Would you worry

[Worriedmum0000]

If your 2.4yo DC couldn’t talk? Not even one word?
I’m so worried that there may be something wrong.

I would to be honest. What are their other developmental milestones like?

That's quite late. Have they had their 2 year check? Do they go to nursery and communicate with the other children?

Everything else absolutely fine. Had 2 year check, passed on everything apart from speech. Been at a childminders and a nursery from 11 months old.

Yes! Do they make any other noises or sounds?

The sooner they get help, the better for them. Please see GP.

He makes noises and points, health visitor said I may be making him lazy by responding to his noises and pointing. I feel awful, like I have done something wrong

Is the health visitor referring you to speech and language? I think that’s what’s needed. What are nursery saying?

Yes he’s been referred to speech and language but surprise surprise it’s all online. It’s very unlikely he will sit at a laptop for an online session. I’m so worried. The nursery have said nothing. Health visitor was concerned that they haven’t mentioned this at all to me.

Oh poor you, how horrible to feel like it’s something you’ve done! It won’t be though. Does he babble?

@Aliceandthemarchhare yes he will babble to himself endlessly, like he’s having a little conversation in his own language amongst his toys but if I join in with him he looks quite shy but smily and happy. He was quite a late Walker and didn’t crawl either. Bum shuffled till around 16/17 months but can walk and run no problem now

My oldest daughter had speech issues. I think it would be worth sitting with him for an online session even if it takes a bit of bribery.
Does he understand what you are saying and listen to what you ask him to do? You could tell him in advance that you are going to visit someone in the computer and if he tries to do what they ask he gets a chocolate button each time he tries.

I do think in person speech therapy should be essential for a child like him! How can they not offer it! Surely the speech therapists have had their vaccines by now?

I would try to get some help. My stepchild was a very late talker. He’s seven now and he’s got a stammer and struggles with word order

@PixellatedPixie how is your daughter now if you don’t mind me asking?
Yes he understands what I’m saying perfectly.
He will get his things like shoes, coat, hat, blanket if I ask him.
“Let’s go upstairs” he will run to the stairs
“Time for a bath” he will come to the bathroom
“Come back over here” if he wonders off too far he will come straight back. No meltdowns.
Asking him to share toys with other children he will do this no problem.
Yes I feel the same about the speech therapy, I just don’t see it working via a laptop but I will definitely try and engage him.

Yes, I would get some help, but try not to panic too much. My youngest was completely silent, didn't even babble and it turned out she had glue ear. It cleared up by itself and she had speech and language therapy to help her catch up. Can't shut her up now!

I spoke to my friend yesterday as my son isn’t talking (15 months) she said her son had his 2.5 year check just before Xmas and they were going to refer him for speech therapy.. Christmas came and went and they contacted her to book and he was talking really well.. they are both successful people her husband owns a financial services company and she owns her own business.. another friend is worried as her 3 year old isn’t talking.. he is having speech therapy at the moment.. it seems with some it doesn’t come on gradually they just do it all at once..

Please don’t beat yourself up they all develop at different stages.. there is no need to worry.. take advice from the professionals.. not from here xxxx

It's a bit unusual not to have a single word at this point. What should also be looked at is communication abilities - does he communicate actively or passively? Does he go out of his way to point things out, bring you a toy, 'ask' for a drink? Can he follow small instructions like 'where's the pink ball' or point out things out in a book if you ask?

It's not that unusual. My son had no words at 3 and it turns but could understand me and make himself understood very well. Turns out he's very dyslexic. Having met other parents of very dyslexic boys (girls are a bit different apparently), they all have the same story of very late talking.

So I'm just throwing it in that your son may be dyslexic.

Don't let the health visitor guilt trip you that you've done something wrong by understanding him too well.

Is there no mama, dada, yes, no sound?

Yes I would be concerned enough to raise it but no panicking. Sounds like a speech delay as hearing is fine if is understanding instructions. Have you looked at makaton?

I would see GP. If it makes you feel any better, my friend's child had speech issues. As they got older they could speak perfectly well, but chose not to. Sometimes we would hear them chatting away happily at play or with their sibling, but when adults were present they would not always choose to talk. There were no mental health or other issues either. Each child is different, you are not to blame. One thing to try is perhaps picture books and point to one item and ask your child to say what it is. Make it into a game and take turns. Im not a health professional, it's just a suggestion.

My son was the same and is fine now. All of a sudden he went through a huge language development and was catching up strongly by 3. So it's not necessarily a sign of a problem. Our speech therapist has us modelling one step on from where he was, so if no words are used you use one e.g hand a plate over and say 'plate'... If Ds did his hand gesture for wanting something but didn't say the word is pass it to him but say the word so he points at a plane, I would point too and say plane... You get the idea. Then if he used one word I would model the next like 'water' becomes 'more water' etc etc. So you are just gently leading the way with one building block for language on from where they are. Whenever you are doing things together you are doing this. It made a massive difference in giving me a sense of how I could help him but tbh I think it just happened when he was ready. Funnily enough the speech therapist asked us if Ds went up the stairs one step per stride, so left then right foot on one step each going up, or if he put the feet together on one step before going to the next, he did both feet on one step before going to the next, she said that usually went hand in hand with a speech delay! Now my ds is 10, has great vocabulary and reads well above his age, can communicate as well as anyone else, but only had 5 words at the age of 3.

I would also ask if your child's hearing could be checked.

Sorry, that should say he had 5 words at your stage (2.4) (and only I could understand them). At 3 he was much better and I'd stopped counting.

@chicadelmontonthis is a very interesting point as my 11yo DS is dyslexic and I remember him being a somewhat late talker but nothing that required intervention and I don’t mean this in an awful way but he was quite slow with regards to milestones but quickly caught up.
Spot on about the understanding, I have just considered the way we interact as normal because this is how we’ve always been and I know what he wants and what he is communicating to me.

@BrumBoo

he does come to me with his water cup and bowls, he will open the fridge and make a noise if he wants a yogurt. He will point to the cupboard with his snacks in when he’s hungry. If I ask him for something he will get it. But things like colours he is not familiar with.

I would still recommend checking your DC though, but try not to worry too much, it isn't necessarily a problem.