around multiple kids. He watches a lot of learning youtube videos but we are yet to see any major benefit. Should we be concerned or wait a little longer to see if it improves?
It sounds like your son is a late talker. While most late talkers often catch up to their peers once they enter school, this isn’t always the case. Please take a look at this article I wrote for more information on late talkers.
I recommend having your son assessed by a speech-language pathologist. In cases such as your sons, the therapist may recommend a home program as opposed to weekly therapy sessions.
In order to help tame some of the tantrums and ease frustration you could start introducing some sign language.
I have written 2 articles about signing with babies and toddlers.
Read this one first and then this one.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
My son turned 3 in February. When it comes to milestones, in the beginning he was doing as expected. Then at 18 months or so he slowed down. He’s never called me Mama. He won’t speak sentences but knows and identifies correctly his ABC’S, numbers, colors, shapes and even has songs from you tube he “sings”. If I say something like calling a pink ball green, he corrects me. So I know he knows. That’s what he does all day is talks just saying #’s in reverse. He calls out the isle numbers as we pass them in the store, he says the color of the traffic light. But if I tell him “go get your cup” or “blanket” is like he has no clue what I’m saying. What in your opinion is going on with him. I’m worried about him starting school because what if something happens to him, he won’t know how to tell me.
Hi,
As your son is 3 already, I would strongly urge you to have him assessed by a speech-language pathologist. It does sound like there is an expressive language delay as well as possibly some issues with comprehension. The earlier intervention can start the more optimal the outcome is. It is much easier to take your son off of a waiting list if things change than it will be to have him seen at the last minute.
Keep labeling new words to him and use proper grammar whenever possible.
Take a look at my articles 17 Tips to Help a Toddler With a Speech and Language Delay and Simple Speech Therapy Activities You Can Do At Home for more tips that could help your son.
Please reach out if you have any more questions.
Wishing you all the best!
Hi Tanya
I have a three year and half old son with learning difficulties he has just started to take few steps on his own without holding my hands. Unfortunately he has no speech at the moment but makes humming and haaaa type noises and lots of babbling. He is now started to make good eye contact, point to objects and can recongise alaphabets and numbers. He has not been diagnosed with anything but its obvious he is behind in his development .However he still doesn’t understand the meaning of sharing or sometimes in his own world. I feel its global developmental delay but can you advise how can I encourage his speech I try to push for words but he starts to cry if I force him. He attends speech therapy . Thanks Seema
Hi Seema,
Based on the information you have shared I would agree that your son most likely has a global developmental delay, assuming tests were done to rule out any other causes for the delays.
When it comes to sharing, most children do not grasp this concept until they are closer to 4 years old. Children are very ego-centric and it can be difficult for them to understand the perspective of others. As your son most likely has a developmental disability sharing can be even harder.
I am happy to hear that he is getting speech therapy. Please continue with this.
Also be sure to take a look at the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. Maybe your son’s speech therapist has already recommended it.
I would also recommend you start introducing some sign language to your son to help him build his expressive vocabulary and ease some of his frustrations.
Here are 2 articles I wrote on the subject:
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
Hi, I have the same problem with my daughter, she turned 4 last month, she knows her abc, shapes, colors, she can count from 1-12 and backwards. She has speech and occupational therapy once a week but I’m not seeing any big change. She makes eye contact she respond when I call her but my problem is she’s still not talking, she’ll repeat everything I said like if I say honey say hi to grandma instead of saying hi she’ll will say honey say hi to grandma. Most of the time she follows instructions but sometimes it’s like she doesn’t understand. She’s going to school this year I’m scared I don’t if it the best thing to do. I’m lost I don’t know what else to do where else to turn, I read to her talk to her play with her but she only talks when she wants to. A couple days ago she was putting her shoes on and I when she finally got them on I heard her saying “ yeah I did it ” but when I’m talking to her she doesn’t respond, could you please tell me if there’s something else I can do to help her out. Thanks
Hi,
I’m curious if the speech pathologist or occupational therapist has mentioned having your daughter evaluated by a developmental pediatrician? Was she behind in any other developmental milestones or is it just the speech?
Try teaching her some sign language and see if that helps her come up with novel words/phrases. You can take a look at this article first and then this one.
Keep taking her to speech and occupational therapy. Sometimes it does take a while to see progress. Please do not give up!
Hi Tanya! Thanks for your page, there’s some fantastic information here. My son will be 16 months old next week isn’t saying anything at all and i’m worried as to whether he can understand things that are said to him. Firstly he doesn’t really respond to his name which I know is a concern and he doesn’t follow simple instructions. I don’t know if he can’t hear us (although his initial hearing tests were fine) whether he’s just not interested or whether he doesn’t understand we’re talking to him. He doesn’t point to things (body parts or things he wants) or show much communication through gesture. He will bring things to us of his own accord such a books if he wants me to read them or toys if we wants me to look at them. He’s very engaged in books but can’t point to things on the pages if I say ‘wheres the bee? Can you point to the bee?’ He is very loud and vocal but sometimes feels more like shouting than babbling. He smiles and laughs and makes good eye contact, seems to like people and is generally happy. He’s extremely curious and just seems to like doing his own thing. He has met all physical developmental milestones on the early side of typical and I wonder if his energies are being put into that. He was starting to say ‘bye bye’ and ‘dada’ before his first birthday but then just stopped and hasn’t said anything at all since. We’re not quite sure what to do and when to take action, we keep being told he’s still so young. But we don’t want to miss something that might help him with early intervention.
Hi,
I always err on the side of caution and recommend a child be seen for a speech-language assessment when they are between 12 and 18 months and do not have any words and could possibly have difficulty with understanding. The waiting lists are usually quite long so don’t hesitate to get you son on one. If things change before his name is called you can always take him off the list.
Does he have a history of ear infections? Even if he doesn’t I would still recommend having his hearing assessed by an audiologist (who works with the pediatric population). Some children will have periods of middle ear fluid without ear infection symptoms. This happened to my daughter. Her speech was also behind. She ended up getting ear tubes put in at 16 months and the words started flowing shortly after that! Therefore, it is always important to rule out any hearing issues. Even a mild hearing loss caused by fluid can be enough in some children to result in a delay in language development.
I would recommend the book “It Takes Two to Talk” as it guides parents to adapt their behavior and communication in order to help their child communicate. It also takes into account the many stages of communication a child might be at and guide you from there.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
I am so heart broken. I finally got to visit my autistic grandkids. Ruby 7 and Eli 6. Ruby is so smart she could count and say her abc’s at 2 years but only speaks 2 or 3 word sentences. Eli he says nothing just makes sounds when he was younger he only screamed. My husband their grandfather sat next to a DR on a flight who’s wife worked with autistic children and he said food allergies. My daughter didn’t like that when we told her that. But her dad and I have allergies to everything and so do most relatives. To the point most of us get allergy shots. Eli was on antibiotics for a respiratory infection when he was a baby. They are always getting sick. They are sick now and almost every month they got congestion and coughing. Their dad smokes. Both of them were born C section. Don’t know if any of this has anything to do with them not speaking. They live in a small town so there isn’t any help there. I just cry because I want to help but I don’t know how?
Hi Alice,
I am sorry to hear that your family and grandchildren are struggling. Unfortunately there is no concrete scientific evidence linking food allergies to autism and/or speech-language delays. Most of the information on this is speculative and anecdotal. Current research suggests that autism spectrum disorders are caused due to genetic issues or environmental issues such as advanced parental age, pregnancy/birth complications or pregnancies spaced less than one year apart.
The best way to help is to find a pediatric speech-language pathologist to work with the children on a regular basis. ABA Therapy would also be something to consider that has been proven to help children with ASD increase their ability to communicate while decreasing problem behavior.
Are they being followed by a pediatrician? A developmental pediatrician should also be able to point the parents in the right direction in order to obtain services for their children.
The book More Than Words is a great resource for parents of children with ASD to help them work on communication through everyday activities at home. Another wonderful book is It Takes Two To Talk. It’s another guide for parents, but a bit more general (Not autism specific). It is for parents of children who are struggling to talk.
I’m sorry that I can’t be of more help but don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions. I will try my best to guide you in the right direction!
Hello ClaireToft I know this is a late reply, I was wondering if you would be willing to share an update on your son?
Hi! My son is EXACTLY the same in almost everything you said. We did have him seen by an ent and he had tubes put in. We hoped after that he would just start talking but nothing and that was back in January. For about 2 months now he’s been in therapy (speech, occupational and feeding). He seems to understand what i say, make eye contact and is always happy but no speech!! We are waiting to see a developmental behavior pediatrician but that’s not until the end of sept.
Hi Monica,
It sounds like you are doing all of the right things for your son! I hope that the speech therapy is helping. But keep in mind that it can take some time before you notice any changes. Hopefully the developmental pediatrician will also have some answers for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out again if you have any questions!
Hi my name is Erica and my 21 month old son doesn’t talk much. When I ask him to bring me the thrash or to put something back where he found it he has no problem doing it. The words he says is dada mama, hot (new word) papas, Éste(means this in Spanish)hi & precious (the dogs name) he babbles most of the time and does say este for everything and point to what he wants or he grabs my hand to take me to what he wants I don’t know what to do I have tried giving him more simple words but he still won’t say any of them I have been working with him on this since he turned 18 months and I don’t know what to do. My husband and I are also trying to teach him Spanish first I really need help I’m worried we are going to have to put him in speech therapy and I really don’t want to have to do that to him.
Hi Erica,
There could be a slight delay as your son is learning two languages. However, the delay should not be much. I would strongly recommend you setting up a speech and language assessment with a speech-language pathologist. The earlier children can receive therapy the better their speech and language outcomes will be! Please do not be worried about having your son seen by a speech therapist. This does not reflect in your parenting at all.
In the meantime, keep talking to your son. Narrate everything that is around him. You could also incorporate some sign language. Sign language works wonderfully for children learning multiple languages as the sign will stay the same regardless of the language the word is spoken in.
Here are 2 articles I wrote about sign language:
Sign Language Basics – Everything Parents Need To Know
How To Start Sign Language With Your Baby or Toddler
You can also take a look at the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It has so much valuable information for parents and teaches them how to encourage more language no matter what the child’s current level is.
I hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
hi, my nephew turns 2 and he doesn’t speak, or respond to any one. Even his own name. He cry for every thing he need, or if we doesn’t listen to him he start hitting but not talk. We discussed with our GP’s but he is not taking seriously. Even we don’t know what to do? Who to go? Any advice? My brother and his wife is quite worried and has some concerns too. If any thing wrong or he has special need then we would like to know ASAP rather then later. Thanks
Hi,
I strongly urge you to tell your brother that your nephew should be seen by a speech-language pathologist as soon as possible! I’m not sure where you are located but in North America there are many free services for children under the age of 3. However, the waiting lists can be quite long. I would suggest getting your nephew’s name on a waiting list. If your brother has private insurance coverage, they may cover speech therapy. In that case he should be able to get an assessment for his son much sooner! There are many private practice speech therapists that would be able to see him much sooner.
Let me know if you need any help locating a speech therapist.
Does he have a history of ear infections? A mild to moderate hearing loss caused by middle ear fluid can greatly affect a child’s language development. Middle ear fluid can be present without an ear infection too. An audiologist who works with young children would be able to assess his hearing.
Please also tell your brother to look into using some sign language with his son to build his vocabulary and ease frustration.
I wrote 2 articles about sign language. Read this one first and then this one.
As I mentioned in the article, the book “It takes two to talk” is also great for parents of children who are late talkers!
You can also let your brother and his wife know that they can reach out to me directly if they would like.
Hi there. I find your article is very helpful and helps me to understand some of the traits on my son.
He is turning 4 soon, yet i think he is still lack of “conversational” practices.
In the article, i’ve tried to let him make some choices and change the word order; he is still be able to make choices. Thus, he is also understand the directions or instructions that i given to him.
However, when i tried to start a conversation with him; he seems to be repeating after me.
Such as ” Do you love mommy or monster truck?” ; Do you want to have some oranges or grapes? and so on.
Sometimes, he do replied Yes, i want this. sometimes he just repeating the words.
He have very good in memorizing the songs, dialog, story and things; but conversational is pretty much… challenging.
Hi Mary,
Without seeing your son I cannot comment on why he isn’t able to use language in a back and forth conversation. As your son is about to turn 4, it is very important that you have him assessed by a speech-language pathologist to look into the reasons why he is imitating rather than speaking spontaneously. Have you brought this up with your son’s doctor?
Approximately how many single words does your son spontaneously say? Children need at least 50 words made up of nouns and verbs before they start putting words together and then start being able to carry on conversations.
I am sorry I can’t really help more than that. I hope you can find a speech pathologist soon to see your son. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello, my son is turning 4 this month. He is non verbal with a diagnosis of global development delay. He understands and will take direction to do helpful tasks. I often challenge this and ask him to get items from other rooms in the house.. he is always successful at this. He is currently seeing a speech and language therapist, who is unsure what is the cause of his speech delay.
We having been going through this since he was 12 months old. As he was a late crawler and Walker. He had typical baby babble but did not seem to progress from 8 months or so onwards.
He is currently learning PECS and is flying through the levels, which is a great form of communication for him going forward.
I suppose my question here is, can it be possible a child with never use spoken language to communicate? He only says one word ‘mama’ and makes lots of noises and has a great talent for remembering melodies in songs and can hum them even after only hearing them once! But it is concerning that we are still without words.
Many thanks
Hi Stephanie,
There often is no specific reason for why children have global development delays. This is typically the diagnosis that is given when all other possible diagnoses have been ruled out.
It is great that he is seeing a speech pathologist and that he is communicating with PECS! Is he also being introduced to any communication devices/apps? An app based augmentative communication system will provide him with greater ability to communicate as he gets older (assuming he is still not communicating verbally).
Unfortunately your question is difficult for me to answer as I don’t know your son at all. But based on my experience working with children with global developmental delays most go on to have some verbal communication. However, the range is quite large (from only a few words to speaking in complete sentences).
Make sure to always pair the word with the picture he is giving you. For example, if he hands you a picture of a cookie, make sure to say something like “Cookie! You want to eat a cookie. Yes, you can have a cookie.” Or something to that effect.
Hopefully this is something his speech therapist has told you.
Since he really likes music you can use that as a building block! Play and sing some simple songs (e.g. Twinkle little star, Row Row Your boat, etc.) over and over again. Pause for certain words to see if he can fill in the blank. If you are singing “Twinkle, Twinkle little star” pause after the word “little” and see if he attempts to fill in the word “star”.
I hope this helps somewhat. Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
My son 22 months old. His first words were what and stop. He said them soon after he was 1. Then he stopped. He seems to be comprehending things said to him. If you tell him to come he will. If you ask him where is his bottle he will get it. If you tell him shower time he goes to the bathroom. He goes to the fridge when he wants juice or food. He will wave and point. He still makes sounds and talks but not in a way that he is saying actual words. This is concerning me now.
Hi Marie,
The first thing I would recommend is to have your son assessed by a speech-language pathologist. By the age of 2 children typically have at least 50 words and are combining words into short 2 to 3 word phrases.
A thorough assessment will provide a much better picture of what is going on and what steps are best taken to help your son learn to talk.
In the meantime, I would suggest introducing some sign language to build your sons expressive vocabulary. Please read the articles I have written on the subject:
The Basics Of Baby/Toddler Sign Language
How To Start Signing With Your Baby or Toddler
The book It Takes Two To Talk is also a great resource for parents and will give you concrete suggestions and examples for helping your son expand his language.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
My Nephew is 4.3 years but he can say only papa and mama, he understands what ever we speak and he also explains by action what he wants. He blabbers something which no one of us can understand a bit. He is hyper at a times by hitting and biting people around him, He is heavily seeing mobile. Parents are trying to cut down his mobile seeing. He cries a lot when he does not see his mother around for few minutes. He is very active in playing and has a very strong precision while throwing ball or playing football. What is your suggestions and view on his not able to talk.
Hi,
I would strongly encourage you to advocate for your nephew and have him seen for a speech and language evaluation. By 4 years old children can typically engage in complete conversations with peers and adults. Your nephew’s speech-language delay is clearly apparent and is causing him frustration (hitting and biting).
Introducing sign language can help reduce some of the frustration while also expanding his expressive vocabulary.
Please take a look at these articles I have written on the subject:
Everything you need to know about signing with babies and toddlers
How To Start Sign Language With Your Child!
Also be sure to consider the book It Takes Two To Talk as wonderful parent/caregiver reference guide. This book is written by a speech-language pathologist and is full of suggestions for parents for how they can build their child’s language at home.
Rather than me listing many examples for ways to work on language development at home you can take a look at some of these articles I have already written:
17 Ways To Help A Toddler With A Language Delay
Simple Ways You Can Help Your Child Communicate
Top 10 Melissa & Doug Toys For Toddlers Learning & Language Development
I am happy to hear that his parents are trying to cut down his use of devices. An overuse of technology at an early age does slow down speech development!
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
Good evening,
I am so happy to have come across this. My son is 3 and a half years old and he can recite his letters, numbers, colors, shapes, about 50 songs and has memorized bits and pieces of his favorite cartoons that he watches. We notice when we have company he’ll say “hello mr monkey, how are you doing today?” Or “welcome friends, how are you?” Which are phrases from some shows he watches, so I know he doesn’t fully understand how to communicate.
When we ask him to “bring us a ball” it is almost always followed by a scream and he continues to do what he was previously doing. Once in a while he actually does do what it’s asked of him to do. We speak to him in two languages so I know that’s part of the problem but we are definitely considering taking him to a speech therapist to get evaluated especially after reading your blog.
We have a 2 month old at home so lll be sure to order the book “it takes two to talk” to ensure we don’t make the same mistakes again.
Hi Angie,
Please don’t blame yourself or feel that you have done anything wrong. In fact, there are may speech-language pathologists whose own children go to speech therapy!
I do encourage you to have your son assessed by a speech pathologist as it does seem he is struggling to put words together into meaningful novel phrases and sentences in order to carry on a conversation.
The It Takes Two To Talk book is a great resource for all parents! I feel it would be a beneficial handbook for all new parents to have.
Wishing you and your son all the best!
Hello
My daughter will be 2 this month , I can see she’s smart , understand what I’m saying and follows directions most of the time , however , she doest say more than 20 words , no sentences , always points at things when wants something , or take me to the place she knows where to find what she wants. If I’m teaching her words she won’t repeat them , and would make other sounds. If I show her a card with water , she says water , but other words she doesn’t repeat them , most of the time is the words she knows , haven’t heard new words on her 🙁
Hi,
I would recommend your daughter be seen by a speech language pathologist to see exactly what is going on. From what you are saying, she most likely falls into the late talker category. You can read more about that here.
I would also suggest introducing her to some sign language. I have written 2 articles on how signing can actually help children with their expressive communication. Read this article first and this one next.
Additionally, the book It Takes Two To Talk is an amazing resource for parents and gives you practical tips and strategies that you can do at home to increase your daughters language skills.
By the age of 2 children typically consistently use 50 to 100 words. 2+ word combinations aren’t seen until a child has at least 50 words in their repertoire. So keep focusing on building her vocabulary, but try not to “make” her repeat you as this will lead to frustration.
If there are certain toys/foods you know your daughter loves and gets herself, move them to a place where she will need to ask for them. For example, if she has a favorite doll, place it out of reach but where she can see it. If she is pointing to it you could say “Doll!, Yes there is your doll, do you want your doll?” If you are introducing sign language, you could also include the sign for doll and see if she will imitate that.
Does your daughter imitate actions such as clapping, blowing kisses, etc.? If she does not do this, then I would start there. Do silly actions like patting your stomach or head, sticking your tongue out, clapping, etc. and see if she will imitate those.
A lot of these suggestions are mentioned in the book It Takes Two to Talk!
Wishing you and your daughter all the best!
Hi my son is 2 and 4 months. He has good understanding in that if i lay down a large number of word cards and ask him to select a particular item he correctly identifies them all. He also knows all the colours and can identify alphabets from a long list if asked. He knows all his body parts and starts to do the actions to nursery rhymes before they even start. He knows routines and understands sentences such Can you go get your shoes please? Come give mummy a kiss etc. His comprehension seems to be there but the fact that he only says about 6 clear words daddy, daadaa, that, there and yeah worries me for his age.i took him to best pediatrician on the island where we live and he indicated that he was not concerned with autism at all with him. We do live in a remote area where there are no other kids. We recently enrolled him.in school but schools were subsequently closed after enrollment. I am not sure what to do next and I am riddled with worry day and night that something might be wrong. Help!
Hi there,
I strongly suggest having your son evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. I realize that this can be difficult given that you live in a remote area, but there should be some kind of early intervention services available. However, there is a very good chance that there will be a waiting list.
I wouldn’t worry too much about him not having interactions with other children. Parents are great role models and teachers for their children as well.
Check out my article 17 Tips To Help A Toddler with a Speech Delay for some ideas for how you can help at home.
It sounds like your son might be a late talker and you can read more about that here.
I would suggest that you try to incorporate some sign language into your son’s communication repertoire. The more ways he has to express himself and grow his vocabulary the better! Here are 2 articles I wrote on the subject:
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
Finally, be sure to check out the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is written by a speech-language pathologist for parents of late talkers and is packed with information you can put into action from day 1!
Please reach out with any other questions you may have.
hi my son is 22 months old and he understand when I ask him to bring me something or ask to touch something but he don’t speak up ….. if he wants something he sometimes points and sometimes take me there and try’s to tell me …… he knows almost 7 animal sounds and A to Z which is not completely clear, 1 to 10 …… but I don’t know why he don’t speak up I am in waiting list for a speech therapy ….. but I am very stressed because of his speech delay …… can you please tell us that does sound and A to Z counts as words or not
Hi Riva,
Animal sounds do count as words as long as the sound is attributed to the matching animal. So if he only says “woof” for dogs and “meow” for cats then those would be considered words. However, if he says “woof” for dogs, cats, cows, etc. then it is not a word.
Rote memorization, such as the alphabet and numbers, do not count as words. But, if he were to say something like “two” while pointing to two shoes, or 2 crackers, then two would count as a word.
I am happy to hear that your son is on a waiting list for speech therapy. This is what I would have suggested.
You can also try some sign language with him. To learn more about the basics of signing with a toddler click here and to figure out how to get started click here.
I also highly recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk. It is packed full of strategies and tips for parents of children at varying levels of communication.
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Any news on your sons speech development? Going through the same and it’s so stressful!
Hi, I’m feel so good I found this. My 2.8 mo barely talks. He is trilingual. His dad talks to him in russian, I use spanish and he is at daycare in english 3x a week and 2 times in russian.
I think he doesn’t understand me, unfortunately I realized when he does what I ask I know I’m pointing out at things and sometimes not even that helps. However he follows very well what his dad says and he doesn’t point things and ask him for more difficult things like when he fell from the bike asked him to pick it up and get up and he did, something that doesn’t happen often. He is very social, loves to play with kids, autism or similar discarded. He talks a lot on his own language, no one understands, I see he has trouble pronouncing, he tries and I can see him trying with his mouth. Hearing test was great.
We took him to an evaluation and they said he has mixed receptive and expressive disorder. I just feel that evaluation was too bad, 15 min of someone talking to him no stop, same with first therapy session and I see he follows lot of commands and understand his dad well. I’m not sure anymore. If he actually has that, why? Will he ever talk? Will he develop as usual? Thank you!
Forgot… He says maybe 30 words… Mostly english, then russian, spanish very few. He now puts together words but very simple, he says more water or bye mama, but not many. He is saying much more words lately and we have realized he says some and just now we understand them, still he keeps talking in his language and it’s moving very slow. Thank you!
Hi Gin,
It’s good that you have had your son’s hearing and speech assessed. Speech therapy at this point should be very play based, so it may not look like your son and the therapist are doing much but he or she should have some specific goals in mind. While there is no evidence that speaking multiple languages to a child causes a speech and language delay or can make it worse, it is my opinion that it can be beneficial to focus on one language so he can strengthen his skills.
If you prefer to continue speaking all three languages with him I would suggest trying to incorporate some sign language. This way the sign would be the bridge between all 3 languages. For example, if you show him the sign for milk and then pair it with the word in a particular language, the sign always stays the same.
Here is an article I wrote discussing the basics of signing with a baby or toddler and here is another one about how to actually get started and what signs to start with.
Please continue with speech therapy and ask the therapist all the questions that you have.
I also always recommend the book It Take Two To Talk because it is a great resource for parents and gives you many ways you can work on speech and language development at home based on your child’s current level of communication.
You can also reach out here if there is anything else I can help you with.
Hi Tanya,
I have an 18 month old who often says new words for a few days and then we never hear him say them again, even though we constantly repeat the words and try to get him to repeat them, he never does. For example, just a few days ago he learned how to say “what happened” and “What’s that”. He said these words non stop for 3 days and then stopped. He would also use these words in appropriate circumstances, such as when his toy would fall down, he would look at me and say “what happened” and when he would hear my phone ring or the microwave beeping he would say “what’s that”. He also use to say “outside” and it has now been 3 weeks since we last hear him say it. It just worries me that he is going through some kind of regression. What do you think about this?
Hi Michele,
I would keep a close eye on your son’s language and if the pattern you have described keeps going then it may be worthwhile to have him seen by a speech therapist. However, regressions are a normal part of development. This is especially try when a child is learning new skills. For example, a child may regress in one area (such as speech) if they are gaining skills in another (eg. learning to walk).
Approximately how many words does your son say consistently? By 18 months a child should say about 20 words regularly. It’s ok if he isn’t using them all consistently as you have mentioned.
You could also consider introducing some sign language to your son. This will help to expand his expressive vocabulary. Check out this article and this one as well that I have written on using sign language with babies and toddlers to enhance communication.
I hope this helps!
Sigh… I have been reading a lot about early language development and came across this post. Our son just turned two and isn’t speaking words – however he is congenitally blind and I feel like I definitely made some mistakes with him. A lot of recommendations we find are not always adaptable for a blind baby, so its tough (for example, books are of no interest to him yet) so reading is a bit funny as he just walks away. We are working with a speech pathologist with our local infant development program, right now we are working on object association because we can’t make him “talk”. He does babble a lot but words are scarce or not consistent. The whole concept development without sight is seriously monumental. I read another post where you mention toys that “talk” for them, so I thank you for that, I’m going to be turning them off or switching them out for a bit. Also, I played music constantly in our house for the last year and I think that was a big mistake. I got tired of narrating and hearing my voice so to fill the gap I played music.
Just wondered if you have any advice to encourage words for a child that can’t see.
Thanks so much!
Hi Sandi,
Please do not be hard on yourself for “mistakes” you may have made when it comes to your son’s language development. Unfortunately I do not have any experience working with children who are blind. That being said I do know that touch is very important for children who cannot see. You mentioned your son having no interest in books (this is also often the case for busy toddlers who can see), have you tried touch and feel books with him? That way he can participate a bit more with the book.
Hopefully the speech pathologist has some resources for you on language development and low/no vision. A team approach will be best for your son’s overall development.
Here is some information regarding language development in blind babies/children:
https://familyconnect.org/browse-by-age/infants-and-toddlers/growth-and-development-iandt/language-development/
https://familyconnect.org/browse-by-age/infants-and-toddlers/growth-and-development-iandt/communication-skills-for-children-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired/
Another thing to keep in mind is that what your son hears is extremely important so try to get back into narrator mode. It may seem over the top and repetitive to you but it will really help with your son’s language development.
For example if you are out for a walk with him and you hear a dog barking, make sure to say “there is a dog, I hear him barking”. Talk about a dog being an animal, a pet and let him interact with a dog (whenever there is a chance).
Also be sure to include many location and movement words with your son as this will help him get around more independently. For example, begin using words such as left, right, close to you, far away, on top, below, beside, on, off, etc. Typically with a seeing child we wouldn’t worry about left, right, beside until they closer to the age of 4. But when vision is affected, it is better to introduce these kinds of words as early as possible.
Working on object association is also a great first step. He needs to be able to hold and feel various objects and hear the word for it many times. This is actually also how speech therapy is done with seeing children who are not speaking yet.
I’m sorry that I don’t have much more to offer, but know that you are doing a good job! And remember to take time for yourself because you need to be in a good frame of mind in order to help your son!
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Hi our son is 19 months and we believe he has autism (he is waitlisted for assessment). He appears to follow familiar one step instructions and when asked ‘where is the questions’ he will tap the correct picture for the word asked or select the correct object asked out of a selection. He babbles and recently started saying an approximation of ‘boat’ ‘ball’ and ‘dad-o’ (for daddy). He seems to be hypo sensitive and seeks out sensation, recently he is at his mouth a lot- chewing things and placing his hand in it. I’m wondering why if he is able to connect the words to objects is he unable to say them. Could it be a sensory thing with his mouth? Can he not pronounce them- could he have apraxia ? We have started the parent coaching for Hanen More than words.
Hi Deidre,
Unfortunately I can’t comment on whether or not your son may have autism and/or apraxia. Autism can only be diagnosed by a doctor/pediatrician or psychologist. Apraxia can be diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist however, it can take several sessions to make an accurate diagnosis. And apraxia is quite rare. Other possibilities causing the concern would need to be ruled out first.
It sounds like you are taking all of the necessary steps that I would have recommended. The More Than Words program is wonderful and will be very helpful!
I would start introducing some sign language to help your son communicate. Take a look at these 2 articles I have written and let me know if you have any questions.
Everything You Need To Know About Signing With The Young ChildGetting Started With Baby Sign Language
It is not abnormal for young children to seek sensory input through mouthing and chewing. This is the case for many children who don’t have autism. I would recommend getting some chew toys such as these for your son so that he doesn’t chew on everything he finds. This way he knows there are special toys for him to chew on. My son has ADHD and was a chewer until he was almost 8! We had a lot of chew toys in our house.
Question to you.. do you believe every child learns at different speeds. The preasure put on kids and parents these days seems ridiculous.
Hi Don,
Yes, children do develop at different speeds. However, a speech and language delay is real and is best tackled when caught early. Children who are simply left to develop at their own pace often face many issues when they are older. Early speech and language skills provide the foundation for many other skills that come later (like reading and writing, problem solving, social skills, etc.)
I agree that a lot of pressure parents face is ridiculous but usually that is academic pressure and is not needed in a child’s early years.
If a 3 year old was not walking, that would be a big issue and I know that every parent would be taking their child to the dr to see what the problem was. The same should be the case with speech and language development. If a 3 year old is not speaking, for example, parents do need to figure out what could be causing this.
Hi Tanya, my son is 23 months and still only saying a handful of words. I read to him alot and point to things and name them but it doesn’t seem to help. He’s a smart boy and seems to know what we are talking about but he doesn’t even try to say any new words. I do have a gap in my teeth that a learned to talk through as a kid so when I speak my mouth doesn’t really match the words coming out of my mouth. He was born with a tongue tie and it was clipped with he was a few weeks old. I was wondering if that could cause speech delay at all. Do to covid he hasn’t been able to interact with other kids. I’m really not sure what else I can do to help him . Everyone just tells me to read to him. We are currently on a waiting list for speech therapy but its about 1 years wait from when we signed up 4 months ago.
Hi Jemini,
Sorry to hear about your struggles with your son’s language development. The gap in your teeth and your son’s tongue tie would not play a role in his ability to develop language.
Reading to him is good, but that alone won’t necessarily help him develop language.
Unfortunately the wait lists for speech and language therapy are very long, but I am glad to hear that you do have him on a waiting list. If you have private insurance or can afford it, I would suggest looking into having a private speech and language assessment done. I assume based on the wait times you have him signed up to see someone through a publicly funded program such as Early Intervention.
In the meantime, I would suggest starting some sign language with him to build his expressive vocabulary and ease frustrations around not being able to communicate. I have written a general article about signing with young children that you can read here and one about actually getting started with sign language and what signs to start with that you can read here.
I also recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk. It is a fantastic resource and will give you many strategies that you can use at home to help support your son’s speech and language development at home. The suggestions go much beyond reading to your son.
I hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Hi Tanya,
My son is 22 months old but was born with a cleft lip and palate. Due to the pandemic his lip repair was delayed when till he was 9 months instead of the planned 6 months. We were told to expect a delay with speech regardless. He understands very well, I tested him with funny things like you said. He says mama and dada and yeah, but not much else. He does a lot of babbling. We’ve gone to speech therapy before but it didn’t seem like the SLP was doing anything we weren’t already at home. Wondering your opinion might be. Thank you and stay safe
Hi Taylor,
A speech (sound production) delay is very common in children with cleft lip and palate, however, a language (word and sentence production) delay isn’t common among all children with cleft lip and palate. So it could be that regardless of the structural issues of the palate and lip your son has a language delay.
Speech and language therapy for young children often just looks like play. But the speech therapist should be targeting specific age appropriate skills. I wouldn’t give up on speech therapy just yet. And it can take some time for results to become noticeable.
I would strongly consider introducing sign language to your son to help him communicate and ease frustrations for both of you. I have written 2 articles about signing with young children that you can take a look at.
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
Could you give me some more information on what you are doing at home?
Hey Tanya, my son recently turned two and seems to have a speech delay. He says about 10 words such as mama, dada, papa, and sissy. He babbles constantly. I also should mention he stays at home with his mom and doesn’t interact a whole lot with other kids. My wife and I were looking into speech therapy and possibly putting him into daycare to interact with kids speaking at his age. I plan to try several methods that you spoke of in this blog. Do you think we should start speech therapy?
Hi Mike,
Yes, I would recommend having your son seen by a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Daycare is also a good idea to get him more exposure to other children, however, try to find one the is play based as opposed to a more formal “preschool” setting.
You can also try some sign language with your son as it will help to expand his vocabulary and boost his expressive communication. I shared 2 articles I wrote on the subject in my response to the comment below this one.
I always recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk as it is packed with information that teaches parents how to help their child speak at home. It is written by a speech-language pathologist.
I hope this helps!
Thank you for the information! I’ll follow up with his progress.
Thanks Mike. And feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
My son is 2 years and 6 months but barely talks, he says dye when saying bye, calls his father dy without dad, but he understands stuffs like go get your shoes, lie down, etc but have refused to talk, is really frustrating cos he cries most times and throws tantrum plus he loves playing rough. He is also good with gadgets
Hi,
I would strongly suggest having your son evaluated by a speech-language pathologist. He is most likely not refusing to talk, but rather is unable to. There can be many reasons for this, however as I don’t know your son it is difficult for me to pinpoint what may be causing him difficulty communication.
As he is clearly showing frustration at not being able to communicate I would suggest getting started with some sign language. This will help expand his vocabulary as well as help ease his frustration if his needs and wants can be met.
Here are 2 articles I have written about signing with babies and toddlers:
Baby Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
Hello,
I have a 3 year old who has about 15-20 words but only about 5-7 that are unprompted & functional and has never put a sentence together. But he’s a hard one to describe because some days it seems like he’s understanding everything and some days we can ask him to do a task he’s done a hundred times but he will look confused and walk away or do something completely different from what we asked. Over a couple days I tried some of the silly commands you said to try to check for understanding and sometimes he got it right and sometimes he got it wrong even for the same task just asked at different times. Does this sound more like speech delay of some sort or just a late talker? I can give more info if needed I just didn’t want to turn this into a novel long question haha. Have a great day! Thank you in advance 🙂 P.S also according to his pediatrician though he is delayed in just about every category except for social (he’s my social butterfly COVID sucks for him because he has zero concept of personal space and thinks everyone is his best friend xD )
Hi Annalissa,
It sounds like your son should be seen by a speech-language pathologist as by the age of 3 children should be speaking in complete sentences. Has your pediatrician recommended a complete developmental assessment? As you mentioned there are delays in other areas (other than social skills), it is important to get your son the support he needs. And the earlier this can be done the better! Children who start therapy (speech, occupational therapy, physio therapy, etc.) tend to have better outcomes than those who end up waiting until the delays become much more apparent. If your pediatrician is taking a wait and see approach I would suggest getting a second opinion.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi so glad I found this. My almost 18 month old only blabs. He says words like mama,dada,papa,nana, calls for his brother but only when bribed. The other day he said tv, one time only. Dr. Wants him to speak 10 words for his 18 month check up. Should I be concerned, my first born was a late talker. Past 2 and he started talking complete sentences. Could he be like his brother?
Hi Thalia,
By 18 months children should actually have about 20 words and at least 50 by the age of 2. However, there is a good chance he may be like his brother.
I have several articles that might be of interest to you. These 2 will provide you with tips for how to foster language development at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
And this one discusses the concept of a “late talker” and what parents need to be aware of:
What Is A Late Talker – The Truth Revealed!
I also always recommend the book “It Takes Two To Talk” to parents as it provides so much information for how to support your child’s language development at home.
A lot of children have a language explosion between 18 months and 2 years. However, if this doesn’t happen then I would strongly suggest seeing a speech pathologist to do an evaluation.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello I have a 3 year old daughter she just saying words and love to sings she doesn’t speak clearly she understands commands she counts from 1-10 in French and English and she speaks more French than English… at home she speaks both languages… she knows colds and shapes she repeats words and she babbles a little bit she doesn’t say when she want something she shows my husband and I .. can you help me
Hi Benia,
I would definitely suggest having your daughter seen by a speech-language pathologist. By the age of 3 children should be communicating in sentences. I have written the following articles that provide tips for how you can help your daughter expand her vocabulary at home.
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
I also highly recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk. You can check it out here. This book is an amazing resource for parents of children how are struggling with their language development.
Feel free to reach out if you have further questions.
All the best!
I have a 2.7 year old that has about 200+ words however he rarely puts words together ( he has done it but it’s not all the time). His doctor suggested we wait until he’s 3 because he’s exposed to 2 languages but I took him to a speech pathologist because it concerns me. He’s a very shy child, who doesn’t even try to say something until he’s sure he’s able to say it. Hates to be corrected and gets very self-conscious.
He’s recovering speech once a week for now but really hates it.
Sometimes I wonder if he’s really unable to talk or just too self- conscious to talk.
The speech therapist couldn’t evaluate him as he didn’t do anything ( he was shy the whole time), she’s just going with what I could tell her .
At school he doesn’t talk , he talks a lot at home ( mostly one words commands, starting to use 2 /3 words together but seldom) , he love books and “reads them” remembering what we tell him about the stories. He repeats nursery songs as well.
Is there anyway I can help him at home? He really puzzles me.
Hi Ana,
I’m glad to hear that you went with your parenting instinct instead of simply listening to your family dr and had your son seen by a speech language pathologist. Based on what you have shared with me it’s not a surprise that he did not speak during the assessment. Despite your son “hating” speech therapy I definitely think you should keep taking him, or perhaps trying someone else to see if there is better rapport. It is not uncommon for shy children to not be happy in speech therapy, at least initially.
A 200+ word vocabulary is great and typically indicates that word combinations and sentences should be starting. Does your son speak more in one language than the other?
Being exposed to many languages does not cause speech delays, unfortunately this is a myth that keeps being spread (even by doctors). There could be a slight delay in one language over another, but this would barely be noticeable and typically resolves in a few months.
I would suggest taking a look at the book It Takes Two To Talk as it is filled with actionable strategies for parents of late talkers.
Another thing you can do right away is repeat what your son says and expand on it. For example, if he says “milk” indicating he wants milk to drink, you can follow up and say “I want to drink milk, milk is yummy” or something like that. It might seem odd at first, but by expanding on his sentences you are helping him to grow his vocabulary.
I hope this helps!
Thank you for your suggestions ! I will start putting them in place. His Spanish is better than his English, but his speech therapy is in English. Hoping we don’t confuse him more!
You’re welcome Ana. You mentioned that he goes to school, is this in English or Spanish? If he is hearing a lot more Spanish than English it would make sense that he English is lagging behind. You can also try speaking more English with him at home if this is the predominant language at school and will be going forward. Don’t worry about confusing him though. There is no evidence that speaking multiple languages causes a speech delay. But you do want him to be strong in the language he will be primarily speaking and if this will be English, I would focus on that for now. Once he is doing better with English add more of the Spanish back in to everyday life. These are also great topics to discuss with the speech therapist who is working with him.
my name is edwin mogaka from kenya africa i have a four year old son first born he does not know how to speak well but understands everything in three languages.he is able to count from A to Z ON his own and knows A to Z What they stand for, can identify colors can also count one to thirty on his own. but combining words is difficult for him but looks very sharp in mastering things he does not forget easily .he cannot give you a story talks one word at a time .
Hi Edwin,
By 4 years old a child should be able to make complete sentences. I’m not sure what kind of services are available in Kenya, but if you are able to have him seen by a speech language pathologist that would be my recommendation.
I would also suggest taking a look at these articles I have written for parents to strengthen their child’s language skills at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
Wishing you all the best!
Hi! awesome post! Thank you so much!
My son is 2 years and 5 months and he didn’t speak at all. This week he learn to say “blue” but the rest are just blabs. I didn’t worry before because we use 3 language at home (spanish, english and portuguese) and I can see that he understand instructions from each. But you know, time is passing and I am worry again. Thanks!
Hi Daniela,
I would suggest having your son evaluated by a speech language pathologist. Being exposed to 3 languages can cause a slight language delay however, it shouldn’t be too much. By the time a child is three they should be able to speak in complete sentences with grammatical errors still present. Children typically have about a 50 word vocabulary by the time they turn two. Once a child has around 50 words, 2 and 3 word combinations start appearing.
I wish you all the best!
Hello,
My little one is 2 years and 6months old. She hasn’t made a full sentence. However, she understands when asked to do little things. Like go bring your slippers, give me the water, call me your sister. Her few words so far are water, come, Nah (which she usually shakes her heads when saying it), back, eye and light. She still blabs a lot too. Had planned to get her to see a speech therapist but the lockdown happened. How can I help her? What do you think? Is she just a late talker? Thanks
Hi Haminat,
I would definitely look into having her assessed by a speech pathologist (the waiting lists can be long unless you are going to do it privately). It sounds like her understanding isn’t an issue which is a good sign.
I recommend expanding on the single words she is saying. For example if she says “water” because she wants a drink, you could say “drink water” as a start. If she starts saying “drink water” then you could model “I drink water”.
Be sure to read some of the articles I have written that include tips for children with language delays:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
You could also try incorporating some sign language to help her expand her ability to communicate.
I also highly recommend the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is a great resource for parents of late talking children. The advice given can be implemented in your daily activities with your daughter.
I hope that this helps somewhat.
Hello, I am so glad I found this page. My daughter who is 2 years and 9 months seems to have a slight speech delay. She is talking two word sentences and sometimes uses three word sen tenses to communicate, however she doesn’t refer to herself as me or my but instead she will use her name. The same goes to other people she will verbalize that is daddy’s or mommy’s but wont say his or hers. Also if I ask her if she likes something she will answer with the word “like” instead of yes or no. She does learn new words frequently but at a slower pace after her brother was born. She also hears two languages at home, so I don’t know if that has to do with anything. Can you please suggest what can we do to help her with building better sentences. She seems to understand most of the things we say to her but I am still a bit concerned. Also she became aggressive and does bad things on purpose after her brother was born, so I don’t know if that is because of her age or attention seeking behavior. Thank you so much.
Hi Kris,
Thanks for your comment. From the information you have shared it does sound like your daughter has a mild speech and language delay. Does she speak both languages she hears in your home or has she chosen one as her main language?
As for referring to herself with her name, this is actually not all that uncommon. However, most children stop doing this at around 2.5 years (although some don’t drop this way of speaking until they are closer to 3). It is very important that the adults around her use correct pronouns. Many parents refer to themselves in the third person when speaking to their children – e.g. Give it to Mommy. Unfortunately this does not help the child learn grammar rules. So make sure you are using the pronouns I and me when speaking to her and encourage other adults in her life to do the same. The pronouns “his and her” typically don’t emerge until a child is between 3 and 3.5 years old. Again be sure to model correct grammar when speaking to your daughter so she will pick up these words when she is ready.
Take a look at some of these articles I have written to get a few ideas for helping her speak using more words:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Toddler Talk: Follow Your Child’s Lead In Play
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
The aggression/misbehavior you are seeing is most likely age related with a bit of jealousy thrown in. Make sure to give your daughter one on one time every day. It can be something as simple as cuddling with her while reading a book or 2.
I hope I have been able to answer some of your questions. Let me know if there is anything I can help out with.
Thank you for your response. That is very helpful. She does speak mainly one language however she would sing songs mainly in the other language. She also watched tv more than i want to admit, which I am sure wasn’t helping her, so I did stop that. Also I tried to see how well my daughter understands me base on your article and I can say that when I asked her to put a diaper under her bed, she looked under the bed instead which makes me a little nervous. When i told her to but the diaper on the bed she followed my direction. When I told her to go hug her bottle she also followed my direction. If I tell her to put he shoes on or give me a phone she will do it but if I ask her if she likes the cake she is eating she will not answer or will just repeat the last word of the question I asked her. She also asks me question like what is this and can ask me if she wants to eat or drink and specifically what she wants. However she doesn’t listen to me when I tell her not to do something, and I don’t exactly know if she just ignores me or not fully understanding. I am sorry to be writing all the issues here, we are also getting her evaluated by private speech language pathologist this Saturday so hopefully can get some answers, but I am a very anxious person and that desnt help the situation. Thank you again.
It sounds like she is able to follow directions fairly well. When you asked her to put a diaper under the bed she still looked under.
You can model nodding and shaking your head for yes or no while saying the words to demonstrate how to answer a yes or no question. So when you asked her if she likes cake (assuming she does) pause and then respond with something like “yes, cake is yummy, I like it” while nodding your head.
The not listening part is most likely an age thing.
But I am very happy to hear that you are having her seen by an SLP tomorrow. I would have suggested that. It will help put your mind at ease!
I hope it goes well.
All the best.
Hi hope you view this comment in your thread. I was just about to see a speech therapist for my 2.5 yr old son but the virus outbreak set everything back and everything is shut down and I hope I’m doing everything I can to get my kid to talk. He doesn’t say a single word though, I am not sure if he just is refusing to talk to he really can’t talk, my son is pretty clever. And his comprehension is quite fluent. He knows what everything is. He understand when reading books what words mean, and loves playing. He throws horrible tantrums because we cannot understand what he wants. He will drag the words mama or dada in a scream but that’s about it. He often makes sound effects of every animal and object there is. I wanted my son to see a specialist but with everything happening thats no longer a possibility. We limit television for him and I read to him at least 3-4 times a day for 10-15 minutes. He truly loves books and playing with his toys. I personally think my son has a speech delay but what would I know.. I’m no doctor. Please help give me some tips or guidance of how I can get my son to talk. I cannot get a word out of him. He’ babbles all the time trying to make words but they are so muffled in his expression I have to really pick apart what he wants.
Hi Zovig,
I’m sorry to hear about the struggles you are having with your son’s speech and language development. And of course, thanks to Covid-19, now there is no way to access speech and language services. Under normal circumstances I would have suggested having your son’s hearing assessed (despite being able to show that he understands) because for some children even a mild hearing loss can result in a language delay. Does your son have a history of ear infections?
I would reach out to the speech therapist you had an appointment scheduled with to see if they are offering any kind of online services.
In the meantime, if your budget allows, I highly recommend the book It Takes Two To Talk . It contains very practical suggestions and strategies you can get started with right away.
I’ve also written several articles that can help parents work on language development at home.
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
Toddler Talk: Follow Your Child’s Lead In Play
I hope this helps. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Thank you for your response, my son has never had a hearing infection. I would get his ears checked if it was a possibility but he always responds in some way when we ask him to do something, say his name, out stuff away or choose an item out. If he could talk everything would be normal. I’m not sure if this has to do with anything. But my husband didn’t talk until he was 4. I don’t think I can wait until my son turns 4 but I did purchase the book it takes two talk. Hopefully I can use some tips and guidance to attract my son to use language skills. The reason I think my son knows how to talk but doesn’t is because every now and then out of complete random he will say Hi, yellow, ball, red, uh oh, no. But then you ask him to say it again and He shuts up and has this grin on his face. I feel like my toddler just gives me a hard time on purpose -.-
He is something else. Thank you again and be safe!
You are welcome! From what you have said it doesn’t sound like his hearing would be the issue. However, children can have fluid in the ear (that causes a hearing loss) with no signs of an ear infection. But you cannot worry about that now.
If your son is getting frustrated with not being able to communicate I would suggest you try adding in some basic sign language when speaking to him.
Here are a couple of articles I have written on that subject:
Baby & Toddler Sign Language Basics – What You Need To Know!
Teach Your Baby or Toddler Sign Language: It’s Easier Than You Think!
There is some evidence that suggests that late talking (especially on the father’s side) does have a hereditary component. So the fact that your husband was late to talk could be why your son is struggling with language.
Here is an article about late talkers that has a lot of good information. It is also written by a speech-language pathologist.
Your son is very lucky to have you as a parent! You will get through this and please reach out if you have any further questions.
I am so thankful I stumbled upon your site and specifically this thread as just today I was told after a video-chat evaluation with a SLP that my 21 month old has a moderate speech delay. Our little man has own language and really no clear words at all. Thank you for giving me hope and light reading while we are all locked up with this COVID crisis!
You’re welcome! That is great you were able to get a video chat evaluation with an SLP. Did they give you any resources for how to best encourage language development at home?
I always recommend the book “It Takes Two To Talk“. It is an invaluable reference for parents of toddlers with language delays. If you haven’t had a chance to read some of my articles on language development activities at home, I highly recommend these two:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
Hi Tanya,
I really enjoyed your blog. I have twins that are 18 months. They say a few words other then that they babble a ton to each other and us as well as point a lot. They understand us very well and can put their toys away when asked, push their chairs in, go grab clothes in the morning, put stuff in the garbage etc. I’m just concerned they aren’t saying much. They haven’t had ear infections and they weren’t born premie, I had them born full term for twins (37 weeks for twins). Should we be concerned they aren’t saying much?
Hi Jessica,
It definitely sounds like your children do understand well. There is some information that suggest that twins may talk a bit later than singletons, however a lot of that research used twins that were born prematurely. Which is not the case with yours. I would get your children on a speech-language waitlist (they are long to begin with but may be getting longer now) for an assessment. Things may change by the time you actually get in at which point you can cancel any upcoming appointments.
Also, if you are able to I would advice purchasing the It Takes Two To Talk book. It has so much information in there that parents can do at home! It is one of the best resources for speech and language development for parents.
If you haven’t done so yet, take a look at these articles I wrote for parents to help their children develop language skills at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
My grandbaby will be 2 in March he say a few words but u have to tell him to say them he recently had tubes put on both ears due to fluid I was wondering is it speech delay r late talking ? He understand very well he went to speech therapy once have to go back in 3 months
Hi Yolanda,
I responded to the comment you left on the other article. I didn’t realize he had gone for speech therapy already. I definitely recommend going back, especially if there have been no improvements about 2 months after having the tubes in.
My son just turned 2 years old. He has anywhere from 40-50 words he uses. However he not putting two words together yet, unless you count bye bye as one. However he follows directions really well and listens well. And he is still picking up words. His doctor just said bring him back in 3 months to do another check up. But besides this is on target with everything else and is happy, but I’m highly concerned. Just to add he was born at 35 week, but has been on all targets with other milestones.
Hi Brittany,
Children need approximately 50 words in their repertoire before they begin combining words. So your son might start putting words together any day now. I agree with your doctor and think you can wait 2 to 3 months to see if there are any improvements. However, wait lists for publicly funded speech and language services are typically quite long. So you could get your sons name on the waiting list for a speech-language assessment now. If he has improved before he gets seen you can withdraw his name from the list. If you have private insurance coverage you could get into see someone much sooner.
Here is an article I wrote that may help you with some more tips to get his language going 17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay. Number 11 would be of particular interest to you.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
I’m so glad I found this website. Our daughter will be 14 months. She doesn’t say words only babbles. At what point skills we be concerned? We can give her a list of things to do and she will do it but she doesn’t speak.
Hi Callie,
There is a good chance that your daughter is a late talker. I’ve written an entire article about that which you can read here.
Has she had many ear infections? If so, I would have her hearing assessed by an audiologist. Sometimes even a little bit of fluid in the ear (that is there consistently) can result in a mild hearing loss and this can be enough to muffle sounds making it difficult for your daughter to properly hear words and thus causing her difficulty to make the words herself.
If this is not the case I would keep providing her with language rich experiences. If by 18 months she has not had a language explosion (she should be consistently using 20 to 30 words at that time) get her in for a speech and language assessment.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Tanya sorry he is 2 and will be 3 in February.
Thanks for sharing his age. The suggestions I gave are applicable to an almost 3 year old.
Hi Tanya,
I was told my son has a slight receptive and expressive delay but likely not enough to qualify for early intervention from the school district possibly. However, I had him in a preschool that was really good for like a month his words and understanding took off then I had to switch him to an in home provider due to needing more days and seems like things are stagnating. Could it possibly be that he just needs a more language rich environment in order to catch up. My mama gut is telling me that is it? Just wondered was it likely? I’m definitely getting him a kitchen and we are going to read and I am going to visually show him what I mean then test his understanding later without the visuals. Could some children simply need more stimulation he was solely at home till around 2.5.
Hi Annice,
You didn’t mention how old your son currently is so it is a bit difficult for me to give you specific suggestions.
From what you have said it sounds like a language rich environment is what he needs!
I love the book “It Takes Two To Talk – Parent Handbook” as it is filled with wonderful suggestions for boosting language naturally at home.
Also, be sure to check out these articles for tips on some other things you can try at home:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
If you have private insurance coverage you can also check to see if you qualify for speech-language therapy that way. A few sessions with both you and your son may be all he needs!
Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Hi Tanya,
This is Stuti, mom of a 2.7 year old boy. My son can speak dada, Dadi, Chachi,hello, papa, mummas, Nana, mama, Babu, two, three, crow, ball, tweety and few more words. He knows all his body parts including tough ones like elbows, shoulders and knees. Turns around when I ask him to do so, when I ask him to do hands up, finger on your lips, sit down, stand up, go and keep this in the drawer, go get the cloth from kitchen, what do you say when you want milk, he says milk in Hindi. He attempts to say thank you when asked understands sorry. But he doesn’t always call me mummas. He calls me by anything. He babbles a lot and explains everything what he wants to do by babbling and pointing it out. Also he is not fussy about any food or while going to the toilet. He keeps eye contact with me always, but when I ask him to say something which he can’t he moves away or turns his head or says smilingly aaaaaaa….He has learned to say no. When I ask him to eat something extra even after his tummy is full he says no. He understands simple as well as complex directions. He doesn’t get cranky unless his routine is changed. He identifies alphabets from A to I which has been taught in school. Identifies colors and few shapes that too which is taught in school. He waves at known people while going out of house. He likes to see kids playing but doesn’t go easily towards them to play. But runs behind them if sees the elder kids cycling or running.
I am making him learn at least 1 new word everyday. He sometimes uses them sometimes doesn’t. I am worried a lot about what should I do.
Hi Stuti,
Thank you for your comment. From what you have said it does not sound like your son has any issues with hearing so this is most likely an expressive language delay. The best thing you can do is get him set up with a speech-language pathologist who can do a thorough assessment of his language abilities. If you have private insurance coverage it will be quicker to go that route. But if you don’t then you will need to go the public route through early intervention services. If you can tell me where you are located I can try to give you more specific information. You can also ask your family dr how to proceed.
Here are some articles that may be useful in the meantime:
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
Hi, Tanya.
Thank you for this great article! It is full of very useful information. My son babbled as a baby and could say “Daddy,” “Hi,” and “Sissy” around 14 months old. The only word he used in context was “daddy” and repeated the others. He’s currently 21 months old. He has progressively become less vocal. He doesn’t imitate words anymore and doesn’t babble. He uses inflection when he grunts or squeals but doesn’t “speak.” He makes no consonant sounds. He points at things he wants. If he wants me to do something (like open the blinds) he makes it known (like banging the blinds until i open them). Seemingly, he can hear. He’s a light sleeper and wakes easily with noise. He goes to the refrigerator when I ask “do you want milk?” and goes to the bathroom when we ask if he wants a bath. If I ask him where something (like his cup or shoe) is or tell him to go get something, he’ll find it and bring it to me. He doesn’t always respond to loud noises like a high pitched bell or a loud bang. He’s had several ear infections but never enough to get tubes or for any major intervention.
I contacted our state early intervention program for an evaluation and are waiting on that. I don’t really know what to expect with the evaluation. What do you think?
Hi Amber,
Sorry to hear your son is struggling with his expressive language. It’s great that you have him on a waiting list for early intervention. From what you have said I would strongly recommend him seeing a pediatric audiologist to rule out any hearing issues. A small amount of fluid may be present in his ears which can be enough to muffle some of the high frequency sounds. You might be interested in reading Ear Tubes For Children – What You Need To Know!
As for the evaluation, the speech therapist will most likely play with your son. Speech and language assessments for children under 3 are typically play based and many therapists stay away from standardized testing as it often doesn’t give a good picture of what is going on. The therapist will also speak with you for more information.
If you have private insurance coverage I would recommend having him seen privately to start so that you don’t have to wait as long. Unless you were told the wait time was reasonable. Here is a link to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Associations Find a Professional website https://www.asha.org/profind/
Let me know if I can answer any other questions you many have.
Hi Tanya,
Our son turned 2 in April, and we’re started to get concerned, think he may have expressive language delay. He “understands” quite a bit; I quote the word because now it’s a bit hard to tell after reading your post. When we ask him questions about wanted to take a show, being hungry, wanting a banana or grapes, wanting to go a walk, or swim, etc… he responds to all of them. Sometimes he may not say no, but he wont show interest either. When he was young, we started with signing. He can do “more”, “bottle” (which he uses for any kind of drink now), “thank you”, he can do some others but not very accurately. He also says words, but not many. Mama, Papa, Dada, bye bye. Words he can kind of say are “more” when we ask him to (cuz he will sign it), bubble, truck, car, and some others I’m missing right now. He also makes a lot of sounds for things he clearly knows what they are. We have cards with pictures that we will throw on the floor and ask him to find, and he get’s almost all of them. Things like fire truck, zebra, ball, soccer ball, clock, frog, house, leaf, sheep, etc; A whole mix of things. The talking he just seems uninterested in doing, or he just can’t do if he has this delay. If I try to get him to say something and he can’t, he will get frustrated and upset, then walk away because I’ve pushed to much. We’re not sure what to do. Should we get him assessed? Wait a bit longer and just use some of these links you’ve shared in other posts to do speech therapy at home? I’m fairly certain he understand (or maybe hopeful because I’m a parent), but I’ve said whole sentences to him without thinking what I’m saying, then afterwards I tell myself “why did I just say that? He has no idea what I just said.”, but then he’ll immediately respond non-verbally by going and do the action I asked, or what have you.
I forgot to mention some other things he points at or “signs”. He knows a lot of parts on his body (hair, eyes, nose, lips, teeth, tongue, belly button, hands, feet). He also “signs” cold, airplane, wind. Oh yeah, he can also say “hot” when food/drink is warm/hot to him.
Hi Austin,
Based on all of the information you have provided it does not sound like there is a receptive delay. He is most likely a late talker, but that being said I still strongly recommend having him assessed by a speech language pathologist. Is he able to imitate sounds and sound combinations, for example if you say “Dada” will he try to repeat it? There are many different reasons as to why he may not be speaking at the level he should be and the only way to figure out what that might be is to have him assessed by a speech-language pathologist. If you have private insurance coverage there is a good chance a part of most of the fee would be covered. You can also go the publicly funded route, but you may have to wait several months.
Wishing you and your son all the best!
Thanks for such a quick response! Unfortunately, I don’t believe our insurance covers a speech pathologist (I work at a startup, so insurance is on the lower end). Sometimes he will try to mimic and he will get the sounds almost correct, other times he’s way off. But when sometimes when he’s way off, I really feel like he’s just not interested or he might even just ignore us. He just wants to sign, as if it’s easier. He’s recently started creating his own signs instead. I’ll ask him to say “run”, and he’ll move his arms really fast. I’m going to look into the cost of assessment at a place nearby, so we’ll see how that goes. I also didn’t realize there was a publicly funded route, so I can check that out as well. We are going to start enunciating more, reading more books like “Brown Bear, Brown Bear”, do the Mr. Potato head thing, and we’re also working with in/out, on/under with things that typically wouldn’t work (like asking him to put a book under his blanket). But, my MAIN concern was if there was something wrong with the brain, the part that handles converting thoughts to speech.
Definitely look into publicly funded services because it is important to have a proper assessment done to figure out what may be causing his inability to produce words. It’s great that he is finding ways to communicate. When he signs, make sure to repeat what he is signing or what you think he is signing in words so he is always hearing spoken language. Let me know if you need any help trying to figure out how to access public funding for speech and language services. I am not 100% sure I will be able to help but I can try.
Hi tanya,thanks for the useful information. My son is nearly 3 and used to say words like who did that,I want this,mummy come when he was 2.Then I had another child few months after he turned 2 and all of a sudden he stopped using his words and started crying most of the time.He can still call me and daddy but his attention is quiet worrying. I took him to see SLT and he’s on waiting list.Is there something I can do to help?
Hi there,
I would also suggest talking to your family Dr. about this and consider taking your son to a developmental pediatrician to make sure there is nothing else going on. It is not uncommon for children to lose some words they have previously spoken when they go through growth spurts or are learning new skills. However, this would typically resolve on it’s own in about a month or so. Has your son had many ear infections? Has his hearing been checked? Fluid in the ear can cause a mild to moderate hearing loss which can make it difficult to speak when a child is young.
I wish I could provide you with answers but that is difficult to do without having actually met your son.
Wishing you all the best!
My daughter is almost 5 she can not say any words not even ma. She can identify numbers, letters, shapes and colors she can follow directions. However nobody can seem to tell me why she has such a severe speech delay. She recieves speech therapy 3 times a week at head start. But all she does is grunt makes sounds and signs.
Hi
I’m sorry to hear that your daughter is struggling with her expressive language. Has the speech pathologist that is working with her given any indication at the lack of progress? There are several reasons why she may not be communicating with words, but I cannot say what these might be without knowing her. Can she imitate words and sounds? Has she ever said words and then stopped?
Hello,
My grandson will be 3 next month. He doesn’t talk but he makes sounds. When he watches a movie you know he knows what is going on by the pitches he makes. The other way he communicates his needs is by bringing you his cup if he is thirsty, he will push you in a forward motion if he wants you to go somewhere with him. He understands commands but if its not something he wants he will scream and cry. He hasn’t been diagnosed with autism but the doctor said he is showing signs of it. He also had a speech therapist but he didn’t like her and every session was a disaster because he would cry.
Hi Tamea,
It is not uncommon for a child like your grandson to cry during speech therapy sessions. Do not give up on speech therapy. It will be challenging with anyone at first because he will be asked to do non preferred tasks. This is completely normal. I am not sure where you are but there are many early intervention programs available in Canada and the US that you can look into. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Tanya
I have a three old boy who is a late talker. We started to get concerned soon after his 2nd birthday when he wasn’t talking maybe having 10 words max. He has had a number of speech and language assessments since then and have been taking him to private sppech therapy for over 9 months. Have been told most likely an expressive language delay. He has attended a creche since he was a 1yr and started in their montesorri class in July. We have availed of extra support for him, so there is an extra person in the room so they can work in smaller groups with him. He is doing well, very happy there, plays with other children and attempts to join in with circle time songs and actions. He just doesn’t seem to be progressing with his speech though. He understands and follows instructions and will say 1, 2 or 3 word phrases randomly. His favourites are no mummy, no its mine or bye bye. He is a really loving good natured boy who loves to give hugs and kisses. However he does through tantrums when he doesn’t get what he wants.we are tryjng to talk to him as much whilst doing day to day things but not sure what else to do. Going to continue with speech and language therapy but not sure if is helping. Do you have any advise on what else we can do? My gut tells me he is fine developmentally except for his speech.
Hi Elle,
From what you have said it does sound like an expressive language delay. I would definitely continue with the speech therapy. In some cases it can take years of therapy.
Is your son able to repeat sounds and words?
The best person to ask about the lack of progress would be the speech-language pathologist.
I’m sorry I can’t give you more information than that.
I can share with you some articles I have written with tips for promoting language development.
It sounds like you are probably already doing many of these things but I will share anyway.
Straightforward Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers You Can Do At Home
17 Tips To Help A Toddler With A Speech Delay
13 Ways Mr Potato Head Helps To Foster Toddler Development
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks Tanya will keep going with slt. He can repeat sounds and words but not always when prompted to do so more when it’s on his terms or when he is interested in something. He knows animal sounds and will repeat words when it sounds fun…like yucky or yummy. I guess it is a waiting game. Thanks for your help.
I know it’s frustrating Elle! Just keep talking to his speech therapist about your concerns. There are many reasons for a language delay and a speech language pathologist is the best person to help figure out the best treatment.
Hi. I have a Daughter who is about to turn 27 months old. She says lots of single words and when you ask her what something is (like an item or animal etc etc) she often gets it right. She knows most her colours and can count to 10 but misses the odd number and counts slowly. Her understanding is pretty good. However she doesn’t really put 2 words together yet except for maybe 1 or 2 things maximum. She’s very clingy to mummy and daddy but has opened up to other people the last few months. She will often repeat everything you say and when you ask her a question she repeats the last word. Although her understanding of what’s going on is decent and can answer questions some of the time. If I said make me an ice cream she would go make an ice cream from her toy and give it to me. But she doesn’t play with toys too often she’d rather be attached to parents or bring up books or toys to us. Not sure if she’s just got a speech delay or slight autism. She’s very affectionate and laughing alot. At that stage where worry as not improving her 2 words and doesn’t say me or I etc she related herself to her name only
Thanks for sharing this information about your daughter. I would definitely recommend that she be seen by a speech-language pathologist. While a speech pathologist cannot formally diagnose autism they would be able to notice any red flags and if they believe your daughter might be autistic they would let you know. If this is the case the speech pathologist would tell you who to see for further evaluation specific to autism. Just make sure to mention these concerns to the speech pathologist.
Keep modeling expanded phrases. So if she says one word, for example “cookie” because she wants a cookie you could reply with “I want cookie”. Try to get her to repeat the phrase, but don’t push it. You don’t want to get into power struggles or have her shut down completely.
As for the play, show her how to play with certain toys and engage with her when she is interested. These articles I have written might be of help:
The Benefits of Child Led Play For Speech and Language Development
How To Encourage Pretend Play With A Child With Developmental Disabilities
How is your daughter with making eye contact? How are her joint attention skills?
Make sure that you are using correct pronouns when you are speaking to her. So instead of saying “give it to mommy/daddy” say “Give it to me”. This can help with how she refers to herself. It is not uncommon for young children to refer to themselves with their own name however, this usually stops between 24 and 30 months. My article on “baby talk” has some information you might find helpful.
I hope that this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
We are raising our two year old granddaughter who was born about
5-6 weeks early. Thus far she says these words, apple, ice, baby, bye bye, Bri & who’s that. The phrase who’s that is the first & only phrase she’s said. The other words she says at first over & over then stops as if she isn’t interested. Still says ice, apple, baby. For the correct items. Love to go outside. Will go to glass door, move curtain & start making the sound
Mmmmmmm or aaaaaaaaa. Knocking on glass door.
Asking her if she wants to find grandpa she goes looking for him & will go to bedroom door knocking on it.
I’ll tell her I’m going potty she will stop what she’s doing & go to the bathroom before I get there. If she wants in the fridge she will go to the door & again the sounds are made.
My husband, her grandfather was a late talker. Our daughter, her mom wasn’t but she had a big sister to follow around. Our granddaughter is in a house of adults. Can’t get her to daycare because we are still in the process of getting custodial guardianship. Which is required for the daycares to accept her. Any opinions, advice is appreciated.
Hi Martha,
Thanks for sharing! It definitely sounds like she understands but is struggling to express herself? Have you tried sign language?
I also strongly recommend having her assessed by a registered Speech-Language Pathologist as it is hard to determine if she is a late talker or if there is something else going on.
It could also be because she was born prematurely.
This is something a professional will be able to help you with.
Best of luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello Tanya,
I’m doing a research about ASD for myself and I crossed your post. And you just give me more evidence.
When a young child listens to parent’s words, but they somehow don’t respond back or or don’t really react, it could be a hearing problem. Or it could be the language, speech problems like you said since it’s your profession.
And I don’t dare to cross over you because you have the license and knowledge. I just research some information only.
Therefore, as you describe, if the child has some behavior like that, should parents inform with the family doctor and then go to you for M-CHAT R/F or well-baby checkup?
Hi Gnekoda,
You are correct, there could be a hearing problem when a child doesn’t react to a sound or has difficulty following directions. This can easily be ruled out by a visit to an Audiologist.
Speech language pathologists often recommend a full audiological evaluation if a hearing loss is suspected.
However, as I mentioned in the article it can also be a receptive language delay. And this can be harder to figure out since kids are really good at using strategies which make an outsider think they understand (and hear) everything.
If a parent is concerned they can ask their doctor or at a well baby checkup. Or they can go directly to a speech language pathologist!
Hi Tanya
Thanks for sharing this insightful article. Many parents believe that they love their child too much to accept the facts about them.
It can be very difficult for parents to hear the truth about their child.
If they use the time spent with their child wisely, they will accept the term that ‘it takes two to talk.’
Is there any treatment for child who isn’t speaking to develop understanding?
Keep up your good work
dorcasW
Thanks for your comment Dorcas.
Yes, speech therapy or in some cases just some guidance from a speech pathologist will help a child develop receptive language skills!
Hi Tanya,
I found your web page today and I think it is fantastic!. I live in USA and today I requested an evaluation from a speech pathologist. My almost 4 years old (in 2 months) can speak in both languages, Spanish and English, but like a 3 years old. When I say he can speak I meant that he can do it in short sentences (4 or 5 words), sometimes with verbs, sometimes with articles (Spanish) and good pronunciation. He doesn’t elaborate complex sentences and I definitely identified that there are things that he doesn’t understand like “under” or “how” or “why”. He’s improving everyday even not being in a preschool, no siblings/family around or been exposed too often in social activities. When I noticed a couple months ago that his sentences where too short for his age, I started at home speaking more, reading and talking to him strategically thinking in the way we were talking to him. He always listened us saying “mami” and “Daddy” this or that and referring to him by his name. I think almost never we said “I”, “You”, “We”, etc. So the last month he started speaking a lot more, really fast in fact, but we noticed that he was confusing “I” and “you” and many times referring himself in third person. Now it seems that he’s getting the concepts because he’s using the pronouns correctly most of the times (in both languages) but even though we started the evaluation process because I’m not comfortable that at almost 4 years old he doesn’t have the appropriate language and comprehension for his age.
I’m going to try one of your examples as well.
Many people including the pediatrician tell me that he’s a “late talker”, but I don’t want to “guess”. What do you think?
Hi,
I applaud you for requesting a speech-language evaluation for your son despite being told not to worry. It sounds like there could be a few things going on and it would be best to seek the advice of a speech-language pathologist. I would suggest trying to find one that is bilingual (Spanish and English) so that both languages can be assessed.
Have you considered enrolling him in a playgroup so he can gain some social and language skills by being around other children? It does not need to be daily, but perhaps a few mornings/afternoons a week.
You are doing many things that will help his language development. Continue to model grammatically correct sentences in both languages, including using correct pronouns.
Please take a look at the article I wrote about “late talkers” (if you haven’t already done so). I am sure this will make you feel good about your decision to have your son seen by a speech pathologist!
Best of luck!
Thank you Tanya!
Yes, we’re planning to enroll him next month in a pre-school. He went to a Spring Camp for one week and he did it great following instructions, doing activities, playing with other kids, etc.
Thank you for your response!. I really appreciate it.
You’re welcome! I think you will notice a big change in his language once he starts preschool.
But make sure to still have him seen by a speech-language pathologist!
If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Hello, pls I just came across your site,my daughter is 15month old she ll be 16month on the 30th of August…answers her name and says Mama and Dada,says two words waves bye,claps her hands points to things things when … laughs at funny things at first she does not like to see strangers but she stopped crying when I drop her with baby sitter…Showed empathy to a child that was crying….she used her gesture with saying sorry…imitate me and sometimes use the words on her own….likes to play with kids her age,I am bothered right now because she doesn’t Nod to a Yes or No…when I aske her questions, I am always getting a Yes for everything,Even things she’s meant to say No to…if she wants anything she’s always using words like open ,Water,let us Go…Says hello to everyone when ever we go outside….and she calls her bother and sister Mama…She pulls my hands to what she wants and says Open…when I do she won’t point to what she wants…should I be worried?she follows directions…if I tell her to brings her shoes she ll…she understands me…and likes me to read to her alot….Should I be worried?
Hi,
It sounds like your daughter is meeting speech and language milestones. Children typically don’t respond to yes/no questions until the are between 20 and 24 months old. So no need to worry! Be sure to be a good speech model for her. So when she says “mama” for one of her siblings, say their name for her to hear. You can jokingly say “that’s not mama, that’s ________, I’m Mama!” You can also model pointing to her by pointing yourself and labeling the item you are pointing at. For example, “Look, there is a red car” – while pointing to the car.
I hope this helps!
That was really interesting and very useful to know! My daughter is nearly 22 months and I absolutely have assumed she understands everything…until now!! She is a real talker though, so I think we are good, but I must admit I am wondering if she understands under and over now.
In general, do you think it is a good idea to go to a speech pathologist as a general check up at a certain age just to make sure everything is fine even if you think everything is ok? There does not seem to be anything routine here in Australia except for maternal child health nurse visits at certain age milestones, and they don’t seem to be overly comprehensive. What do you think?
Hi Liz,
I would assume that your daughter is following along the developmental milestones as expected. Chances are she is understanding (especially if she is talking a lot).
I don’t typically recommend going to a speech pathologist for a “check up” unless there are any red flags. I am in Canada and we don’t have child health nurse visits here. Most family Dr’s will see a child for regular check ups from birth until the age of 3, however some only do these regular checks until 18 months or 2.
I wouldn’t worry in your case!