2yo not talking

summerlover3 · 2021-03-31T19:53:17+00:00

Looking for advice from anyone who may have experienced something similar. 2 year old ds still isn't talking. He has hit his other milestones such as walking/fine motor skills ect. When he was 12 months he started saying 'dada' and about 6 months ago started to say 'nanny' and 'where gone' but now has stopped saying these things. He has been referred to paediatrics but now I'm worrying about other things and don't know if it's just because I'm looking for the issues now. For example he hits and throws things at people a lot, if I tell him off he either stares at me blankly or laughs. He also won't really sit and play with toys. Has anyone had similar experiences and it just turned out to be a speech delay? Or if it turned out to be something else, what was it?

NoKnit · 31/03/2021 20:58

Your son sounds like a normal 2 year old don't worry. It's not that he still isn't talking, he just isn't talking yet. My youngest really didn't talk until 3. I don't think you should expect too much. My oldest was speaking in sentences at about 2 but everyone is different. I don't think you have any need for concern

Original poster

summerlover3 · 31/03/2021 21:02

@NoKnit

Your son sounds like a normal 2 year old don't worry. It's not that he still isn't talking, he just isn't talking yet. My youngest really didn't talk until 3. I don't think you should expect too much. My oldest was speaking in sentences at about 2 but everyone is different. I don't think you have any need for concern

Thank you for your reply! I think I'm only worrying because the drs and health visitors keep saying it's an issue. My eldest was talking by now but then I know second children sometimes don't talk as quickly because their sibling does it for them

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QueenofLouisiana · 31/03/2021 21:06

Any possibility that DS has any form of hearing loss? My DS had glue ear and many ear infections and so didn’t talk until later. Walked at 11 months, potty trained just after his second birthday, but very few comprehensible words.
Grommets sorted out the hearing and speech appeared quite quickly.

Leafblower14 · 31/03/2021 21:08

My son is 3 next month and still doesn't say alot, what he does say he does not pronounce correctly, I'm not too worried but have reffered him to speech and language therapy so if he is not talking by 3.5 we will be top of the list, nobody else seems concerned either or has worried me, i will keep you uodated but he seems like a typical 2 yr old

FedUp79 · 31/03/2021 21:11

When my daughter was 2 her speech was very delayed mama and dada were about all we got. Zero support from GP or NHS speech and language. Did attend some ‘Chatterbox’ sessions at my local Children Centre that were helpful (might be worth seeing if any of your local centre are planning on running post lockdown). My daughter had glue ear which we initially attributed to speech delay but she eventually got a diagnosis of verbal dyspraxia just before her 5th birthday. She’s now nine and her speech is very unclear despite daily speech and language support (she has an EHCP).

My advice would be to trust your instinct and talk to nursery/childminder staff who regularly interact with your son and get feedback from them. I know some children are naturally later at talking than others so please don’t compare but do get professional advice (and be prepared to push for it) if you are at concerned.

Grenoble124 · 31/03/2021 21:13

Hi. My son spoke at 3 years and two months. He attended speech therapy and was assessed to see if he needed extra suports in creche. He was also very strong willed.

Within a few months of talking he was fluent and he honestly never stops now. The assessment determined no issues.

Honestly, I worried myself sick for two years for nothing. Try not to worry too much. They really do all develop at different paces.

misandry21 · 01/04/2021 00:02

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Akushla123 · 01/04/2021 00:09

My 20 month old is very similar. He seems to say one or two words then stops. I was very concerned but have been assured that if everything else is well not to worry.

Is your son around other children?

AramintaLee · 01/04/2021 00:09

My brother didn't start talking until he was gone 4 years old. He was seen by a specialist who concluded that it wasn't that he couldn't talk... he just didn't feel the need to. He's turned out fine.

Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 05:52

@misandry21

Einstein didn’t start speaking until he was four. In a reported anecdote while Albert was eating dinner with his parents, he exclaimed, “The soup is too hot.” His parents, surprised to hear him talking, asked why he hadn’t spoken before. His alleged reply was, “Because up to now everything was in order.”

Love this!

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Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 05:53

@Akushla123

My 20 month old is very similar. He seems to say one or two words then stops. I was very concerned but have been assured that if everything else is well not to worry.

Is your son around other children?

No other than his sister he isn't around other children much due to lockdown. He is starting nursery in September. They said there is some concerns with repetitive behaviour and lack of eye contact with people he doesn't know. But I don't know if I fully believe that because although he does like playing the same things for periods of time my daughter did exactly the same at his age and it was never an issue!

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Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 05:54

@QueenofLouisiana

Any possibility that DS has any form of hearing loss? My DS had glue ear and many ear infections and so didn’t talk until later. Walked at 11 months, potty trained just after his second birthday, but very few comprehensible words. Grommets sorted out the hearing and speech appeared quite quickly.

Thanks for the reply. We have had his hearing checked and they said all was fine x

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Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 05:55

@FedUp79

When my daughter was 2 her speech was very delayed mama and dada were about all we got. Zero support from GP or NHS speech and language. Did attend some ‘Chatterbox’ sessions at my local Children Centre that were helpful (might be worth seeing if any of your local centre are planning on running post lockdown). My daughter had glue ear which we initially attributed to speech delay but she eventually got a diagnosis of verbal dyspraxia just before her 5th birthday. She’s now nine and her speech is very unclear despite daily speech and language support (she has an EHCP).

My advice would be to trust your instinct and talk to nursery/childminder staff who regularly interact with your son and get feedback from them. I know some children are naturally later at talking than others so please don’t compare but do get professional advice (and be prepared to push for it) if you are at concerned.

Thanks for the reply. I will definitely look in to this. Luckily the nursery he is attending in September have already said they will bring in extra help if he needs it so they seem to be very on the ball with it

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Newuser82 · 01/04/2021 06:29

My 2 year old throws things at people and laughs all the time. He talks really well so the two things may not be connected .

1AngelicFruitCake · 01/04/2021 07:18

Listen to them about repetitive behaviour and eye contact, it might not be anything but it’s good to monitor it.
How old is he? A young 2 or nearly 3? If he’s nearly 3 and not speaking id take him to the doctors to get a speech and language referral.
Things to try
Talk to him when you’re out and about, pointing things out and talking about what you see.
I’m not saying this is you but now we’ve all got phones, children being spoken to on a walk, in general play doesn’t always happen like it used to.
Make situations where he needs to talk, don’t speak for him. ‘Come and tell me when you want a drink’ or ‘Which programme shall we watch?’

Putdownthecake · 01/04/2021 07:20

Mine son who is 2.4 is exactly the same. Failed all his health visitor question checks and I was told he sounds like a normal boy. I've questioned hearing as his dad also had glue ear but was told he can't have a test until he's 3!?! Try not to worry. I think it doesn't help little ones have even so stuck in all this time

Oblomov21 · 01/04/2021 07:24

I too think you should follow this up. With GP.

All children are different and it is well known that many children, including famous ones! do things later, but your child is your concern, and we all just want them to be normal!

2 year milestones, I think is still 50 words and 2-4 word sentences, by aged 2. Not every child does, but if yours isn't you have every right to ask for a referral to allay your fears. I would definitely!

If soon they start talking naturally then I won't be a problem will there! But if it doesn't happen naturally? if you leave it any longer you might later regret that you hadn't taken action earlier.

Oblomov21 · 01/04/2021 07:27

Is it possible that the nursery already suspect SN's? Possible ASD? They already think he is going to need extra support?

Thepilotlightsgoneout · 01/04/2021 07:32

My DS was saying nothing at age 2. Not even mumma or dada. I got the Einstein story a lot!

Anyway, he’s a normal 13 year old now, no issues.

When he does start to talk (which he will!), a really good book for getting him talking more was ‘You Choose’ by Pippa Goodhart.

KingdomScrolls · 01/04/2021 07:33

I would be concerned about the speech but not necessarily the throwing and hitting, DS is very verbal at two , talks incessantly in sentences, can count to ten etc but has had a phase of throwing and pushing. We were appalled, nursery less so, they basically said it's boundary testing we discussed the methods were used at home, instant consequences, thinking time etc and it mirrors what they do, they said yesterday his behaviour is already improving there. He also told me on the walk home A was naughty because he took X's car and pushed him. So it seems pretty rife.

moochingtothepub · 01/04/2021 07:36

Both my DD's were like this, Dd1 had zero speech and was autistic (diagnosed just before 3) dd2 was the same though so started therapeutic nursery school at 18 months, at the suggestion of dd1's care team but around 2.5 she started talking and there's nothing wrong with her at all, she is quite hyper in personality, never one did sitting still but put that to good use, she's in the military

SixDegrees · 01/04/2021 07:40

What is his comprehension like?

DC3 was slow starting to talk compared with his older siblings.
I told the health visitor I was concerned about that at his 2 yr review. After the review she said that it was clear he could understand her, he was responding appropriately to her questions and instructions, so she said she wasn’t too worried about his speech, as the more important bit at that age was his understanding of other people’s speech.

He’s 4 now and his speech is much better, although his pronunciation still isn’t as clear as his siblings was.

Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 07:41

Thanks for all the replies. He is under speech and language therapy at the moment and they are the ones that have referred him to paediatrics. The nursery have just suggested that they may be able to get extra support because I've told them he is being referred so they are just being cautious I think.
He turned 2 in feb so still a young 2, I think they are worried because he has said a couple of words in the past but now won't say anything (other than hiya). The wait time for peads is apparently over 3 months so I'm just driving myself a bit mad looking in to things as I'm worried about what they will say

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Original poster

summerlover3 · 01/04/2021 07:43

@Putdownthecake

Mine son who is 2.4 is exactly the same. Failed all his health visitor question checks and I was told he sounds like a normal boy. I've questioned hearing as his dad also had glue ear but was told he can't have a test until he's 3!?! Try not to worry. I think it doesn't help little ones have even so stuck in all this time

They can definitely have a hearing test earlier than three. My ds had his done when he was 19 months and a friend of mine also had to have one for her little one at 18 months xx

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Tiredmum100 · 01/04/2021 08:13

I knew something wasn't right with my ds when he was 2. Very few words. The health visitor came to see dc2 when he was born and asked me about dc1. She referred him to speech therapy straight away. He had therapy for years and had to go to a specialist speech unit placement instead of mainstream school for nearly 3 years. He was and is very bright. He was meeting most of all his other milestones. He would get angry and kick out as he couldn't communicate his needs when he was little. We made up our own sign language/signal for drinks etc. He's 9 now and has been back in main stream for nearly 3 years. Personally I can still tell he has problems with his speech but as I said he is bright, plays rugby, football, has friends, loves his computer games etc. I think you need to ask your GP or health visitor for a speech referral as I'm sure the waiting list will be faurly long. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing with your son, but if there are any problems then early intervention is beneficial.