Speech delay - 2.5 year old no words at all

[DancingBadgerette]

My DS is 2.5 and doesn't talk at all. Not mama, dada, no... no recognisable words whatsoever. He does use signing and makes over 30 signs now, in context.

He had a hearing test recently and we discovered he has glue ear but the audiologist was confident that the hearing loss is only minor and not the cause of the speech delay. We are on the list for SALT.
He was late hitting some of his other milestones (walking at 17 months, pointing at 19 months) and I started to suspect ASD but after he started doing these things I became much less worried.

But now the speech is SO late I'm beginning to wonder if there is something else going on. Does anyone know what the main causes of speech delay are please? Is it possible for speech to be this late but there not to be any other issues?

He is affectionate and is great with eye contact. He plays imaginatively (although I think he was probably late doing this too). He does sometimes get a bit obsessed with things but it's hard to know whether this is a cause for concern or just normal toddler behaviour, or just his personality.

Sorry this is long and rambling. I don't know what I'm hoping for really. Can anyone share their experiences with speech delay please?

You should have this conversation with a speech therapist

I agree. I would push push push for a speech tx review ASAP. The combination of delays and the fact that he was on the late side to point should warrant him a full assessment. There's so many reasons he could be late talking, one being that he is NT and just not quite there yet but this is a crucial time for speech aquisition and with everything else I would push for him to be reviewed by a professional. Only they will be able to dx him and put in any interventions that might help. Xx

Thank you for the replies so far. I feel terrible that I might have left it much later than I should have to seek help, but the health visitor said at his 2 year review that he was fine and signed him off as meeting milestones, despite no speech. I pursued the SALT referral anyway because I didn't think she was right, but it must have given me some level of relief that there wasn't an underlying problem. Kicking myself now.

Hugs. Don't feel bad! You voiced concerns and were reassured by a professional. What more could you really do? And there still may be nothing wrong. It's such a tough one as so many kids just come out with it one day and the evidence is that the majority DO catch up on their own with no intervention. It doesn't alter the fact though that some still end up being left behind in this 'watch and wait' approach that health visitors seem to have. Is his understanding age appropriate? I don't know what any others think that might have been in the same boat think but I feel that your HV should have at least arranged to check up with you how he's doing??? Anyho I'd call the Hv and be firm that you want an assessment and if no joy go to your GP. Good luck xx

How is his understanding?

You’ve highlighted a few milestones that he was late on before the age of 2. How is he now with milestones? Aside from the speech, is he otherwise in line with his age group?

I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with speech delay, but my DD does have a hearing impairment that affects pronunciation. The staff that check her hearing are absolutely amazing, Does your DS have full paediatric hearing tests? They found it hard to do these properly on my DD until she turned 3 as she couldn’t understand what they wanted to do, so we only really had the pressure tests to go by and they didn’t give us a full picture.

Sorry for talking a while to get back to this thread; I really do appreciate the replies.
@Jannt86I, @Mummy0ftwo12 think his understanding is good and haven't had concerns in that area.
@crazychemist I think he is otherwise pretty much in line with his age group, although I am now questioning whether he actually does jump. I thought he did but I'm doubting myself now. He will draw a circle and knows letters, colours etc. He can type his name on a computer and make it using wooden letters. He doesn't seem interested in potty training yet. He will sit on the potty before his bath and will usually do a dribble of wee but he doesn't want to use it any other time.
Also @crazychemist yes I believe he had the full paediatric hearing assessment. He had to hold little wooden dolls and when he heard a noise he had to put them in a boat. Does that sound familiar?! He understood what he had to do. They also did the tests where they put earbud things in his ears.

He started going to playgroup a few weeks ago and I want to get their opinion on him. They have mentioned SEN but I thought that was in relation to being non - verbal, but I probably need a fuller conversation with them.

Bless him he sounds like a really smart little cookie! That's definitely reassuring. However I'd still be insisting on getting him reviewed ASAP by a SLT as it really is on the old side to be not saying a single thing and if there is anything going on the quicker he can recieve intervention the better xx

Has your little boy had hearing aids or grommets fitted to help with his glue ear? My friends little girl has glue ear and is awaiting surgery buy has hearing aids and since having them her speech has started to come along more.

My 3.5 year old is very speech delayed (his hearing tested fine) and was also delayed in all his major milestones; crawling (not until he turned 1), clapping hands (17mths), walking (21mths), jumping (34mths). Like you, we use signs with him. He does have understanding. He has been going to SALT since May last year and they are finally starting to make a difference, he is trying more and probably has about 30-35 words now although he doesn't use them all that frequently. He's still not putting words together, but we were told by the paediatrician last week that they usually start trying to put words together once they have about 50 words. We have just been told that he has GDD.

Before we started his SALT sessions, our local children's centre used to hold drop in sessions with the SLT, I was able to talk to two SLT's and they observed him for a bit and gave me some ideas of things I could try in the meantime before we got his referral through. Would this be an option where you are?

I was told by the SLT that they need to have the majority of the blocks within the "communication pyramid" in place, if lots of the 'blocks' at the lower end of the pyramid were missing, then that would impact on their ability to learn to talk, because they aren't ready for it yet. Therefore you have to build on supporting them with the foundation blocks that they need before moving on to vocabulary.

If you are on Instagram there are some really good SLT accounts that you can follow, like peachy speech (there's an underscore between peachy & speech) - she's one of my favourites to follow! speechandlanguageacademy, speechymusings and speak life slt (again insert an underscore where the gaps are, for some reason my message keeps going funny when I try to put them in!)_
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Peachy_speech has some brilliant explanations of things like the communication pyramid, what children can (generally) do at 2 years old and 3 years old, stammering, speech sounds, signs, emotional language etc, as well as loads of ideas of activities you can do at home to help your little one.

I hope that's helpful...sorry for such a long message! 🙈 x

how is his understanding? age appropriate?

If his understanding is great and it sounds like it is if he has all these makaton signs and he wasn't late in pointing then to me (not an expert) it doesn't sound like autism but a speech delay or disorder. But only a paediatrician can diagnose autism.

My DS pointed at 2.5 and the first words came six months later, he had both receptive and expressive delay - so your LO could start talking any day or he could have a speech disorder and need some help.

If I were you I would get LO assessed privately by a speech therapist, even if its a one off, but get someone who specialises in very young children.

If that's not possible then call ican - you can get a free chat with a speech therapist over the phone.

Hi , I was wondering if any of you had an update almost a year on with how your children are now.

.

@121314mum
I wonder too!
I have a 2.5 year old girls. She says mama baba dada, few other words and that is all. I know she understands a lot. She follows commands and very alert when I call her name even from another room.
She is social and likes playing with her little brother and with other kids.
So I am worried if it is going to take a bit of time for her or if there is an underlying thing there..

I have spoken to the doctors about it and she is on the list for speech therapy but it is 1 year wait. And her hearing is going to be tested soon.

@DancingBadgerette any updates

@DancingBadgerette Hello, DS is not saying an awful lot and had glue ear and a severe tongue tie which have both been rectified. I just wanted to know how your little one got on, did their speech improve? Many thanks!