2.5 year old not talking, please help

[AllyBallyBee123]

Hi all

I'm really just looking for people to share their experiences and some moral support with speech delay.

My DD is 2.5 this month and has a speech delay. She has been referred to community paeds and I suspect she might have ASD, however this is complicated by her also having poor vision and glue ear which may also be affecting communication. She is long sighted and has been wearing glasses for 2 weeks. Her tympanogram showed flat traces suggesting glue ear but they couldn't accurately assess her hearing because she didn't really comply with the test so we have another review in 3 months.

A summary of my daughter:

• Born at 40+6, no birth issues.
• Sat at 5 months, pulled to stand around 14 months and walked independently at 16 months
• Doesnt point to what she wants but will teach.
• doesn't point to share interest and will only bring me something if she wants help eg for me to open it
• no imaginative play

Speech - she has lots of single words but also still does lots of babbling/noise making. I'd say in an average day she maybe uses about 15-20 single words. She has a few set phrases which she uses in context, such as "stop it" "oh no" "all done" "tea time" but she just seems a bit stuck in stringing more words together.

Progress - over the last 2 weeks she has started to lead me by the hand to what she wants. She has previously never done this. For example she will drag me into the kitchen over to the snack cupboard, or take me to the patio doors if she wants outside. She has also started asking to be lifted more often by raising her arms and will sometimes say "up". Her eye contact and name response has improved significantly since getting her glasses.

She is such a smiley little girl, doesn't tantrum, loves cuddles and being swung around. Not bothered by any change in routine and has no obsessions. She does however flap her hands when excited/bored and the lack of pointing alongside speech delay makes me suspect ASD.

Understanding - she demonstrates understanding for things she is motivated by. for example if I say go get your shoes, she wont do this. But if I say pass me your bubbles then she will. If she is holding my makeup bag and i say "do you want mummy to open it?" She will bring it to me. She understands tea/bath/snack time. Let's go in car etc.

I guess I'm just at a loss with regards to how to help her speech along. I have the "it takes two to talk" book and I feel like we are doing most of the techniques already.

Will she ever start stringing more words? Will the babble/noise making lessen over time? Does anyone have any similar stories whereby speech has suddenly improved?

Its breaking my heart seeing other kids chat away in sentences and my little one just seems stuck where she is. Thanks all, please be kind x.

hi i didnt wanna just read and run away . my little on 22 months old . i suspect asd but cant wait to nhs service. so i found him a specialist hopefully they will see him soon. i feel same as you some things he does make me feel nahh i made up this nothing wrong with him and sometimes i am looking no something definetely wrong here. he is my first one and cant even compare with anything.
if she had a problem with her eye and ear maybe she just had development delay?

Sending solidarity! My 33 month old has been referred for speech and language therapy and also for observation to assess any need for extra support - I guess the first step in an ASD diagnosis if required.

My DD has some differences to yours - she has a lot of words but has been struggling to use them spontaneously, often repeating phrases from TV or books/adults rather than building her own sentences. She has never really answered questions in order to have a social conversation that’s anything more than her needs (would you like a snack/yes please etc), though will respond to discussions when reading a book (where’s Peppa/what colour is the balloon etc). She’s never really nodded her head, and it’s those little “yeses” of acknowledgement that I find she misses most (did you have fun at the swings/is that snack tasty - they’ll usually go unanswered though she may repeat “fun” and “tasty”). They’re the little building blocks of two-way conversation and she seems to lack that at the moment.

About three months ago, the majority of her speech was echolalia (the repeating of phrases), she led us by hand to a lot of things and spoke spontaneously in 1/2 words “sentences” - snack, garden etc. In the last fortnight, the hand leading has all but stopped and so has 90% of the echolalia. She has started making spontaneous observations about her surroundings (My top has flowers on/baby playing with the yellow egg). The conversation largely isn’t there still but we are working on her making choices and following some talking games from a book recommended here - My Toddler Talks. I’ve also booked private speech & language to get a head start while we wait for NHS.

I don’t know if we are “out of the woods” regarding ASD. She still has some quirks (huge tantrums, lack of danger awareness, loves spinning/being upside down, has some recent dislike for loud noises - though only since we had building work done on the house, so I do wonder if it could be a genuine fear), but does follow instruction, do imaginary play, has much improved eye contact and name recall from what it was 6 months ago... so we’ll see. Just wanted to let you know our progress, I’ve been surprised and hopeful at the strides she’s made almost out of the blue and fast, so it can happen xx

@Veebs21

Sending solidarity! My 33 month old has been referred for speech and language therapy and also for observation to assess any need for extra support - I guess the first step in an ASD diagnosis if required.

My DD has some differences to yours - she has a lot of words but has been struggling to use them spontaneously, often repeating phrases from TV or books/adults rather than building her own sentences. She has never really answered questions in order to have a social conversation that’s anything more than her needs (would you like a snack/yes please etc), though will respond to discussions when reading a book (where’s Peppa/what colour is the balloon etc). She’s never really nodded her head, and it’s those little “yeses” of acknowledgement that I find she misses most (did you have fun at the swings/is that snack tasty - they’ll usually go unanswered though she may repeat “fun” and “tasty”). They’re the little building blocks of two-way conversation and she seems to lack that at the moment.

About three months ago, the majority of her speech was echolalia (the repeating of phrases), she led us by hand to a lot of things and spoke spontaneously in 1/2 words “sentences” - snack, garden etc. In the last fortnight, the hand leading has all but stopped and so has 90% of the echolalia. She has started making spontaneous observations about her surroundings (My top has flowers on/baby playing with the yellow egg). The conversation largely isn’t there still but we are working on her making choices and following some talking games from a book recommended here - My Toddler Talks. I’ve also booked private speech & language to get a head start while we wait for NHS.

I don’t know if we are “out of the woods” regarding ASD. She still has some quirks (huge tantrums, lack of danger awareness, loves spinning/being upside down, has some recent dislike for loud noises - though only since we had building work done on the house, so I do wonder if it could be a genuine fear), but does follow instruction, do imaginary play, has much improved eye contact and name recall from what it was 6 months ago... so we’ll see. Just wanted to let you know our progress, I’ve been surprised and hopeful at the strides she’s made almost out of the blue and fast, so it can happen xx

hello! i found your post very useful thank you it just gives hope.

my son 22 months old and i am worried about asd . waiting for specialist to check him. i went to nhs one not happy with her reviews and comments so i am looking for another review .

my ds and dd has some smilarities such a respond discussions or lots of words but not using them when it necessary. hopefully he will blossom like her!

Hi. Before I send a long detailed reply, I was wondering if you were still online and able to chat? Reading the original thread, I feel like you’re describing my 2.5 year old exactly. I can see your thread is a year old so was curious at to how your journey with your wee one has been since original post. X