To ask for your very late talker success stories?

So, I answered a little flippantly! But I also do this sort of things as a job and the previous poster is right, they all follow their own trajectories. My DS learnt to speak (as with all the children on this thread) because he developed the capacity to speak. That was just luck really.

Once a child is in a window in which that development is possible, you can absolutely do lots of work to bring the speech on. Intensive interaction work. Commentate on what they are doing rather than ask questions, offer choices, talk and read to them a lot. However, if a child is not going to speak, none of the above will make them speak. It may make them progress in other areas or teach them to communicate in other ways though. It's like trying to teach a newborn baby to potty train, you can be the best potty trainer in the world but it still won't happen.

I don't say this to depress you, because in fact the majority of non talkers at 2, will talk. That's why this thread has so many examples of non talkers who talked. Your son is only 2.5, he has so much time to grow and develop. But I hope saying this helps to take the pressure off you, that feeling that you should always be doing more to bring your child along. Much of it is out of your hands. Go along to speech and language therapy, do the techniques that they recommend and see what happens.

The uncertainty is really difficult but I remember struggling to really enjoy my son because I was so concerned about him. I look back on videos and he was so cute but I was just worried about what he wasn't doing! I wish I had relaxed and enjoyed him more, but it's easy to say with hindsight.

Our daughter is 3 and has consistently been assessed as probable for autism. Just a few weeks ago she was non-verbal with limited eye contact. Once she made a start on mummee daddee her language exploded in the same way we have seen in our NT child.

Maybe it is just the right time for her, but I think what made the difference was finding an autism-experienced childminder who has been phenomenal. We don't get SALT, there is nothing for pre-school children, and yet this is such a key time developmentally. It's no wonder that SEN children are struggling in school when they are just left to get on with it till then.

My son could only say a few words at that age, certainly couldn’t put a sentence together.

Hes now nearly 8 and has had extensive speech therapy but his speech is brilliant. He has a bit of a lisp but he doesn’t ever stop talking! And has the most incredible vocabulary. Also autistic with other complex needs. But his verbal communication was assessed at being about 12yo.

My eldest was literally non verbal at 2 and half years old. She was under SALT up until she was 7 and was behind in all areas at school. There was a lot of communication from professionals who suggested she may be neurodivergent. Something happened when she turned 8 and she caught up with her speech, and and now at 13 she is in set one for everything. I still can't overly explain the what or why but her development didn't follow the normal trajectory.

No autism but my now nearly 5 year old is nearly caught up to where she should be. Could hardly understand her at 3, no sentences until nearly 4.

My friends autistic DD is 6 in a week or so and still doesn’t say a single word, just babbles. Has anyone had experience of kids talking later than 6? Friend is very worried that she may never talk. She hasn’t even had any speech therapy as yet, long waiting list for a formal diagnosis and a location move (and another one coming up) hasn’t helped.

One of mine didn't start talking properly until closer to 3, I was quite worried about it but the GP said that the chance he grows to adulthood without talking is almost 0, he is now almost 4 and chats away and makes lots of hilarious jokes

According to my MIL my BIL did not say a word until he turned 3. Then one day he opened his mouth and started talking in very clear sentences and hasn’t stopped since. He’s also not autistic, just a late talker.

One of my nephews didn’t utter a word until far gone 2.5. And then, once he did, he just accelerated rapidly and was speaking sentences in a few months at 3.
He has a brother 1.5 years older than him, who actually spoke very early (around 12months) and would often “speak for” his younger brother. It was only when the older one went to nursery and my sister had more one to one time with the younger one, he started to gain confidence and talk. He is not Autistic or ASD but even now, is quite a shy and quiet child, though when you catch him alone on a topic he loves, he will chat enthusiastically (now preteen).

Non-native mother of a summer born here.

At 4 he didn’t say a word in either language and was in nappies, so I deferred him out of my own idea (nursery didn’t even know it was a thing), got him an EHCP and scrapped the home language. Got assessed for ASD by the NHS.

At 5 he attended reception in a speech and language resource base.

At 7 he doesn’t shut up for a moment. English only but who cares!

I'm one. First word at 3.5 years old. Reading fluently by 4 and in mainstream school at 4.5 (summer born).

Glue ear can make a massive difference to kids starting to speak. It wasn't until mine was sorted that things changed. Up until then I was using my own made up signs.

Einstein didn't talk til he was 4, and he was reasonably successful.

Relative of mine didn't say a word til he was 2 then apparently came out with a full sentence. Suspect he has ASD but never assessed, now retired following good career, always been very athletic, happy family of his own & now a bustling social life.

My eldest didn't talk until he was 3ish and just the odd word, no sentences. He has always struggled to communicate (he is now 13 and still makes little noises at us in preference to speaking) HOWEVER he can and does speak normally, particularly at school.

He is not a chatterbox at all, and often stumbles over his words. He is thriving academically though and we all found it very funny when his teacher last year wrote that he has excellent communication skills in his report.

Another big worry were his social skills. Despite his total lack of chattiness, he is popular and has made a good group of friends. We're still not entirely sure how...

(He has ADHD and dyspraxia and is a wonderful son).

My sons only really stared talking properly last few weeks. Incredible how quick it changes! He’s 2 and a half.

About a month ago nursery were about to refer him for being mute whilst there. He babbled in gobblegoock at home but I don’t think they believed us.

Tbh though I was never worried. His understanding has always been excellent. I knew he was delayed but that he would get there eventually.

Autistic tooooooooo

Meeeeeee till nearmy 3.5 try shut me up now

9!

My DC is 9 and has just started talking in the last few months. Mainly single words asking for foods etc but also some simple sentences. Diagnosed with autism and paediatrician said unlikely to speak. I’m not sure if we will ever have a conversation but I didn’t think we would ever hear a single word!

Mine. Talks the hind leg off a donkey sometimes. Really fun and interesting to chat to, loads of facts. Autistic. Sweet and loving. The absolute joy of my life at 12. Friends - lots, a bit below average in mainstream school. Had a bit of an avalanche of talking at about 4. Try the Hanen programme "more than words". Development was not linear but it comes and when it does its great to celebrate.

I'm not remotely clued up on SEN issues, so please forgive me - I can only describe my own experiences.
My DS2 had his two year check with the health visitor, and I'd been advised that he 'should' have a certain number of words. I can't remember the number, but DS fell massively short on it.
I spent way too much time worrying about him not meeting his milestones, and being behind his peers.

Fast forward to now.. He received his GCSE results last month - six 9's, 2 8's and a 7.
So, he's doing fine.

My eldest had very little speech for a long time, I struggle to remember exact timings. Referral to speech and language therapy aged 2, saw them probably about 2.5/3 and was said to have a severe expressive and receptive language delay. His lack of understanding was the biggest concern. He would get very distressed often. Didn't toilet train until shortly before he started school. Had a SaLT programme used at home and nursery and made so much progress. Once he really started talking, we couldn't shut him up. Still can't! Behaviour very difficult in reception and year 1, major difficulties with transitions. Diagnosed with autism age 6. He's now 9 and he's clever, articulate, extremely loving and sweet. Despite some major bumps in the road, he's an absolute delight. Beautifully behaved the vast majority of the time (if he isn't, you can guarantee there's a very good reason for it), has amazing friends, very gifted at maths, and amazing company. A lot of people can't tell he's autistic. His language is quite formal, he loves rules and safety, has a head full of numbers, he's just fantastic. You really never know what will happen with your son. ❤️

@YoucancallmeBettyDraper I remember this too well, my DS was non-verbal with no way of communicating or understanding words/language at 2 and three Doctors and two speech therapists warned me that he might never talk, he couldn't show me where it hurt when he was stung by a wasp because pointing is communication and the thought of him not being to tell me where it hurt was awful, regardless of it being ASD or anything else - I'm sorry that you're going through this.

With a lot of speech therapy with a great speech therapist and a 1-1 in nursery DS had the ADOS/MDA at 3.5 and was diagnosed with a speech & language delay not an ASD (disorder) and went onto talk understandably in sentences around 4.5, I delayed him starting school by a term, it was very slow gradual progress but he's doing great at school now a few years later.

There is so much out there on the internet that points to ASD and very very little on the many kinds of speech & language delays/disorders.

I found a book called 'Late talking boys' quite helpful and also the website 'Teachmetotalk.com' that has a check-list of all the pre-verbal communication skills a toddler goes through before speech.

If you look at late talking threads on the special needs section here you will see a lot of posts about pointing to show joint attention as being an important step on the way to talking - my DS did this around 2.5 and made his first very unclear speech sounds 6 months later.

Both my two were very late talkers, 3+ for both boys.

DS1 is very likely to be autistic, we haven’t persued a diagnosis yet. He started reception with very unclear speech, because it was all still new to him. We had seen the SALT with little success, he just started talking when he was ready. With him being our first I was absolutely neurotic and so so worried but he is now super articulate and excels in English and loves reading. He struggles socially and instigating conversation with his peers but is much more confident around adults. Lots of other flags pointing to ASD but he was a definite late talker.

DS2 was also a late talker but he lots of ear problems from about 12months old and only grew out of it in the past twelve months. Every time he had a cold he would then get an ear infection which would then cause a perforated ear drum. He tried to communicate more than my older son but got frustrated when he couldn’t . He’s now very chatty and I spend half my life either dying a little bit inside with what he’s said or apologising for what he’s just said/asked🙈.

I remember being where you are now OP, more so with elder son and it’s so worrying. I must have sounded like such a performance parent all the time trying to get him to talk, walking round the bloody supermarket narrating our trip “oh look, APPLES, can you say apples? Let’s get some red apples. Can you carry the red apples for mummy. Pop the red apples on there. Now let’s put the red apples in the bag…….” And so on, took forever to get round Tesco!🤣