How many non verbal children did you know growing up? How many do you know now?

@MaryMaryVeryContrary it's good to know I didn't get the wrong end of the stick then. You just meant kids who don't talk and have no underlying reason why. This was what I thought you meant.
No, I still don't know any. There were shy kids at school back in the day who were reluctant to read in class and wouldn't speak unless you got to know them well etc etc but I'm guessing there are still kids like this today.
And I'm guessing, if there was no underlying reason, they learned to speak so as to get on in the world - job interviews etc , although I suppose since covid you could do it all via emails and wfh doing something that didn't require speaking to people eg spreadsheets. and any issues are communicated via emails/texts and you just avoid the staff xmas party.

None growing up and 1 now. He’s such a great communicator in other ways though, you just have to be patient enough to learn how he communicates and work on how to communicate back.

"Plus along with just general observations; primary teachers have said on several occasions to me that it’s quite usual to have at least 1 such case in a reception class now, and very usually 2."

It is more common now for non verbal disabled children to start off in mainstream schooling and in my experience is encouraged by LAs. Locally the only children that start off in reception in special schools are those with profound and multiple learning difficulties and most non verbal children are not in this group.

That changes your question then, I don't know any children who have failed to develop any language skills without a clear reason for it. It has always been a consequence of a diagnosable condition- autism, mechanical issues, dyspraxia, selective mutism.

Then: 1
Now: 1

Back when I was a child, my mums friend had a child that was non verbal. He didnt say a word until he was 10. He didnt say sentences until he was 13. He is now graduated uni with 1st class honours in some type of computer science. He is obviously still autistic, but it seemed like a miracle at the time that he had came so far.

Now I have a work friend with an adult child who doesnt speak and never has his entire life. He is ASD and still wears nappies etc. However, he is also very intelligent in his own way. He texts, writes what he wants to say, and is very knowledgeable on certain topics.

One and none.

One growing up. Now I know 4 including own DS. I work in a nursery and there does seem to be a rise in children who are either non verbal or very late to talk (about a year ago I was talking to a dad about his non verbal son but dad said he wasn't worried as he didn't talk until he was 7 so it's not a new thing).

None and none.

None and none.
I agree with the pp who said she doesn’t think the apparent rise is just down to a rise in diagnosis. Chemicals in the environment, UPFs, microplastics, who knows - but I’m sure there’s something that wasn’t present a generation or two ago.

@NoWordForFluffy no idea why I assumed that really. This seems to have just turned into the usual "are there more SEN kids these days than in days of old?" debate. I specifically thought the key point of the post was about non-verbal kids.
I guess I just didn't join up the dots. Apologies for getting the wrong end of the stick.

You do know that wasn't deliberate either, but a trauma response?

And why would you assume that?

1 and now none

Maybe Angelou, the author and poet, became non verbal at the age of 8 for several years after being raped, fortunately she found her voice again and evidently flourished in life.
This is the type of non-verbal I assumed the OP was talking about. Not those with other disabilities.

@Perzival I wouldn't call him hyperlexic, he is a talkative person, and tends to try and dominate the conversation (and steer it to his topics of interest if he can!). He is not alone in our family in being like that though, we are a very talkative family and you have to work to get your word in! So there's a lot of typing, yes, but as conversation, not just for the sake of it.

I don't think anyone who knows him would ever call him non-verbal. Everyone is just used to his voice being a bit different as it is coming out of his phone speaker and not his mouth. You don't really think about it after a while.

None and none

Institutions may have closed but special schools have not. Also not all children go to school.

I understand what you're getting at and the distinction isn't lost on me but there are no clear definitions that are universally accepted. Our conversation goes a little way to show that. My son used a high tech device and was still classed as non verbal, only when he loses that device and uses verbal/ spoken language will he be classed as a verbal communicator.

Non verbal in terms of autism is used as being non talking/ speaking in many of the level/severity descriptors usually associated with those with more severe autism. When people use the term non verbal it gives a general understanding of how that child presents (rightly or wrongly), by using non speaking rather than non verbal you're showing understanding of that undertone by wanting to differentiate.

My personal opinion is that we need many more clear descriptors especially around autism given how differently people present with the diagnosis. We shouldn't shy away from saying autism with severe mental health needs or autism with severe communication needs or severe autism or autism with social anxiety whatever (different discussion though for another day).

Just curious is your son hyperlexic?

I knew a lot growing up but our school had a ‘unit’ for sen kids.

None growing up, but I know one now who was in my DD’s mainstream class and now attends a special school. I don’t think I even knew people could BE non-verbal when I was younger. I think mainstream was so different then with far less diversity, I have a high functioning ASD son who years ago would have been in a special school and now is a mainstream child. My kids are definitely exposed to more kids with wider needs and have a far greater awareness which is a good thing IMO.

None and none

I was minimally speaking (a few single words) at three, I went straight to grammatically correct sentences before four. I don't know any non speaking children now.

None and none