Severe speech delay at 2 to 3 without autism, did your child talk later?

[Wwonderiinn]

Anyone kids with severe speech delays age 3 who didn’t show signs of autism - still go on to talk?

If so did they….

Completely non verbal at age 2?

Babble and make lots of sounds before the actually started on words?

Did they say the odd ‘popout’ word or sound and then never again?

We’re the gesturing and communicating in all other ways? Inc sign

Were the focussed and engaged and otherwise seemed like they wanted to talk ?

Did they get very frustrated and just make one constant ‘eh’ or ‘aaaaaaaaah’ shouting / strained sound?

Any other significant things did or didn’t do before they started talking or did you ever realise why?

I’m concerned my son has Childhood Apraxia of speech as his presentation even at 2 is already matching this. I’m holding out hope and this is why I’ve written this post. We will still obviously get him the support he needs but it breaks my heart to think he could have this condition.

I really just want to enjoy these early years; he’s such a delightful boy but it breaks my heart to think he could be trapped in a body that can’t speak and even if he does manage to learn, it’ll be years if not a decade of intense therapy which we don’t have the money for..we will find it somehow though..

Also, autism has pretty much been ruled out at this stage as he has absolutely no traits apart from being non verbal

Thanks 🙏

2 of mine didn't speak till age 4 and 5. They are now adults and they did catch up. One had suspected autism but this was never officially diagnosed. They had a lot of speech therapy.

this is very reassuring - Did he get frustrated when he couldn’t get his words out?

Did he babble
as a baby or before he started talking?

Did he get frustrated when he couldn’t get his words out?

Thanks for sharing. Will definitely have a look

Did the nursery do verbal dyspraxia specific speech interventions?

Have you had his sight checked?

My DS (now 4.5) didn’t say a single word at 2, not even ‘mama’.

I thought autism but no one else believed me , my own mum is a retired health visitor and she thought absolutely not as he’s so social (this is a misconception in ASD). My DH thought I was being ridiculous.

Now he has an ASD diagnosis and is incredibly articulate and DOES NOT STOP TALKING. On his reports from psychiatrist it was written he speaks like an adult.

The only obvious sign he had at age 2 was that he wouldn’t respond to his name unless it was for something he was interested in, eg “John, would you like an ice cream?”

No words at 2. Hardly any words at 3. But we started speech therapy at that point. The therapist was adamant he had a speech delay, and nothing else. In truth, there were no other signs of concern. He just couldn't/wouldn't talk. We retested his hearing even though he could obviously hear very well. He's 6 now and there are no issues. He's actually ahead and the school believe he's working at greater depth overall. It's a surprise to me because his progress was almost overnight.

My boy didn’t start talking at all till he was 22months. He didn’t babble but “talked” in his own language all the time, it was very melodic but not a single pattern sounded repeatedly assigned to anything. He’s a gestalt language processor with a penchant for perfectionism so didn’t start talking till he could communicate reliably- basically stepped through the delayed echolalia in large chunks. He now has a broad vocabulary and no issues with talking. He is however diagnosed autistic. I’d be wary of who told you your boy doesn’t show any signs of autism, we had one HV who was asking if our 15month old daughter will walk out into the road as a sign of lack of awareness of danger and couldn’t possibly be autistic cause she has normal eye contact and another who was shocked when I wanted it recorded that my boy didn’t babble at 12 months cause “why would you?”…unless you see a specialist I wouldn’t rule out (or in) neurodiversity.

Mine had no words at 2 but had great understanding (could point out colours when asked, follow 2-3 part instructions). I really
recommend makaton. She picked it up so quickly and it eased her frustration. First word at 2.5 and sentences by 3 but was unintelligible and diagnosed with a speech sound disorder.
We paid for private speech therapy and it was well worth it. Got a couple of NHS blocks as well.
discharged at 5 in reception and no one could ever tell now at 8!

Did he point/sign/gesture from an early age?

clap hands and dance to imitate people?

did he babble as a baby and just before talking and or get very frustrated when he couldn’t get his words out? Xxx

Yes we’re doing Makaton and he loves it - did she babble at all as a baby or just before she started talking?

I child I knew through work didn't say anything until nearly four. The family was bilingual and they wondered if that was an issue but didn't want the older sibling to miss out as they were already fluent in both languages.

By four the child started saying a few words in each language at home, nearly always matching the language to the parent. By five was a chatterbox in both languages and as a young teen became functionally fluent in a third.

This might not help OP but some children do just start later. Best wishes for progress with your son.

I keep asking everyone this but did he babble as a baby or just before talking?

did he get very frustrated when he couldn’t get his words out and did he sign / gesture?

I’ve heard this standard for bilingual… do you know if they babbled as a baby or before they started to talk?

He could point and that’s mainly how we communicated, he would lead us to the kitchen and we’d open cupboard and show items and he would point to what he wanted etc.

He could also sign what I had taught him but I didn’t learn as much signing as I should have done.

He would dance and imitate eg if you snorted like a pig he’d copy.

He did babble but not a wide range of sounds , it would be the same sound over and over. He did get frustrated and cross - he still does 🤪 Has poor emotion regulation.

His eye contact has always been poor xx

She did make normal baby sounds (interestingly my older one was a late talker too but she was even slower - and no he didn’t talk for her!)
she did a lot of ‘eee’ noises for everything. She was never quiet!!! She has always been a lovely chatterbox even without the actual words!
and when she did talk she said some incorrectly - like her brothers name was a completely different one for months! Plus the speech sound disorder. But signing and particularly signing colours worked really well, as if she didn’t know the sign for showing something she could sign its colour so I knew what she was on about.

He made noises but I wouldn't say he babbled as if he were trying to talk. He definitely would get frustrated, which meant he doubled down on not talking.

He pointed a lot and gestured, but no official signing or anything like that.

Has he actually been seen by a developmental paediatrian and had ASD ruled out? Who has decided he has no signs of ASD? I ask because skill regression occurs in up to 40% of children who are later diagnosed with ASD.

ASD is really complex and even experienced professionals can miss it because it presents so variably. DD1 has ASD and wasn't diagnosed until 15, despite being under a paediatrician for complex needs since before age 3. DD2 was seen at age 5, told she didn't show signs of ASD, then got her DX at 11.

My boy didn't say a word til he was five.
It was like watching a heart breaking mime as he would almost act out what he wanted or as much as he could at that age ( he should deffo go in to acting now, as he's brilliant!) S&L was booked but covid delayed everything. I dreaded school for him but it was a huge turning point, words came. Slowly and not always pronounced quite right he just started speaking.

No diagnosis of anything, he's 10 this year and now is told to give my ears a rest as he's doesn't stop yabbering.

Edit...no babbling. No noise.

OP I'm not sure. It was really the older sibling I knew, but I think the younger one was mainly silent until they started talking at around four years.

I'd be amazed if any reputable health professional would be prepared to stick their neck out and 'rule out' autism in a 3 year old with speech delay.

I've got 2 DC who both had speech delay, one more severe then the other:

DC1: No words age 2, some by age 3 but a lot of them we heard only once or twice and then he stopped using them. A bit of babble. No pointing till age 2, didn't get frustrated at not being able to make himself understood. treated for glue ear age 3, ASD diagnosis age 5 (shitloads of traits from an early age). Speech really took off about age 4.5.

DC2: A handful of words age 2, lots age 3 but refused to talk at nursery. Babbled a lot. Pointed around 18 months. Was endlessly frustrated by not being able to communicate. No other ND traits until starting school, now suspected ASD/ADHD. Still selectively mute in certain situations but speech took off around 3.5.

Neither of them got the hang of signing at all, but turns out they were both short sighted so they probably couldn't see us doing it when they were little.

It is not uncommon for children with ASD to not ‘get’ signing. Same with other more subtle body language.

As far as I know, I do not have autism. Family legend has it that I was silent until three, then started speaking in short sentences. Hth.

My son is very switched on to facial expressions body lanaguge and emotions and imitates this a lot xx