Very worried - 2 year old not talking at all

[kyra86]

My DD turned 2 in September, she’s a very independent, cheeky and bubbly little girl. She understands everything we say/ask. However, she is saying absolutely nothing! She started saying words like Mama, Daddy, Bob bob, Peppa at around 16 months but then completely stopped. She has been going to nursery 2 full days a week and they have stated she likes to play alone and sometimes just watches the other children in a corner. She sleeps and eats well, she enjoys spending time with her grandparents/aunties. We try to read with her, do nursery rhymes, drawing etc but she is that typical toddler age where she does become quite distracted!

She’s been seen by an NHS speech therapist but unfortunately the appointment was bang right in the middle of nap time so she was extremely grumpy and uncooperative. They have referred her to paeds and audiology. I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with her hearing.

I’m very worried about potential autism. We’ve seen a private speech therapist who was very helpful but said she is too young to diagnose autism just now.

Has anyone had similar experiences? People keep telling me she’ll talk in her own time, it’s more the no talking and not interacting at nursery that’s worrying me.

Thanks

One very worried mum!

One of mine went from almost zero to full sentences, in fact the first thing he ever said was two words together to make a short sentence.
My oldest was great at animal noises and various grunts from 10 or 12 months then learned no words at all from 16-28 months and then gradually caught up but was still very hard to understand when they started school at nearly 5. Despite that there were no learning or socialisation issues just a different child.

It's very common for children to wait until they can get full sentences off before they really start talking - babbling and ungrammatical strings of words aren't for everybody. Please try not to worry!

I didn't talk until I was nearly four

My DD didn't talk until she was 3 abs we were similarly reasuelred by lots of people. However, after our experience I would suggestion not dismissing asd outright and maybe doing the MChat test to see what her risk is.

Use signs makaton , watch Mr tumble d dign to her
Make choice boards for foods toys etc use g photos on word document
There are ipad AAC apps you can use
Gridfor ipad has free trial

@YRGAM

It's very common for children to wait until they can get full sentences off before they really start talking - babbling and ungrammatical strings of words aren't for everybody. Please try not to worry!

I didn't talk until I was nearly four

I wouldn’t say that is very common - I’m sure it happens sometimes but is pretty unusual and not typical development. The majority of children over 2 with no language will benefit from intervention rather than waiting and hoping they’re one of the outliers who will suddenly start talking in full sentences aged 3 or 4.

There us a great website for speech problems that gives you exercises etc you can do with them, should help while you wait for referral.

ican.org.uk/

Whether she has autism or not she is still the same wonderful lovely little girl that you know and love. It won't change anything for her, she will be exactly as she is supposed to be. It just means if that is an issue for her, it gives you language to be able to talk about it and search for any help that you might need. It will be okay :) Never compare your child to others, only compare them to themselves and you can't go far wrong.

Don't worry too much about autism. My autie boy is cuddled up to me on the sofa enjoying The Snowman as I type this reply. He didn't speak at two either. He can speak quite well now, and is able to out simple sentences together, and understand most things. He sings all the time. He's an absolute delight.

My niece barely said a word until she was 3 even then I cldnt make out much of what she was saying and it was mostly just odd words here and there. She was quite shy so I think she did talk a bit more around her mum n dad but again comparing with own daughter it was night and day. She didn't really start properly talking in full sentences and having proper conversations with her until she was nearer to 4. She's now 5 and you wld never know that she was late to talk. She's still not very chatty in general unlike my dd that does not shut up 🙈

With my second I was a bit concerned about her talking when she was around 16-17 months she behind in her talking but all of a sudden she started repeating and saying all sorts. Very quickly progressed to sentences and now just turned 2 her talking is really gd. Maybe above average now. It can come on very fast. It is hard not to worry though but I'm sure you'll look back and think why was I stressing so much.

DH was similar (worse, in fact - didn't talk till 4!). He's not autistic, and now speaks 3 languages fluently.

Some kids just need more time.

Carry on with SALT, but try not to worry, 2 is still very young.

2 is not too young to diagnose autism. That's something that's bandied about a lot, and it's simply not true.

@mildtomoderate

2 is not too young to diagnose autism. That's something that's bandied about a lot, and it's simply not true.

This. It's pretty obvious my little boy is autistic and he's just turned 2. We are already starting the process of diagnosis but in other countries it's diagnosed this early.

My little boy is non verbal, doesn't point, stims etc .

Just keep at them in making sure you get the appointments your little girl deserves. She sounds ace anyway

Sounds like she’s a perfectly normal child with absolutely nothing wrong with her.

I couldn’t talk until I was 5, my DS started talking quite well at 18 months, my daughter is 2 and a half and still struggles with basic pronunciation. Not all kids are the same, if they don’t need to talk because they’re being understood then they won’t.

@Laika89

Sounds like she’s a perfectly normal child with absolutely nothing wrong with her.

I couldn’t talk until I was 5, my DS started talking quite well at 18 months, my daughter is 2 and a half and still struggles with basic pronunciation. Not all kids are the same, if they don’t need to talk because they’re being understood then they won’t.

Op is right to get her daughter checked. If there is a problem, early intervention is the best thing. If there isn't a problem, no harm done.

Not talking until 5 is not normal at all.

Re "I didn't talk till 3/4/5".

• may be fine if receptive language is perfect (ability to understand)

• but most parents overestimate how much their child understands and think the only problem is talking (it's because we have our own little ways of doing things with them that work in our own home)

• sadly, ditto many speech therapists

• just apply a little logic - go back to your first memories. Were you 3? 4? Did they involve a nursery, etc? Imagine what it would have been like if the other children were talking to each other/the nursery worker but you couldn't join in or even worse couldn't understand. You don't need to use labels to see how that inability to join in would affect your social skills.

My sons don't have autism but I never look back and think "why did I worry" I look back and think "thank god I prioritised that situation"

@CovidisaThiefofJoyandcandoone

My sons don't have autism but I never look back and think "why did I worry" I look back and think "thank god I prioritised that situation"

Yes! My son is only nearly 4, but I've never regretted acting on a potential problem.

The website teachmetotalk is brilliant, on there is a pre-verbal checklist of the things toddlers need to learn before speech comes and lots of video clips demonstrating. A private speech therapist who specialises in young children might be good.

Just to offer reassurance, my 4yo was unable to talk aged 2. He just didn't say a thing. Now he talks plenty!

Sorry, should have added that DS was assessed early by SALT has had regular routine appointments. We made sure to get early intervention. He was under the age of 2 when HV and I both had concerns.

I think what we're all saying is that you can both enjoy/celebrate your child AND do some early help. The two are consistent and help each other.

Hi just want to add that a lot of the "early intervention" philosophy is driven from America where the insurance industry pays for therapy. Make of that what you will but be aware that many internet resources heavily promoting the need to act whilst young brains are developing have a commercial interest behind them. We have seen four speech therapists and only one of them added any value and she was ludicrously expensive and quite rude. Unfortunately we found that tryijg to do the right thing is harder than it should be.

It is so hard not to worry and no matter what people say you will keep researching things. From my perspective I think the most important thing if you suspect autism is to work on diet to eliminate any potential allergies.

In regards to diet, I would point out that inulin is helpful in balancing microbiome and can be found in readily available vegetables in rough order of inulin levels: jerusalem artichokes, leeks, cabbage (especially the fibrous stalks), garlic and onion.

Our boy had Sepsis and heavy antibiotics at 12 days old. His stomach was a complete mess for the first 18months. He also got blue lighted from a doctor's surgery to the hospital for reaction to a jab (not MMR) which we were told was probably an egg allergy. We have now got it on an even keel. A few key things we have done that have helped him:

Switched from cows milk to hard goats cheese for his calcium intake.

Given him regular potato cakes made with jerusalem artichokes and also leek and potato soup for inulin.

Given him kombucha and unpasteurised cheeses wherever possible to boost his probiotics. I've read that unpasteurised dairy is particularly effective at boosting gut health as the fats in the cheese help feed the good probiotic bacteria which both keeps them alive and also keep them somewhat protected through the stomach acid enabling more chance of colonisation in large intestine.

In general I have read that a natural varied diet is most effective at boosting gut health. It takes time and effort obviously but I don't think pills alone are enough unfortunately. Just my opinion and I know it might ruffle feathers but it's based on reading around the diet subject. Two blogs I've found useful are www.brainstormhealth.co.uk/health-blog/ and epiphanyasd.blogspot.com/

Our son was toe walking and hypersensitive to noises. These have both receded to virtually nothing since his diet has been sorted out. Speech is still very confused and limited but is making consistent progress (he is nearly 3 now). His understanding is ok though and he is a very lovable little kid. Good luck!

@kyra86
Hi 🙏
I hope you are still there ... and will reply to me
Did your daughter start talking?
My daughter is 2 and same at 16 months she said few words and now she just turned 2 and she only says mama, tata, baba dada
So confused I talk to her all the time.. she points at stuff and she understands. But she doesn't repeat words after me at a

My son said only a few words at 2-3. He talked non stop after 3
Hr was later diagnosed with dyslexia. Which they said could affect speech development.

Hes 28 now, still very chatty.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow
I don't know how to help my daughter.
I have cards I show her and try to make her repeat after me. Sometimes I just let her listen to the words.
She recognises things by names. Like shoes, fish etc.. but she doesn't say the words

I think if the nursery have concerns they would have raised them?

Girls present with autism very differently to boys though. Is she shy around others?

My 16 year old ds is ASD. She talked early and talked for England.