Late talker success

[Kdestep]

I am in desperate need of some late talker success stories.
My son is 2.5 years old and not yet talking. Has a few words (mom, bubba, help, car, ball etc), points and gestures (does hi-five but doesn’t wave - go figure?), makes eye contact, usually responds to name, can follow basic simple directions, and has had hearing tested. He is more of an introvert... preferring to copy or play beside someone rather than join in. I am worried sick about him not talking. He is referred to a developmental ped, speech and language and an audiologist all at the children’s hospital near me. Reading late talker success stories provides me faith and comfort! So if anyone has some - PLEASE SHARE!

[essexmum777]

Your son has more words, understanding and gestures than mine did at 2.5, at 5 he's pretty much caught up - but it took a lot of speech therapy to get there.

[Kdestep]

Wow. I’m glad to hear your child is caught up. That’s reassuring because some days I think my son will never talk 🤪Thanks for replying.

[nzmnrzzq]

Hi! Just wondering if you (Kdestep) have any updates on your son & his talking?

I am also in the same boat, my son is 2yrs 5months!

Thank you in advance x

[ButterscotchWhip]

Joining this thread as my son (2.5) is still babbling. He uses no words consistently, though he will surprise us by randomly saying the odd word (never to be heard again, I might add!)

He is having SALT sessions (on Zoom so far - not ideal) and the SALT lady went right back to basics with him, and we've been focusing not on word formation but pre-linguistic skills. Toddlers can't acquire language without them. So we do domestic imitation play / tasks now and he's responding well. I'm happy to discuss with anyone and pass on what I know, even though I am right at the beginning of the road too!

Also, you must ask for a hearing test for non-talkers too, in case they have glue ear or similar. My child has confirmed normal hearing, but squints a bit so next up is an eye test - both myself and dh are short-sighted.

I know it's stressful and worrying, particularly when other parent friends have toddlers who seem to be able to recite sonnets. People keep telling me he'll just suddenly turn a corner, but it's not always that simple is it?!

[nzmnrzzq]

Omg ! Wow. Glad someone responded here.. can u expand on pre-linguistic skill? What is this? Our children seem to be in the same boat

[ButterscotchWhip]

Things like joint attention, eye contact, imitation, turn-taking and so on

[mongo123]

I consider my son a success story. He had 3 words at 2 and was red flags for asd but he wasnt diagnosed. He did speech therapy from 2- 3.5 years old. It was a slow burn and i honestly saw many kids graduate speech before him. Coupled with motor delays i was very hopeless. At aboit 2 years and 10 months i started getting a few words. Not a lot. Then by 2 and 3 word sentences and in no time...speaking. by 3.5 he was all caught up. just turned 5 and a total chatterbox

[Olaf14]

I am joining the thread. My son is 2.1 has possibly ten words- doesn’t use them consistently. Has a couple of times followed instructions. He has been referred to speech and language and community paediatrician. My main concerns are that it’s not just a speech and language delay and that he will never talk.
Any advice and questions is welcome

[ButterscotchWhip]

@Olaf14 You are doing the right thing and you've sought help nice and early. I first spoke to the SLT when my son was 2.1 and she said it was definitely considered 'early intervention', which is always good, and she pointed out that lots of parents leave it later (which obviously can result in slower progress / a snowballed problem). Personally, I think if he has ten words already, you can feel confident that he will get there, with support. :)

@mongo123 That's comforting to hear. Well done to you and your son.

[1sunnyday23]

My boy didn't really start talking until 3.5. At the age of 3 he was saying very few words, he then did start to speak and developed a stutter.

Now he's 8 he speaks well and when he starts we can't shut him up 😀

[ohhmygosh]

My DS is 4.5 now and I would say he's 90% caught up, having had only about 4 words age 2. He did have speech therapy privately, started around 2.5 with only as he was only adding part words to his very small list. But I did loads with him to help, I wasn't doing the right things before.

You are with him so you are the best person to help. I learned from the therapy what to do. It's just simply repetition, lots of repetition, but you can theme your week- say farm week - animal names and noise, colours of animals, songs. Keep your "sentences" short, ideally just label 1-2 word best is Pig, pink pig, big pink, small pig, get the pig, pig there, oink,where's pig,? You still do other stuff, but the theme gets the repetition. Whilst it's great he understands you talking normally to copy language it needs to be more focused for some children and in context. Use toys and books with the theme in them.

If I point to a sheep for my baby child she says baa, that counts, that's a start of it. So nosies, songs all help.

Ideas are vehicle week,
colours,
space ( rockets, planets, stars, moon)
Zoo
Trains ( bridge, bag, track, women, man, boy, girl, choo)
Dolls,
Jobs - Doctors, nurses, vets, fire, police
Family ( with photos, video calls )

Then go back cover your weeks in a day, do zoo day and then farm day, repeat Trains week. You get the idea.

[ohhmygosh]

Sorry some typos, DH was talking to me. My youngest child is 14 months.

[DinoHat]

Read this thread with interest. My 2 year old is showing a speech delay, I contacted a SLT therapist today. The theme week is a great idea.

[1stbaby2018]

Following... My DS is 28 months, has lots of words but not putting sentences together and still babbles a lot. I'm worried that the last year has impacted him. Homeworking and too much screen time 😔 Nursery has been start stop for him. I took his dummy away about a month ago, mostly he had it at night but some days he was glued to it. He understands a lot and carries out basic tasks. We have his 27 month review with HV this week so will wait to see what she says.

[ohhmygosh]

@1stbaby2018 if he says a single word then you give him one more word. For example
DS -car
You -blue car
DS -ball
You -catch ball
DS -cat
You -spotty cat
DS -Bus
You -Big bus
DS -shoes
You -Mummy's shoes

It's a bit unnatural as it's not a conversation, but it generally it will work. I did feel a bit bad I was always repeating DS. Great you
are seeing the HV as she can rule out other things like hearing.

[ohhmygosh]

Yakka Dee on CBeebies catch up is a great show for words.

[jessstan2]

He's fine. I knew a very clever, articulate lady who didn't say one word before she was three.

[DinoHat]

[quote ohhmygosh]@1stbaby2018 if he says a single word then you give him one more word. For example
DS -car
You -blue car
DS -ball
You -catch ball
DS -cat
You -spotty cat
DS -Bus
You -Big bus
DS -shoes
You -Mummy's shoes

It's a bit unnatural as it's not a conversation, but it generally it will work. I did feel a bit bad I was always repeating DS. Great you
are seeing the HV as she can rule out other things like hearing. [/quote]
I’ve just spoken to a speech therapist and this is essentially what she told me to do - not baby talk but to say phrases and things my DS can mimic easily. Like when he waves his foot at me to put his sock back on rather than say “do you want mummy to put your sock on” say “sock on” and when he shows me his water bottle rather than say “do you want a drink” say “drink please” it’s already working after a few days. He said “drink please” today and I’m naming objects more so he’s doing the same.

[ohhmygosh]

@DinoHat that's great 🙌 It's tricky as I'm sure your DS understands the sentence "Do you want mummy to put your socks on" but it's too much to copy, they just can't extract the key words. It does make me wonder whether I talked to my DS too much like an adult and that's what delayed his speech. I do find it hard to simply my speech, I'm practicing on my toddler DD now, hoping I can take my own advice 😉