2.5 year old not talking yet, positive stories please

[malteaserlover]

My son turns 2.5 this month and he's not talking yet, he says oh no regularly though. We've had his hearing checked and that's fine and he's on the wait list for salt. He's got a great understanding. Anyone else's child the same at this age and when did they start talking? Did it start gradually or all of a sudden? Thank you

Can you give any more info OP? Does he respond to his name? How does he play? Does he like looking at books/listening to stories?

Don’t know how helpful this is but my DD is almost 2 and isn’t saying anything yet. Her understanding seems excellent though, and she can point to things we name eg where’s the cat/bee/flower, and uses her hands to communicate more, food, drink. I’ve asked the Gp, the nurse, her very experienced childminder and they all say not to worry until after 3 unless there’s obvious concerns eg limited understanding/hearing.

Mine was like this until his sister was born when he was 2.5 years old.

it was amazing how quick he started talking when I didn’t have the time to give him 100% of my attention and couldn’t spend so long translating his hand signals and pointing.

perhaps trying to ‘help’ or ‘understand’ them less and see if this ‘forced’ them to speak?

it may or may not work but worth trying as it happened to me though was a bi product not an intentional choice

Not sure it's helpful as there is no 'outcome' exactly but just so you know you aren't the only one , a friend of mine has a little girl who is 2.5 but not speaking, seems to have no other issues and good understanding, just doesn't speak yet

My now 5yo dc was a late talker. Still pointing and grunting at 2.6 , noticeably behind peers in that aspect. Referred to speech therapy but lockdown/early covid days meant we only had 2 telephone assessments. They assured me children with good understanding are more likely to catch up eventually.

Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 she had what they called a "language explosion" meaning the words started coming thick and fast. By the time school came around you couldn't tell DC had been speech delayed.

I know that's not always the case but that was our experience and hopefully eases your worries a little.

As a teacher, I’ve taught children who have had a similar language explosion. I remember one child who never ever stopped talking. When I chatted to mum about how much her son talked, she said she thought he was making up for lost time as he’d been such a late talker!

My son has been on the waiting list for speech therapy for well over a year, would say less than 20 words until turning 3 and now at 3 and a half he literally has had a language explosion! I've worried lots about his lack of speech, his brother spoke very early and used to sing lots so it was hard not to compare.

Hi @malteaserlover could you give examples? Is he saying “oh no” and nothing else? It could be glue ear. Get his hearing checked. You may think his hearing is fine, but this picks up how distorted words could be due to build up of mucus.

My son has just turned 2 and is very slow on words but in the past month he’s come on a lot and repeating words I say, but he isn’t pronouncing them correctly (audiologist has commented on glue ear but we need to go back again when weather gets better). The mis-promouncistion isn’t age appropriate but more like he can’t hear what I’m saying properly.

consider getting their hearing checked. Main thing is they understand everything - speech comes last.

2.5 grandchild didn’t speak apart from the odd word. Understood everything and followed instructions so not worried. Child is now 3.4 and speech is now amazing . A real chatterbox.

Joining this for positive stories , 2.5 very little words - 3/4 many and not 2 months later a lot more speech sounds but only some that are understandable ( to me!) and lots and lots that are not. DC thinks they are talking away but we struggle to understand and frustration on both parts- getting hearing tested in 2 weeks for glue ear and if it’s not that then I really will be at a loss to wonder how on earth they could possibly catch up. It makes me feel so guilty- hard not to compare to other children similar age around .
like your DC though mine also has great understanding, eye context etc so no worries there. Hopefully you’ll see some develop in next month or two xx we also on waiting list for SLT, considering private .

My dgs was 4 and a half before he began to talk, then it all came at once. He blossomed. He talks absolutely perfectly now.

Mine at 2.5 had about 10 words, lots of expressive grunting, but understood instruction etc.

His language exploded and he went from 10 words to full sentences very quickly. And then would not shut up! So ironic when we worried so much.

He was the youngest of three boys, had a tongue tie as a baby, but I think more significantly (and even now at 13yo) won't try something and fail, has to do it properly first time, so think he was formulating words in his head but not getting them out til he was confident he was correct.

I did a similar thread when my sin was 2.5. He wasn't talking at all, complete gobbledygook, but I could understand what he meant, and I think that was the problem. If he was hungry, for example, he would rub his tummy and say 'hu-hu' but I knew what he meant and never core ted him or forced him. Nursery encouraged me to persuade him to say things properly. He's now 6 and talking the sane as his peers.

DS didn’t speak until he was nearly three - health visitor wanted to bring him back in for checks - but then he started talking and by God he hasn’t stopped since!
As soon as words started flowing his vocabulary was amazing because he had been listening to us all that time … he is 9 now and only stops talking when he is asleep

My cousin only spoke after he was three, and didn't stop after that, he has a very successful career and was CEO of a huge multinational company.

My son had no words on his 2nd birthday , a few animal noises that's it. He's due to turn 3 next week and now speaks in full coherent sentences. Around 2.5 he just had an explosion of words and hasn't stopped talking since. I was so worried .

Same! Once mine started speaking the vocab was crazy! He would use lots of words like 'hilarious', 'literally', 'shattered' and 'fantastic' were some of his faves.

My DS at 2.8 was ‘speaking’ using grunty/gurgly sounds. Nothing wrong with his hearing, had referrals to SALT but covid hit and it all went out the window. He’d desperately practice (of his own accord!) saying mama and I love you but that was mainly copying the vocal rises of my voice, he couldn’t say the words - the only thing that was nearly understandable was ‘what’s that?’ His understanding of language and requests was top notch (better than his twin sister) and he used to smack himself in frustration constantly because he couldn’t speak.

Over the following 6-9 months he had a language explosion and started speaking a fair few words clearish, then after a few months at nursery it exploded again and again. He’s now 5, and I can’t shut him up! Mostly everything he says is understandable, when he’s learnt new words it takes some time for me to get them and for him to say them properly and add them to everyday language and tbh, he could really do with speech therapy to boost him along even further but that’s another story.

Complete strangers (who aren’t tuned in to radio DS) can understand and converse with him easily and have been for at least 6 months. I guess having DT in some ways didn’t help him because she understood what he was saying and they’ve had their own language since they were babies. The first time he managed to say mama was absolutely beautiful and made me cry!

My niece hardly spoke a word until she was about 4. Only thing I could make out was mummy. When she got to 3 I thought she'll just suddenly talk in sentences but she didn't. It was very slow I couldn't hold a conversation with her until she 4. By time she started school at 4 u wld never have known that she had delayed speech.

Another one who had a DC with a ‘language explosion’ (excellent term, new to me!). Pre school looked at us in complete confusion when we said he had only been talking for six months when he started there at 3…never now shuts up (he’s 10) even talks in his sleep…

Oh thank goodness, it felt like our soon to be 3 in July son was the only one. He also doesn't talk much, I read etc with him. His twin sisters who are 16 months talk more than him. We had hearing test etc they couldn't find anything wrong tho

Teacher of the Deaf here - firstly I'd agree with @Nearlyamumoftwo about having hearing checked again - when was your last hearing assessment? Glue ear is often missed if the child is assessed on a good day.

Secondly does he attempt to say anything else? Does he get frustrated? You could try using some signs with him if there are things he wants to say but can't, or if he gets frustrated not being able to ask for something.

Thirdly I would start holding out for a vocalisation to show him that his voice has power and things will happen if he uses it. So if he wants something to happen, eg to go to the park you could say ok where shall we go? To the park? And wait for him to vocalise. You could say "use your voice, shall we go to the park?" Then patiently wait for a vocalisation. Not for a clear production of the word park but just for him to use his voice. And when he does be really positive and praise him saying great, let's go to the park!

Keep modelling good language, keep naming things and narrating as you do things with him.

@MuchTooTired how do you gauge his understanding.Mine is 2.5 years old. Lots of jargon and words. One odd sentence for request and commenting each. Uses eye contact to communicate. Follows two step instructions and deceptively identifies colors and objects by pointing. Could you let me know any other milestones for understanding.

If they can follow instructions with no visual cues, identify colours and objects then that's a good start.

I would do lots of looking at books and asking where's the duck? Where's the blue door? And see if they can identify all of those. Good way to build vocabulary too.

To encourage speech you can try pointing at the pictures and asking them to name the object. If that doesn't happen give them a choice - is it a dog or a cat?

@ToDuk Thanks. I have been doing that for a week now. I regret not doing it earlier. His understanding was was age appropriate when he was coming up for two so I don't worry much then. Wasted a lot of time. He just doesn't say the word when asked
For example , if I ask his where is blue in this room, he would look for blue and point to it. Where is mamma, dada. He would point to us. Even point to himself in the mirror when asked where he is.
But I simply cannot get his to answer what is this question. Which color is this ? What object is this ? He simply won't vocalize. Although he does have some verbs. Eat, sleep etc. So he can communicate.
I am looking for sources and suggestions on how to work on this at home.