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

@malteaserlover hi, I’m just hoping you can give us an update please? My little boy is so similar to this stage you describe xx

My little one is 2 years 4months and still not talking, doesnt even point…he definitely understands things though …he as said daddy clearly and quite loud once but not always just random moments…we do have SAL booked in for September that the health visitor sorted for us but his nursery have said he’s still very young and not to worry…I have flash cards and go to the library with him to try and help but most of the time his attention spam is like a goldfish…I know all children develop in their own way

My son hardley spoke at 2.5 only a few words really. He started talking a bit more around 3 but his pronunciation wasn't very good and he was hard to understand. Something kind of clicked and when he was closer to 4, when he said things wrong I would say to him no say it like this copy me. That helped so much with his pronunciation! He started school at 4 years 3 months and by then he was no different to any of the other children!

Hi any updates on your little one ?☺️

My brother was almost 3 before he talked. We are a neurodiverse family and he is autistic. He is very intelligent, did well at school, loved his hobbies and is happy with a good relationship and career now.

DS had quite a good vocab from circa 19 months but very few phrases. It was very clear he understood everything. He was 2 and 2 months and suddenly became an absolute chatterbox.

DN understood everything but preferred to point at what he wanted. He was almost 3 before he became a chatterbox. He sort of stopped thinking of himself as his sister's shadow and doing and liking things he liked. Football, for example was an ice breaker - he runs about kicking a football announcing "He shoots, he scores! High five!" Niece looks dismissive and returns to her crafting 🤣

@Printedword Ahh the pointing phase. My son pointed for ages. Up until 2.8 years he communicated only by pointing. He answered most questions by pointing. From "what do you want" to "where is mummy". He is 4 and still behind in expressive speech.

Oh bless him !! Hope he is enjoying life ☺️ did you seek out a diagnosis?

ASD and ADHD are ruled out. He has never had problems with communication. His only issues are in language. He develops language in phases. Spent a lot of time pointing , then single words and then learnt phrases. Some two word combinations. I was told he is likely a gestalt. It actually fits his language acquisition.
But I also wonder if he has a language disorder that is independent of ASD. He is getting therapy so we will know.
His speech therapist is really happy as he is a quick learner but he doesn't acquire language quick and easy.

I didn't start speaking till I was 4... had speech impediment, also stuttered, nearly sent to a send school because of if but parents fought back because I could do everything else.

My friends used to have to interpret what I had said and translate for teachers and dinnertime staff.

I got better.... now... I have a BSc in science, PGCE and I run my own little business which earns just as much as being a science teacher without the stress or hassle.

Hope this gives you a little faith.

@Theuniversalshere1 Your journey gives me so much hope. Bless your parents. I think my son is the same. He met all his other milestones. He does good on receptive language too. Though he is behind even on that.
Where he lacks is following two-three step instructions. We have to break down instructions for him. He is able to do all single steps pretty well. This has had an impact on performance in school.
He is getting better but I am still waiting for a full on language explosions. Not just the mini explosions he has had.
May I know when was it that you largely caught up and did therapy help you.

DC1 was later to start talking, at least 2, but it exploded and they were very articulate by school, and just flew.

DC2 was also late. Because of DC1 I wasn't really worried until approaching 2 and a half. L
Good at understanding (then ignoring!), loads of repetitive jabbering, but no distinguishable words not even 'mama'. I had professional advice but no formal speech therapy. Then at 2 and 8 months 'dada' and 'mama' appeared. By three it was as if they had been speaking and holding forth all their lives! 😆 Full and complex sentences by 3, great vocab, hasn't shut up since, and also flew at school.

But, you know your child op. For every positive outcome that resolves itself there will be a child who needs support. If you are worried, seek advice and get any help available. x

@HairyLairyQuiteContrary So good to hear that. Having been through delays in my DS, I always wish nobody goes through the stress of it.
But Did you do anything different at home ?.
I am using the Hanen method. My son is pretty good at answering questions. Choice questions, yes and no, "what do you want" he even tells me "what did you do at school". Basically all types of questions mentioned in Hanen book but only in words , two words or learnt phrases.

Can I do anything else? Just trying to understand what clicked for your DC.

Honestly, I think what made it click for mine was just hitting that developmental stage which came with age. I have always naturally chatted to them and had 'conversations' with them from tiny babies, so lots of teaching them the art of conversation. Which seems obvious and is natural to many but also you can feel like a twit essentially talking to yourself which needs a bit of pushing through sometimes! But yours isn't a baby and it sounds like you're already doing that. We would count stairs, name objects, read familiar books and encourage joining in the familiar word/repeated refrains, and respond and praise any sound they make.

Your DC doesn't sound exactly the same as mine, at least yours is making some sounds and words, I had endless conversations where the response was always "dabada", or if particularly cross "DAbadaMANAAAA!!" 😆

How long is the wait for SALT? It sounds like a proper assessment will help you to move forwards. All the best x

Hi thank you so much for your answer. Do you happen to remember how he was before turning two ? How was his eating ? ☺️

Ds was non verbal at this age, but he had a lot going on medically so it was just one of those things we kind of expected. I can confirm at 9 he doesn't shut up. Ever. He was probably 4.5ish when something clicked. He was talking by 3 but it was all "uh uch I oh uh aht" for "the duck is on the mat" iyswim.

What did help was having his tongue tie clipped!!

@Firstimemum24 ohh yes I do. I had watched him like a hawk till the first 2.5 years. I had a slightly complicated pregnancy and ASD was a top concern for me as it is a bit common these days.
So he started back and forth communication at 2.5 months (slightly delayed) , responded to his name at 6 months, imitation at 9 months,clapped at 11 months, waves at 12 months. And he did these in a very communicative way. He would gesture towards the gate, turn around and wave to say bye bye indicating he is going outside. Would wave at everyone sometimes even on the road.He clapped for himself , seeking praise from us if he did any activity.
He used to show us things.
At 13 months he started following around 8 instructions. Things he couldn't have guessed.
He has started pretend play by the same time. He involved us in it. Made us drink from a toy cup.
Functional play, all good.
One thing he did at the far end of the range was pointing. He reached for objects and followed a point pretty well from 12 months but he would point only in books
Pointing came at 17 months and became well established in a couple of weeks. By 23 months it was his primary mode of communication.
So I knew he would be language delayed but this delayed 😕
At 2 he started receptively identifying colors, letters , numbers, body parts. He loved books and would constantly bring them to be for reading. He would point on asking "where is". By 2.5 he knew his shapes,animal sounds.
He loved babies at that age. He passed his mchat at 2.
He eats and sleeps really well. He is almost independent in eating and eats whatever is cooked.

But even by 1.5 years there were strong indicators of potential language delay. He followed only those 8 instructions, used just 3 words from a year old to 20 months.
Then started identifying and answering questions by pointing. 2.8 years is when he started using words consistently. 3.9 when some learnt phrases appeared.
Now some words combinations

So he moves at a snails pace.

So happy to know that he is doing well . My little one 23months DD

1. answer to questions with yes but not with no . When she doesn’t want something she doesn’t answer
2. Answer to where’s and what’s and who’s questions with familiar faces
3. Give kisses and high five
4. Point , wave and clap
5. Ask for what she wants by pointing or using the word for it and asks for help
6. Follow simple instructions such as : “ bring mum the fork “ pick it up and give it mummy “ come here and stop and wait for mom “ when outside . Sit on the couch , bath time and food time she sits on her little chair , put bunny to bed or bring me the blanket, let’s change . But that’s it she is not improving on that front
7. Uses over 200 words 2 word phrases : like feed baby , daddy train , spin me , more crackers please , wash bunny , see you later daddy ,
8. She loves playing in front of the mirror and copying some songs and play hide and seek with us
9. She loves cuddles
10. She enjoys sitting and reading a book and point at what she sees
11. She can point to every body parts

She rarely self feeds and she doesn’t want to use cutlery . She has done it sporadically and when she does it she knows what they are for . She doesn’t like too much the touch of wet food but uses them to touch different textures . She eats a decent variety from homemade lasagna to beef Bourguignon , all the pasta sauces and few veggies but 9 out of 10 I give it to her . She doesn’t go to nursery or has any siblings for reference . I am a SATH mum so I cook everything from the pasta to the sauce but she only eats everything if I feed her . In terms of her fine motor skills , she can unscrew lid and put them back up , build towers with small blocks , scribbles in straight lines and make circles , does the zip of her clothes .

I am a bit concerned as she seems to have difficulty answering open questions . She answer the where and what and knows our and her names if you ask her but not questions like “ what are you doing or how old are you ?

still not interested in the potty at all . She sits on it with her diapers , tells us when she does a poo but doesn’t want to use the potty

She also always answers yes to what I ask her

Sounds like your dd is doing really well. She is still so young. At 23 months she is already combining words which is quite age appropriate. It may take time for it to explode but she seems on track.
For feeding you can try letting her play with foods. Familiarise her with different textures. Sand, wet clay, playdough. She will resist at first but keep going.
I know a lot of children who have similar eating habits.
Eating is really boring at this age ☺️

@HairyLairyQuiteContrary Thanks for the response.
He has been assessed for speech. His problems have been identified. Apparently he doesn't do prepositions that well. And his expressive speech beyond two word combinations isn't clear.
We are working on the issues but the results are, well, not so significant.
But we will keep going.

☺️ she plays with sand and dirt when out and she doesn’t seem bothered by it . She pulls grass and mud and plays with it but it is the food part that concerns me . I will try and be more relaxed 😎

My DS wasn't talking at two, and was unintelligible to anyone except me and our childminder even when he started school at nearly 5 years old.

He had SALT for about a year before he started school (attended with me, and me and childminder did the exercises with him at home). No improvement,

He had SALT in school from Jan to Mar of reception year and all issues were resolved in that time. It was like he needed SALT and phonics and reading and a wonderful teaching assistant all at once to make it all click.

At age two, the HV and SALT did say they are more concerned with communication than speech. Can he listen and understand and find a way to respond appropriately? That's much much more important than speech, which can be taught later. If there's no communication at all, then that's a bigger issue to resolve.

Thanks what sort of things could a 23 months old understand in terms of directions and commands ?

@Firstimemum24 things like;

Giving choices of activity and them choosing one (by going to it or looking for the ball etc)

Offering red/blue plate and them choosing one (pointing/trying to say word maybe)

Racing across the park and them being pleased to win

Telling them a funny story and they understand the words or pick up on your amusement and laugh with you

If they're hurt/sad can they "tell" you even without words?

Those sorts of things. I absolutely felt at two years old that he understood what I said, had his own opinions/likes/dislikes/feelings, and was able to communicate them albeit not with intelligible words.