Scared my 2 year old will never speak

[Klippin]

I’d really love to hear some positive stories from parents of children who were very late to babble and speak ❤️

Did anyone have a child who was very social and communicative from a young age — lots of eye contact, pointing, gestures/signs, joint attention, understanding what you were saying and wanting to interact — but who just didn’t develop babbling or spoken words?

I’m particularly hoping to hear from parents whose child was over 2½ before they really started babbling or saying words, but who did eventually go on to develop speech.
How old were they when things finally started to change? Did speech come gradually or was there suddenly a big leap?

And most importantly, what seemed to help? Was it speech therapy, apraxia-specific therapy, signing, something else, or simply time and development?

It can feel quite lonely when your child is developing and connecting so beautifully in other ways but speech just isn’t coming, so I’d really appreciate hearing some hopeful stories from families who have been further down this road. ❤️

Yes DD was like that at 2. I can’t remember exactly when her language explosion came but sometime around 2 and a half I think, and it was an explosion because she was speaking in proper sentences by 3. She is dyslexic and apparently there’s a link there with late talking, but it really isn’t a massive deal, she has a little bit of extra support in school but overall does very well and is at expectations or exceeding in all her subjects, and will be trying for drama scholarships to senior school.

I can’t remember exactly now as it was a long time ago, but my daughter wasn’t saying anything at 2, but was bright and interactive. It’s almost like she wanted to be able to speak full sentences before she started. Once she did start, maybe at 2 and a half, there was no stopping her. She was subsequently diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, but not sure if there was any connection. She’s still very bright, doing brilliantly at school, and extremely chatty

Was she saying any words or even babbling at all before then?

Was sharing any words at all or we’ve babbling before then?

DD1 was largely silent until she was three. The odd word - broken, Mummy, cat. Then she went to nursery and started speaking in sentences, like any other three year old in weeks.

A couple of words, little bit of babbling but mostly she was very quiet except for saying NO. Which she did a lot but was definitely a long way off the 50 words or whatever it is they’re supposed to have at age 2.

My DS seemed late to do everything and then would just "get it" all of a sudden. I remember he held up a ball once and said "baaaal" or something and I said yes the ball well done, then my friend's DD who was born a week later said "where is the other ball?"

At 25yo they have very similar qualifiactions and jobs.

DS was flagged as a concern at his 2year check because he wasn't talking but by the time a referral came through was meeting all the targets.

My mum tells me I didn't talk until over 2 and a half, then started speaking in complete sentences. I had started speech therapy but probably hadn't been going long enough to make that much difference. I am autistic, which may be related.
My DS was the opposite and talked very early but didn't crawl until he was over a year old, he's now at grammar school. DD was the opposite and wouldn't stay still but was late (though not as late as me) to talk.

When did she start saying those three words?

What have the health visitors said on his development checks he has. Has he had his hearing checked.

Did you babble or anything before then?

My son was bright and joined in with things but never did baby talk.
He never really spoke until he was 3 then he started talking in complete sentences.

A good friend of mine was another classic ‘nothing until 3 then full sentences kid’. She’s a lawyer with an Oxbridge degree.

When you say ‘never really spoke’ did he say anything at all? Any babble?

The most important thing to do is to talk to him. Keep doing it.

A long time ago my DS was similarly slow to speak. Met all his other milestones Referred to speech therapy at age 3 and had group sessions and homework to do. Something just seemed to switch on just before he was age 4 and he caught up.

Now a 40 year old man with a degree and a flourishing people facing career!

My son didn’t talk at at at 2nd birthday. By 2.5 years he was talking proper sentences. Basically he never really babbled or sayid baby word, just waited and spoke one day.

If it helps, where we live now the childrens
doctor said they don’t even assess speech here until they are 3. Because between 2-3 it’s so variable. By his 3 year assessment he was fully caught up ( and he is bilingual so in two languages)

Mine.

i remember reading a mums group on a forum for kids the same age listing all the words their kids had. Mine had none…no babbling, not even basic sounds like BA and da.

dh actually wanted her assessed for autism, but instinct told me it wasn’t that, she responded, followed instructions, played games, and was otherwise meeting all milestones. I do remember she didn’t really wave or clap etc until late either.

however she was an extremely early walker and far ahead physically. I remember going into nursery one day so they’d be around 2 and watching one little boy sat “reading” a book and babbling to himself, and thinking crikey dd is nowhere near that. Then looking at dd who was running, jumping, climbing all over the place, then talking to the little boy’s mum who said yes his speech is really great but he’s only just learned to walk…

so I think sometimes they just develop things at different rates. IIRC she just went from nothing to conversations in a very short time.

@KlippinIt's a while ago but I don't really remember him making much of an attempt at speaking. His sister is 3 years older and did most of the talking.
I had his hearing checked but it was fine.

How is overall development?
Are you using makaton signs?
Does child bring you a shoe to say go out?
Has vision and hearing been tested?
Has child had an assessment?
No one can say your child will or won?'t but get assessed now and take it one step at a time. Might need therapy input.
There are alternative ways to "speak" .

My cousin was like this. I'm 10 years older than him and I remember being on holiday with extended family when he was around 2/3 and asking my Mum if another toddler cousin was older because she was so chatty. Mum said "Shhh, no she's 6 weeks younger." Silent cousin is now the life and spul of every party and we can't shut him up!

My son is now 9 and has always done everything later than 'the norm' apart from arriving 6 weeks early! He didnt atart talking coherently until he was 3.5 but it was almost like he was waiting until he could do it properly as there was a big jump from nothing to sentences. Now, he never wheeshts! I know its hard but there really is no rhyme or reaaon to when these things come for some kids. Please try not to worry!

Did he babble at all ?

When you say babble OP, what do you mean by that? Do you mean just the mamama, bababa, gagaga, dadada etc sounds?

My son didn’t say a single word aged 2. No babbling. Not even “mama” . I spent many nights searching mumsnet threads , full of worry.

He was social, laughed etc. Had good eye contact when he wanted to communicate something. He would point and lead us to things etc. He did NOT respond to his name most of the time , unless it was something like “Johnny, do you want an ice cream”

Speech gradually came between 2 and 3. Then more of a language explosion really. He’s just started reception and is very bright , very articulate and can read. He is now diagnosed as autistic and does NOT stop talking , constantly narrating or saying every thought in his head.

My daughter is 17 months and her speech is remarkably better at this age than my son was at 2 - despite significantly less 1:1 time, less reading with her, less of ‘doing the right thing’ with her (poor thing! It sounds bad typing it out!).

Be kind to yourself and give yourself and your child grace. Try not to roll your eyes too hard when well meaning people ask if you’ve tried reading a book as if you hadn’t thought of that 😬