21 month old not talking

[Tuscanhills]

My son is 21 months old, always on the go and constantly active but he doesn't say many words at all, maybe 10 at most! I have brought this up with health visitors but she just keeps fobbing me off and says he is saying enough words. In my gut I feel there is something more going on, I feel he is possible autistic, he doesn't respond to his name all the time maybe 70% of the time, he goes into his own little world sometimes but loves to play with kids, dances, points, claps, he is a happy little boy. I don't know if I am overthinking but I have two older girls and they were talking about understanding a lot more at this age. Anyone else's little ones like this? I just want to get him help if he needs it. I am so anxious over it.

How does he do on this progress checker from Talking Point @Tuscanhills?

I'm not sure what that is? We live in the UK. He had his 20 month check up at 19 months and she said he was hitting his milestones but I don't think 10 words is enough at his age

Sorry I don't think I did the link properly. It's here. It's a progress checker from the well respected SLT charity Talking Point.

If your LO had a 20 month check, did the HV ask you to fill in the Ages & Stages Questionnaire?

No I didn't fill in anything but she asked us questions and filled in a form based on what we said

I believe speech and language UK suggest around 20 words at 18 months although different sources vary a bit.
I'd look up the referral criteria for speech and language services in your area, then call the health visitors back and say you know it should be x words by 18 months or 2 years as per the local criteria for a referall, so can you please confirm when I should be calling back to get this referral if am I still concerned.

Its common for health visitors to say wait and see to avoid referalls where they can with how long waiting lists are, forgetting that it could take months to a couple of years in some areas for a child to be seen so to hold off on a referral unless local policy literally won't allow it does more harm than good.

It took me from being concerned at 18 months to the health visitors giving in with a referral at 22 months after multiple phone calls and telling them I'd actually spoken to the speech and language department and that I knew he'd be nearly 3 before they saw him (it ended up being past that in the end) so who did I need to complain to for refusing to refer my son. Persistence is key with some health visitors, unfortunately.

Persistence is key with some health visitors, unfortunately.

Must say that I have to agree.

@1995SENNDMUM how is your little one now? I have been on and on at the health visitor about it. But she won't listen, I am also waiting for a private appointment as well, we are on a waiting list. All I want is help for my little man and I know early intervention is key. I stay up crying many nights over it 😭

He's on the list for an autism diagnosis, been told it's very much that by many professionals it's just takes a few months to go through a panel as a formality. He has 5 words now but hes made some definite progress in understanding language and we re used to figuring out his needs without words.
If you d have told me this would be the case 2 years ago, I would have cried for sure but now it's a radical acceptance situation of this is where we re at let's just focus on the next hurdle which really has helped mental health wise.

Right, so my next suggestion would be the more nuclear option of requesting a call from their manager and ask for their full name and nmc number as their lack of concern or even a suggestion of action in a few months when they are a little older, is making you consider a formal complaint. If still nothing with the health visitors after that threat, I d be trying the GP and their childcare setting if they have one on the off chance they can do a referral. Its not common but just be sure that you can't self refer in some capacity to NHS speech and language.

There's a service called portage in some councils that help with toddlers development which have quite short waiting lists so I d look them up too as they can often take self referral for support.