21 month old not talking

[xchantellexx]

I have been trying to not worry about my LO and his speech. But he is now 21 months and I cannot get a word out of him. He babbles what sounds like Mum, but that's about it. My HV said it is nothing to worry about and that they will only do something about it when he is 3, surely that isn't correct? Is anyone else experiencing anything different? Or got any tips on things I can do to help progress his speech?

How is his understanding, OP?

If you are concerned I don't think you should wait until he is 3. Usually a HV would do a 2yr check and if there are issues with speech development they can refer you on at that point, at least that's my experience.

In some areas of the country you can self refer to speech and language therapy, not sure what the minimum age for this is though.

Is your DS at nursery? They can also refer to SALT if they feel it is necessary.

However you may find that his speech comes on very quickly once he gets his first word. But I wouldn't leave it until he's 3 to push for further help.

xchantellexx Hi I have the same issue as my son is also 21 months and has hardly no words bar Dad, Daddy, Dada or oohhhh before my daughter came along 5 months ago he had Mam, Mammy, daddy, nana, grandad and truck but nothing since and not even those words anymore, little bit worried but he is talking and chatting loads of jibberish which tells me there might not be a delay in his speech that he's just not ready. We have been encouraging him loads and reading to him most nights and also pointing out animals and stuff when reading to him.

It wouldn't hurt to mention your concerns to your HV. She'll likely monitor the situation and organise speech/cognitive therapy if required. My DS had speech therapy for certain sounds, they truly were amazing. He also did a cognitive reasoning course which again was positive.

If you've got flash cards, start with simple words like car, here's a car, can you say it back? Can you find me the car? (For each word have a correlating item) you can say the car on here is red, that car is blue. Can you find me something red! Keep repeating the sounds whilst working on them, like c-car, can you say c? C... c.... car.

The littlest I know who's a neighbour didn't have many words, his progress is amazing, so please try not to worry. They're making improvements in speech and cognitive training all the time.

Whilst travelling you can try and engage by describing as much as possible. Over there there's trees, they have leaves, the leaves are green like the grass. Grass is green.

Really hope everything is ok.

Please don't worry. He's not even 2!!! My DS1 didn't talk until nearly 3. I was concerned but they get there in their own time.
Speech therapy is pointless and only used to help pronunciation once he is talking.

Thank you purpledonkey that is reassuring my mum keeps telling me he will talk in his own time and many people she has spoken to there children and gran children that have said didn't speak for ages and all of a sudden they came along very quickly.