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Original poster

2 year old slow talker

45 replies

magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 12:51

I am worried about my 2 year old who is not talking very much at all. Although he can say about 10 words I have noticed that many other children the same age are now starting to join words together and it is noticable how babyish his talking is in comparison. He does understand a lot of what I am saying to him and he babbles all the time and is very quick at doing/learning non-verble stuff. However, although he will copy all sorts of simple sounds (ie from the tv or simple slang words) he is very reluctant to say or learn new words no matter how much I try to teach him. If I do manage to get him to speak a new word (I recently taught him to say duck with flashcards)he will only say it infreqently while he is doing other things and not when I am asking him to. I cant tell if he just can't be bothered or whether he is genuinely struggling to talk. Can anyone advise me?

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3andnomore · 16/01/2008 18:18

Hm, the problem might be that you are actively teaching your little one....I have read somewhere that that isn't always a good thing...the best way to encourage language is not to put "pressure" on by teaching, but just to keep conversation flowing, to expose a child to conversation and to NOT critize any efforts, if they get something wrong say, they say Brella for Umbrella, just say , yes that is an umbrella...rather then saying not Brella it is umbrella, etc...

By the way, not impling you pressurize your Kid...

Shitemum · 16/01/2008 18:20

i would stop any active teaching of words other than by the usual way of talking lots, naming things and repeating yourself a lot. It'll come, you know Einstein didnt talk till over 2yo...

Walnutshell · 16/01/2008 18:21

Oh gosh, don't worry or panic yet! Plenty of time. Floodgates will probably open soon and you'll wonder if he will ever shut up! Hang on, I'll try to find something helpful...

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bubblagirl · 16/01/2008 18:34

i wouldnt worry my ds didnt even say 10 words at that age sounds normal to me

my ds 2.7 and only just really starting to put words together but still very speech delayed give choices and see if he will respond do you want juice or water

book or tv ect it encourages them to want to speak

i started doing this 3 months ago and it really has helped my ds if by 2.3 no change then seek help but 2 is still quite young and sound sgood to me as my ds wasnt even that advanced at that age

Wisteria · 16/01/2008 18:38

Einstein allegedly didn't speak until he was really old (although the finer points and facts escape me).

'I didn't have anything interesting to say' I think that was the response from one late talker.......

3andnomore · 16/01/2008 18:40

I personally wouldn't class a 2 year old a late talker...lol...10 words is not bad...

mehdismummy · 16/01/2008 18:41

my ds is exactly the same. Same age. He understands alot he will go and get things if asked and very good at getting into mischief its coming on slowly. When he does say something new. Dh and i cheer like maniacs! That seems to work. Tv helps too and mixing with other kids. Apparently when the go to nursery it helps

Original poster
magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 21:59

Thanks for all your good words of advice, they are much appreciated. Up until recently I haven't really tried to teach my son to say words as I thought that he would do it when he was ready and have always scoffed at those competitive mums who push their kids on too fast. However, as i became more worried that he wasn't talking I thought it might be my fault as I haven't spent a lot of time actively encouraging him to talk so thought maybe I better start.

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Olihan · 16/01/2008 22:06

My dd was similar at 2. Ds1 had more words at 1yo than she had at 2 but a couple of months later she just took off and at 2.6 is fairly fluent.

I'd just carrry on chatting to him, don't actively try to 'teach' him, just talk generally, leave natural gaps where he can respond if he wants. He'll get there, don't worry.

nelliesmum · 16/01/2008 22:24

Is he an only child, I think that can make a difference? Sometimes they don't need to talk as sibling does that for them.

Original poster
magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 22:27

I think actively trying to teach him does annoy him as he gets very impatient with me and goes off and plays somewhere else.

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Original poster
magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 22:33

He is an only child, and his dad has spent a lot of the last 2yrs working away during the week and just home on weekends so he probably hasn't heard as much conversation going on at home as there would be normally. Also I don't live near my family so there isn't people popping round all the time.

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hub · 16/01/2008 22:37

Just to rule it out, have you had his hearing tested? Also, perhaps to be safe, ask your health visitor or GP to make a referral to speech and language therapy for assessment of language skills. Often waiting lists are long and they can reassure you or provide advice if necessary.

nelliesmum · 16/01/2008 22:41

I talk constantly to my 2 children and always have, real stream of conciousness stuff. Nothing to do with teaching them, when I lived alone I used to talk to myself. I think that you just have to talk to them and read to them. My DS (now 2y 6m) didn't say anything until about three months ago and then, over the course of about a fortnight, it was as if a switch had flipped and she literally never shuts up now.

entropy · 16/01/2008 22:49

i am worried about my dd's speech and posted on here a couple of weeks ago. A couple of people came back to me recommending a book called Baby Talk by ( i think) Sally Ward.
I bought it from Amazon and in a week my dd has gone from complete silence to lots of babble. she's only 17mo but would say words once and (it felt like) never again. not she is using a couple of words regularly. The book made me realise that the constant questions designed to make her talk and the OTT reactions when she did say anything were pressuring her into not wanting to speak. Its bloody hard to stop though!! also she recommends little or no tv! if and when my dd manages a sentence I bet you its along the lines of "I would like teletubbies on now please"

In a nutshell what I have to do for 1/2h a day is try to verbalise her thoughts. I have to follow her focus of attention without trying to direct in any way in a quiet environment and try to put words to whatever she does. Asking no questions. Actually I think this is an impossible task. its impossible not to occasionally ask why LaaLaa has her nose up Tinky Winky bottom after what feels like hours of watching your child push it up there But I'm trying.... And early indications are that its working.

staryatmonitoreyes · 16/01/2008 22:49

I dont want to worry but I believe its best to be honest. Whilst being a late talker itself is nothing to worry about it can be a sign of others things. I wasn't worried about my Ds lots of well meaning people told me that he would be fine and boys are just lazy but actually he has autism.

Now please don't worry but don't ignore something that worries you. See the HV/doctor and just make sure its nothing to worry about.

Original poster
magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 22:55

He had a hearing test and that is fine and health visitor thinks he is ok but will see him at two and a half and then see if he needs help. I think that he probably hasn't heard as much conversation as usual although I do try to talk to him about what we are doing and I do try also to read to him but he is very impatient and it makes it difficult to read as he flips through the pages so fast. He is very quick at everything else and doesn't miss a trick, he is also very observant as well, and there are many things that I have thought he can't do and when other people have been here he will do it for them - we have a wooden puzzel that is for a much older child that is alway out and I have tried to do it with him before and came to the conclusion that he couldn't do it as he was too young. My mum came to stay recently and he completed it no problem for her without help. I almost didn't belive her when she told me he did it.

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Original poster
magpie1234 · 16/01/2008 23:23

Yes, there is that worry at the back of my mind and there have been lots of times when I can get into a panic thinking there might be something wrong. At what age did you suspect something was wrong and was there any other signs that pointed to autism?

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cantseemyfeet · 17/01/2008 02:52

Hi Magpie,

My son was exactly the same as yours. He would say words on there own but never more than 2 words together eg ryan gone, ba on. (which meant balamory on or ryan,his brother had gone to school) Yes he had hearing checked and yes I did worry it was autism/adhd etc. Health visitor arranged for him to see speech therapist at 3, which was REALLY embarrassing because he threw mother of all tantrums and refused to sit anywhere near us (which reinforced my thoughts that they would think he was autistic or had adhd) They made another apointment for 2 months later and the change was unbelievable, he sat there and did the wooden puzzle they put in front of him and tried really hard to say the words she was asking, she noted that he wasnt saying the beginning of the words that began with F, SH, TH, But said she didnt want to see him again till Easter as she thought he was was just a late talker.
Since seeing her he has come on in leaps and bounds. The best way I have found him to repeat words is when we are out and about, he will occasionally sit with a picture book but he tends to repeat things he sees in the park or the town.
He can very clearly say SHUT UP. Im tired go to bed, Lion king on PLEEEEEASE, its just a small step but its words people can understand now which is great because they dont look at me blankly when he tries to talk to them. I also let him talk to friends and family on the phone now which helps.
He is 3 and 2 months and I REALLY freaked when he wasnt speaking by 2 and a half because my first son was talking full sentences at 2 and hasnt shut up since!!

Please try not to worry too much, the health visitor didnt even bother about his speech untill he was three so it cant be that uncommon for some kids to be a bit later than others.

Original poster
magpie1234 · 17/01/2008 10:24

I try not to worry, but it is very hard. I do think if there is a problem I would like to know asap so that I can start to help him more. Thank you for telling me your experience. My health visitor is not worried but will be seeing him again at 2 and a half.

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Lizzylou · 17/01/2008 10:32

Maggie, please don't worry.
DS1 was exactly the same, at 2 he hardly said anything, or would say a word (Digger/tractor) then never repeat it. He is now an incessant talker, it was like a light went on suddenly and we couldn't shut him up! I think he was able to speak, just didn't want to (first born!) then when his brother arrived when he was 2yrs old he had to speak more.

I think there may be something in the method of letting children find their own way with speech as DS2 has been talking in sentences since he was 16mths. He is not brighter than DS1, just a lot more verbal at an earlier age.

Please don't worry, you will soom be wishing you could "switch him off"!!!

staryatmonitoreyes · 17/01/2008 12:12

Magpie I didnt realise anything was wrong with my Ds until I read someone eles description of their ds with autism. He was just over 2 and had some vocabulary.

The signs for autism are no shared attention-

Dose he have normal eye contact?

Does he point things out to you or follow your point when you show him something

Does he imitate your actions?

Does he have imaginative play?

Just run through the CHAT test:
www.paains.org.uk/Autism/chat.htm This should tell you whether there is anything to be concerned about.

If you want to know any more info just ask.

BTW your son probably is fine but its always better to check.

biglips · 17/01/2008 12:17

i was concerned about my DD wasnt putting sentence together or only say a handful of words where the rest was in mumble jumble!..i took her to her 2yr devel ass and the nurse said if she not improved by the time she is 2.6..she will be referred to SALT...by 2.5yrs old it was magic!! i could understand everything she was saying..

Rantmum · 17/01/2008 12:22

Magpie, there was a thread about a book called

Babytalk

a while back and I went out and bought the book because it gave some really good ideas on how to encourage talking without "teaching".

The basic idea seems to be that you set aside at least a half hour a day where you sit on the floor with your lo and play, but you let him/her direct the play. Basically, you have to give a running commentary on what you and your child are doing and because the child is leading the play you are talking about a topic that engages and interests the child.

My ds was a slow talker (you'd never know it now as he doesnt shut up ) and I was anxious about it, for similar reasons as the ones that you describe. If the HV thinks that he is ok, it may be worth trying some of the techniques in the book, and if you are still worried after a few weeks, go back to the hv.

BITCAT · 17/01/2008 12:42

My son was the same probably worse, went to see speech threpist, she didn't seem to think he had much of problem as the words he was saying very clear and he understood everything that was said to him, his eye contact very good which is a good sign that trying very hard to communicate. Nursey helped when he started to mix with other kids his age, now he's almost 5 and you can't shut him up. Also you may want to get his hearing checked just to make sure, and set your mind at rest that its not physical, then take it from there it will come try not to worry too much and i know it's hard not to. Books, games and jigsaws, just naming eyes ears nose mouth and maybe simple words like more, all done try to reinforce. I found that having few moments alone after bath playing helped with my son. Good luck he'll be fine