Non verbal 20 month old

[Ploddingg]

Please help. My 20 month old son is completely non verbal apart from pointing , gestures / sign and some babbling….

He’s been like this since about 13 months old. He’s progressed in other areas just not his speech. We’re so worried about him and we spend so much time singing to him, reading, playing, trying out all the techniques speech therapists use…. (Without putting pressure on) as a family, we are playful and loving and very patient. But it’s getting worrying now. He is due to start speech therapy in a week or so but I’m just so worried as usually kids don’t speak if the have other communication/ imitation issues which he doesn’t have. He’s always copying us and even enjoys imaginary play! Or they have one or two words at least. He has zero.
I just can’t work it out as he clearly wants to talk as he move his mouth but no sound comes out…
He’s also started banging his head on wooden surfaces when he’s frustrated which I think is due the language delay. We have taught him signs and he uses them mostly!

So he’s pointing and using signs - sounds like he is communicating! Does he make eye contact? React appropriately if things are funny or emotional? if so, it sounds like he’ll get there in his own time. My younger dd didn’t talk before 2 (totally unlike her older sister) but caught up soon once she started. I was worried at the time, we all do, but in retrospect i should have given it more time.

Have you had a hearing test done? Lots of common childhood issues with ears can delay speech.

Yes he’s otherwise completely ‘typical’ in his understanding, communication and social / emotional awareness- if anything, hes advanced!

did your daughter say anything at all before two? This is where we are worried, if he said one or two words or even some animal animal noises, this would reassure us that’s he’s capable but just taking his time..:

Is he babbling?

being honest i can’t remember (it being 4 whole years ago 🙄apparently having children hasn’t done wonders for my goldfish memory). I think there were sounds, but nothing consistently “words”, even made up ones.

From what you’ve said i’d definitely investigate physical reasons: tongue-tie, hearing, etc in case something is actually hindering him.

Does he make any sounds? Like car noises, babbling, excited nonsense chatters?

Neither of mine spoke before 2ish, my son more like 2.5. We booked group speech classes and by the time we started he was suddenly speaking in full sentences using tenses correctly and was advanced compared to peers. I think some kids just take time. Both were very fast with movement, early crawlers/ walkers etc. Is yours?

Have a chat with your gp but I wouldn't worry too much yet. My ds didn't say anything at all until 25 months. He would point or push my hand towards things or laugh or make car noises.
Finally he said "key" meaning car key, and then new words came every few hours. He spoke in whole sentences with a few weeks.

Mine was more physical first, walking at 7 months and climbing up and down stairs at 11 months. By 18 months he was a skilled escape artist. 😁

He does sometimes babble, he speaks in his own way but mostly one vowel, with syllables.. he’s shrieks and laughs etc

Is your speech and language therapy private OP, as im very surprised if its NHS as they don't seem to worry at that age. I've got 4 boys, 2 had delayed speech. 1 for no obvious reason it was like he was embarrassed he didn't know all the words so saved them up then spoke from 2.5. Now the trick is getting him to be quiet (hes and adult) and number 3 has had glue ear from birth so this has given a physical reason for his delay. He now speaks and has a conversation its similar level speech to his younger brother but we are noticing progress (hes also suspected asd so the signing etc. He didnt get) Miss Rachel on YouTube was very helpful. Good luck. Please dont worry just yet.

It sounds like it won't be long 😊

He commando crawled from 6 months but then didn’t properly crawl until 11 months and walked at 18 months so quite slow in that area too.

hes very observant, very skill with his hands, very focussed etc

My daughter was very much like your son. Minimal communication. Once she got to nursery it all changed. So she was nonverbal til gone 3. We had all the hearing tests etc. No concerns there.

Conclusion was that she didn't talk until she had to. 😁

My DC didn't talk until after 2, can't remember when, it's a slightly different situation to you as they also have other signs of being neurodiverse and have generally been delayed in all milestones. But they are now 3+ and are talking loads!! We've gone from nothing to 3 or 4 word sentences!

We did get a referral to Speech and Language but the service is so stretched that their input has been minimal

It is really positive that your DC is pointing and signing! It's so hard not to worry but these are big things!

So if you said ‘get your shoes’ without gesturing or giving any context, he would understand and do it?

If his receptive language is fine, he’s very likely just a late talker.

Yes he would absolutely do that x

Yes, it’s a private SLT although his HV is quite concerned and will be doing a thorough assessment next week. Thank you for the reassurance

I honestly wouldn’t be worried in that case, it’s the understanding that matters more than speech at this age. I’m sure he will talk when he’s ready.

Neither of my boys spoke until after 2, in contrast to my daughter who had words before she was 1. My youngest only had 4 words at his 2 year check which was done at 2yrs 4 months, thanks to COVID. HV was slightly concerned and wanted a follow up in 3 months. By that point he was speaking in full sentences!

It may be nothing to worry about but definitely no harm in getting checked

I’m surprised your HV is concerned. Mine wasn’t at all and said my DD probably wouldn’t talk unless she needed to. I was told that it’s the understanding that matters and as long as everything else was fine, language wasn’t important at that age.

My DD finally spoke as she was turning 3. Her language skills are excellent and she spoke in full sentences straight away. It’s weird to think a couple of years ago we were so worried and I started a couple of threads myself.

I have a similar situation. 18 month old with minimal speech but very good understanding, following instructions, lots of gestures and some signing etc but just doesn’t see to want to say words.

HV has organised a hearing test next month as NHS doesn’t refer for speech therapy until 26 months and apparently issues with hearing can be a common cause of delayed speech. She did say that the good understanding and gesturing is a ‘green flag’ and means they could just be a little late to start using real words.

she also recommended speech and language UK website - has some tips on there but probably things you are already doing!

We had a speech delay and a speech sound disorder. No real words before two. Finally started seeing SALT at 3. Signed off just before he turned 7. You’d never know now. Keep up the signing!

My son didn't speak until he was two, he would just make 'uh uh' sounds and point. Just as he turned two the words started coming and then very quickly it was full sentences. I wouldn't worry yet!

My DS didn’t speak hardly anything at his 2 year review. Now he’s 8 and doesn’t shut up 😂