15m old DS, no words, frustrated, need suggestions?

[WonderBundlesMommy]

So this month we had our assessment with SALT, who says DS (15.5 months) has an expressive language delay and we are being put into a "program," though the wait list is six months to get started.

DS has just started to point in the last two weeks (YAY!), but has no real words at all and thus far hasn't signed back.

He has always been such a happy little bundle, but lately he is getting so frustrated because I don't understand what he is trying to tell me. Sometimes he will just cry once he gives up, it is so sad because I know he wants something but outside of the basics (diaper, drink, food, nap, Iggle Piggle) it's pretty tough to decipher what he wants (ie. last week it was an overwhelming desire to get out of the stroller and pick a particularly bright tomato off of the plant that brought him to barely consolable tears) as the only things he says consistently are "dada" and "mama" and "bo" and they mean everything in existence.

I dread the thought of how frustrated he will be in six months when we just begin therapy. How can I help him learn to use expressive language? I talk to him incessantly, read constantly, label everything (holding it up by my mouth so he can see it), I listen to him intently anytime he makes a noise - but as he doesn't imitate me at all, I don't really know what else can help him to talk? He is so frustrated and clearly wants me to understand....any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated...so would any reassurance that he is not as "delayed" as everyone is telling me he is?

I am really shocked that no words at 15 months has been diagnosed as a 'language delay'! My ds had no words but 'mamma', 'dadda' and 'dat' til he was at least 16 months, then he had 'more' and 'no' but still no more words til he was about 18 months. I was never really worried as no babies I know were saying much more at that age. My ds is 25 months now and had well over 100 words, he can put together about 5 words in a pretty well formed sentence. I really don't think your ds has a problem but of course I am not an expert. Try not to worry though. My sister never said a word til she was over 2 and was the cleverest of all three of us! It realy doesn't mean anything at this young age.

... meant to say, my ds was really frustrated til he could talk too. He would be struggling to tell me what he wanted and just whinged or cried all the time. He'dtry and show me something he wanted and just burst into tears if I didn't understand him. It helped by me asking him to 'show me what you want' ie pointing at the object he was wanting and then me saying 'oh you want your cup, OK there's your cup' etc or 'no you can't have that, it's a knife, it's sharp' and so on! Just basically doing what your doing and naming everything so it has a title and he will eventually associate it with the word but probably not for a while, he's still so young! Like others have said at this age it's more eliable to look at other communication skills like pointing and eye contact to see if he's on track.

OP, as other have said, 15 months is far too young to be concerned about lack of speech.
Have you tried baby signing?
Some of the babies in our baby room at the nursery do it. It is really good for them.

Yes I agree 15mo v young to expect many words. I think my dd1 could say mama, dada, dog and nan at that age. At about 18mo her speech suddenly took off and now at 23mo she talks in sentences and theres no stopping her!
My friends ds was 2 in june and only says a handful of words, my niece will be 2 in dec and her talking is nowhere near what my own dds is.
They are all different and although I would keep the SALT referral if it's not until 6 months time you'll probably find he's progressed loads by then.