My 2.5yr old son does not understand anything or respond to his name? Will this come in time or do I need to worry?

[Brogan19]

Wondering if anyone has similar situations??

I have a 2.5 yr old boy who says about 8 words and does not respond to his name ?
A few times Iv called his name so many times repeatedly and sometimes he would just look at me and then turn back around.

He doesn’t point. He plays with cars a lot just moving them around . Not much spinning of wheels involved in his play.

It’s as though his in his own world.

His due to start nursery in a few weeks and I’m dreading it.

His also on the waiting list to see a specialist paediatrician.

Any help or advice ?

Has he had his hearing checked?
Are you in the UK? If so has he seen the HV recently?

I would be worried firstly for a hearing issue, and then maybe other SN. But I'm also surprised that this wasn't picked up 6 months ago. Just how long is this waiting list for the Paediatrician?

Definitely, contact your health visitor for support

@MollyButton he saw his HV on his 2 year old check up. She referred him to the paediatrician and speech & language.

We have been speech and language and done 4 sessions. We are now waiting for more.

The waiting list is 6-9 months. I rang them yesterday and they said it will be before xmas

I had his hearing tested and also checked for glue ear too and there was no sign of any hearing difficulties

Just so worried about it all .

@April45. Iv been HV and they referred him to see a paediatrician which is a long waiting list and maybe won’t be until xmas time.

That's a long wait isn't it. I completely understand why you're worried. Did health visitor give any ideas of how to help or things to try??

I'm no parenting expert and feel like I wing it as I go along, my DS is 2.5 and it's only since his speech and engagement has come on that I've felt like I get what what was helping to bring him on, e.g..

• joining in with his play rather than my play even if that meant lining up cars for the millionth time!
• singing nursery rhymes.. I didn't do much if this but he has at nursery and we now sing together when she starts, so I wish id done more
• doing practical things like cooking, gardening
• with speech- it to DS a while to get going. Naming single things worked well, commentating on play, reading the same few books a lot, esp picture books.

Don't know if you were looking for ideas, but these may be good??

I do think you have valid concerns and it is good that he is seeing a specialist paediatrician. The fact that he has fairly severe delays in both his expressive and receptive language and more crucially not pointing (18M social milestone) it is very likely that he will be assessed for autism as he would currently be failing all the usual autism screeners including the MCHAT (which a typical 18M-24M old would pass). The suggestions posted by the previous poster to help him with his understanding and language are very good ones, I would recommend them too :)

Just one more thing to add, could you get his sight checked too? Our DD had language delay and she did improve once she could see.

@Brogan19 just wanted to ask how did your little one progress?