Any positive stories re. 24 month old not talking?

[NewEraNewMindset]

So my son will be 2 in 9 days and we have about 3 clear words and lots of babbling.

Words I understand and he uses in context are Mama, Dadda and yeah. That's it! Lots of babbling and da-da-do-do, acka-baba etc.

On the plus side he has good comprehension. Goes and gets his car, ball, Iggle Piggle toy, Peter Rabbit toy when requested. Gives things to other people when asked, ie take this to Daddy please. Knows his body parts and we are learning colours at the moment - currently knows blue and green.

Has no interest in repetition. I will ask him to repeat something and he will throw himself on the floor and scream. So I try not to badger him and make sure I keep talking to him and telling him numbers and what things are.

He goes to crèche four mornings a week and mixes with children up yo the age of 4/5. He loves kids so I think this is a definite positive, not sure it's making any difference to communication skills though.

I've talked to through with my HV on the phone and she is going to assess him in January with a view to recommending we oh to a local drop in speech place if there has been no improvement.

I used to feel somewhat heartened by the fact that my sisters toe boys didn't speak until after the age of two, however one of them has now been diagnosed with SEN/possible autism and I'm now looking at this in a slightly different way.

Thank you.

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

My almost 2yo dd is similar. I am going to take her to the speech therapy drop in to be checked over.

However, my eldest was similar and by 3 was hitting all her speech milestones. She's nearly 5 now and is, if anything, quite advanced. So don't panic yet.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Yes, my eldest didn't start talking until he was 26 months. At least, that was when he had his first speech therapy session and she told me that some of his babble was actually words. I had been looking for clear, obvious words but she told me that as long as he made the same, consistent sound for something, then it counted as a word. Gradually, the sound became more and more like the proper word. But it sounds like you have already recognised some words your son is saying so you are further on than I was.

Anyway, my son is now at university. He is a bright boy, perhaps predictably he is better at Maths and Science but he got his English Lit and Lang GCSEs without any difficulty. He has some social difficulties, not as severe as autism or aspergers though I think he must be close to aspergers, but he has maintained friendships and done what has to be done to get this far in life. Your son may be perfectly fine in this regard (he sounds better than my son was at that age). My only advice would be not to start assuming bad things until you have to. Your sister's children are not yours.

[NewEraNewMindset]

Thanks ItMustBe. Definitely trying not to panic but I've been trying not to panic since he was 18 months and we really are no further forward.

I now can't actually imagine having a conversation with him ever! The thought of it is bizarre lol. To my mind he will be forever saying da da do do in the guise of Scatman John

[NewEraNewMindset]

Thank you DumbleDore. I'm at peace with him having potential SEN as I think he will be my only (secondary infertility big time due to age) and as such he feels like a blimming miracle child to me. So I certainly am not sitting here wringing my hands re. Oxbridge.

I suppose I thought that by the age of two there would be a marked difference from six months ago and it feels like there hasn't been really. Perhaps there has been and my memory is failing me, he doesn't even say NO!! And my understanding is that every toddler likes to say no!

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Btw, my daughter has no signs of SEN at all, and is strong in literacy. No social problems either.

Obviously, your son may have deeper issues, but honestly, some children just speak later and it means nothing at all. I think you should see a speech therapist ASAP because it's obviously worrying you, and as I understand it, it's better to deal with speech issues early.

[WowserBowser]

My Ds had a speech regression. Was referred to a SALT and paediatrician etc.

He started talking at about 3.5. I thought he would never talk!

But I am like you. Was having such a bad time and he came along and changed everything. I don't know if i'll be lucky enough to have another. So even though it is a worrying time it has made it extra special when he began to talk etc

[unlucky83]

My DD2 didn't speak at home more than the odd word until she was 2.5, she didn't speak (a word) to the adults at playgroup until she was 3. (She was talking a little more at home and to the other children). I did take her to the HV at 2. At school nursery she was (at my request) referred to a speech therapist. Her problem was she couldn't pronounce certain sounds and sometimes even I couldn't understand her. Her assessment concluded that her speech was following normal development patterns but was delayed. Her vocabulary and sentence structure if anything was advanced. At 3 she was trying to say thing a 4-5 yo would say with the pronunciation of a 2 yo...which made her hard to understand. She would have got there on her own in the end but had SLT for 2 years in the school to speed it up as she was starting to get frustrated. (In first year primary her teacher thought her cat Lucky was called Yucky -she came home and cried about it )
Now at 7.5 she won't shut up - normal everything, good reader, lots of friends, confident. (maybe overly so - embarrasses me currently because she thinks it is funny to greet strangers on the local streets with 'hello good person of XXX slash XXX -(our village/neighbouring one))
I wouldn't worry too much...

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Oh I feel for you. I remember the anxiety when nothing seemed to be happening.

I have been trying to work out how long speech took. The first speech therapy session was when he was 26 months and, as I said before, to my mind he had no recognisable words at that time (not even 'no' - they don't all say it as much as you might think!). I have a son 18 months younger who is the polar opposite of his brother - very outgoing, exceptionally verbal, spoke in sentences almost from the off. His first words were spoken at 13 months, I think, so when eldest non-verbal son was 31 months old. All I can tell you is, although my second son made rapid advances in speech after his first word, he was never more advanced than his non-verbal brother was, if that makes sense to you. His pronunciation was sometimes better, but his vocabulary and speech patterns were never more advanced. 2nd son was definitely talking in good sentences by 17/18 months, so that means his older brother, at the same time was about 3 years old, and was also speaking in good sentences despite having no words at all only 10 months earlier.

Sorry, that is probably incomprehensible! All I am saying is, when the progress starts, it can be quite rapid. More rapid, perhaps, than a child who starts speaking earlier. And honestly, your son sounds better than mine was. All that time in the creche must be doing some good, even if you can't see it yet.

[DahliaBloom]

A month before my eldest ds turned two, he was just speaking a few words that only we understood ('ang' for car etc.), as well as Mama, Dada, no. He understood everything though, we could see that.

Three months later we took him to his 2 year check up and the doctor asked he was talking in sentences - I can remember saying God, yes, because he was already saying things like "I held Janey's hand and we walked up to the church".

I know the timings because we were visiting my parents abroad in the month before his second birthday, and I remember us trying in vain to understand something he was trying to communicate - and I know the doctor's visit was two months after his birthday because she said we'd only just made it in time (the check ups have to be done within two months.)

He basically said pretty much nothing till he was two and then it was like a bloody non-stop waterfall. Apparently that's quite common, especially in boys. He's 9 now and bright and smart and pretty gobby :-)

[123Jump]

Gosh, I thought it was totally normal for some children not to be talking at 2?
Not one of mine spoke before 2, like you they had a couple of words, ma ma, da da, etc.
All talking perfectly normal now.
Like your son they had good comprehension. TBH it didn't worry me at all, as so many people told me their DC (particularly boys) didn't speak before 2 either.
My elder DC are older, but the youngest is 2yrs and nearly 3 mo. He said about 5 words at 2 and in the last 6 weeks is flying...no sentences, still just single words, but he has loads now.
My eldest was nearly 2.6 before he could do any kind of sentence/many words.
My HV wasn't worried, she too said it was very normal.
Try not to worry, they seem to just suddenly go from nothing-million words in a few short weeks.

[AnnoyedByAlfieBear]

Ds is 2.4 and has about 20 recognisable words (most of which are only recognisable if used 8n context). Since his 2nd birthday he's improving massively.

He's just had his 2 yr check and the HV wasn't too concerned as his understanding is great and he knows what he's saying even if no one else does. She's checking on us in about 3 months to see how we're going and to maybe refer us for SALT.

[unlucky83]

Should have made that clearer - her pronunciation was delayed purely because she hadn't started talking until she was older...so normally (and I have no idea -just know which sounds she struggled with) say after speaking for 6 months they master the 's' sound then 6 months later the 'l' sound - she was doing that but a year or so later than her peer group. And it wouldn't have been such a big problem really if she wasn't also trying to say complex sentences etc. (remember her trying to ask me more about 'danes' at around 4 - this was just a random conversation. Turns out it was drains - we had seen one overflowing in the road a couple of weeks before, we were no where near one - after several guesses/questions I just had to say sorry I really don't understand - then she showed me one later)

[rugbymum143]

My eldest ds (now 19 & at uni) only had a few words at 2 and a half when he started play group. Perhaps things have changed because I was never worried and neither was the hv because he had good understanding. By 3 he was talking in full sentences.

[whatsagoodusername]

We've had speech therapy with our two DC for similar reasons. One of the big things was how their comprehension of what you say them was. If they comprehend you, that's good.

I took my DC to the GP and asked demanded a referral for speech and audiology. It was easy enough to do - didn't bother with my useless HV. Maybe you could do that instead of waiting for the HV in January? It can take ages to get through a waiting list after they refer you.

[NewEraNewMindset]

Thanks guys, useful information and I'm taking onboard that he may suddenly start talking pretty much overnight.

He show no sign of frustration, he doesn't try to say anything to me if that makes sense. It's not as though he is trying to communicate and frustrated because he can't. He holds his hand up when he wants something and brings things over to me if he wants me to help him play with it. But he never babbles at me as though he is trying to tell me something. He is just pretty content doing his thing on the whole.

I'm not sure if me being a SAHM is helping or hindering. Because we are with each other most of the time there is a strong possibility I am just doing stuff for him because I know what he wants and we have a timetable for lunch/milk/bath/bed etc. For example if he is hungry and he doesn't think I'm preparing his food quick enough he will go and get his high chair and drag it over to me. I know that means 'hurry up Mum I'm REALLY hungry'. So there is lots of this non-verbal communication going on and because I get it and he really wants for nothing I think he is just pretty contentedly getting on with life. No need to talk!

[shobby]

My son was using only a few single indistinct words at two, my OH could not understand him at all and required translation! About six months later we suddenly realised he was speaking in complete sentences, and his clarity gradually improved. His older sister was very verbose and we came to the conclusion he couldn't get a word in edgeways, his speech improved when she started school and couldn't talk over him!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

NewEra, you could try prompting a few responses from him. I remember at the first sppech therapy session I took my ds to (the one where she told me he did have words, just not ones I recognised) she played with him with one of those spiral tower thingies you drop balls down (like a marble run, but bigger). She was holding a ball at the top and saying 'ready ... steady ... go!' before dropping the ball. My ds loved it, but after a bit, the speech therapist just said 'ready ... steady ...' and then waited, keeping hold of the ball, until ds said a sound, which was interpreted as 'go' before letting the ball go. It was a simple thing, but it was about making ds communicate to get what he wanted.

I am sure you talk loads to your ds, and encourage him to make noises etc, so apologies if the above sounds really basic, but I found it fascinating at the time.

As someone else has said, the important thing is that your ds is showing signs of understanding what you tell him. Also, I remember I was asked if he pointed to things and made a sound (my ds did - does yours?)

[Timeforanewname2014]

My DD didn't have any words at all when she turned 2. She is now a very chatty 6 year old, above average in literacy / reading, doing fine. I know it's a worry but sometimes they just take a bit longer to talk. I seem to remember someone telling me if the understanding is there then it's less of a worry/ less of a step so I would think that's a good sign for your DC.

[Artandco]

Neither of mine spoke at 2 years assessments. By 3 years both spoke bilingually fluently. I wouldn't Worry at all, at 2 years my hv wasn't at all worried either

[cowbiscuits]

My brother didn't talk till very late then just came out with loads of words at once. He soon caught up with everyone and is very brainy with a PHD.

Does he use point or use gestures, have you thought about trying to reach him some basic makaton?

[NannyNim]

My sister was totally silent until she was 3. She was referred for speech therapy and even the therapist was at a bit of a loss and suggested all sorts of reasons for why she wasn't talking. Then all of a sudden she was talking in full sentences and we were having a hard time trying to STOP her talking! Now she's a perfectly normal 12yr old with no SEN.

I wouldn't worry. You sound like you're doing all the right things re talking to him and encouraging the words he already has. He'll get there in the end!