training a "silent" toddler

[Camwombat]

Ds is 27months and apart from babbling says a handful of words, this is a whole other story.

DH and I have been putting off potty training due to this. However DS shows great interest when we go to the toilet, clearly is aware of when he is going and generally exhibits most of the "ready" signs. plus pampers don't make bigger than a 6+

Tonight he has given the biggest indicator by stripping his clothes and nappy off, and pooing on the floor...

So, oh wise mumsnetters, how on earth do I potty train a toddler who doesnt talk?!

anybody?????

Can he sign? Nod his head?
Or make a reliable noise that can be used for wee and poo?

If you beleive all the previous generation, toddlers were trained well before 2, so must have done so with non verbal kids?

If he doesn't have much language could you work on a signal with dc?(sorry can't remember if ds or dd and can't go back, on phone)
Or does he give physical signs? My ds had the words but I usually know prior to his saying as he gets a bit of a dance going and gets distracted when he needs to pee. Poos were more difficult because he got the "I'm having a poo" look about 3 seconds before he would do one.
Sorry, I don't have much advice but I didn't want to leave the thread hanging!

The nursery my dd goes to has been teaching them some sign language, today they learnt the sign for toilet. It's been very popular and works with the younger ones who are trained but do not have full speech.

The clearest signal that ds needed a wee was when he started grabbing his willy. I have noticed this tendency in other little boys too. So wees shouldn't be a problem as for poos as others have suggested could you teach him a sign that he could do?

My ds has gdd, he is non verbal. We communicate very well using a variety of pointing and noises. When I change his nappy I ask him what he has done . I.e wee or poo and point to his front or back. I have been doing this for months and now when he has done a wee he Will point. He will also tell me when he has a poo coming . I get him to sit on the potty before his bath and he now knows what it's for and consciously wees, it's not luck . I say to him where is your willy? And then where is your wee wee? He responds by pointing and then concentrating until wee comes so I know he gets what I'm asking him to do. My ds can't walk so I see little point in training him but I'm doing the groundwork so when / if he does I'm all set to go . He has asked a few times for his potty and has wee'd during the day but it's not consistent . Does any of that help.?

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will persevere with teaching him the signs. So far he has blatantly ignored every sign we have been trying to teach him.

He does get fidgety and has started shoving his hands in his nappy, so I'm guessing he knows he is weeing.

Obviously he knew he was going to poo last night hence stripping off.

Tomorrow we shall start trying in earnest. Thankly we have no carpets downstairs.