2 1/2 (30 Months) Not Talking

Hi A., My son is a little under 2 1/2 and I was experiencing the same thing. I decided that he probably says a lot more than I think, so I sat down and wrote a list of all the words he says- regarless of how well he says them. I learned that he says about 100 words. My point is, if I would have had to guess prior to writing the list, I would have said maybe 10 words. It does add up when you really think about it.
Hope this helps.

I have a 2 1/2 girl. She was the same way a couple months ago and I was concerned. Her older brother was slow talking as well, but I somehow remember him saying more at the same age.
Just recently, it's like a light switch went off in her head and she's blabbling full sentences now. I can't understand half of it, but she knows what she's trying to say.
Be patient, before long you will be wishing you were back to the time when he didn't talk!

Some kids are just observers. My daughter didn't talk much as a toddler either... she's now 5 and I can't shut her up, lol. My husband is a quiet, shy guy and she gets that from him. His father didn't talk until he was 4 because his older sister always talked for him... and Einstein didn't talk until he was 4 and then one day asked, "Are we having buscuits with tea today?" so I've been told. As long as he's understanding you, I wouldn't be worried. Instead, enjoy these last few months before he starts talking back to you!! And believe me, he'd be starting to throw tantrums at this age with or without daycare. No worries, okay?!!

While the most likely scenario is that your son is just a late bloomer, it will not hurt to have his speech and hearing evaluated. If I had listened to all of my friends and family, my son would not have started receiving the therapy that he so desperately needs.

I became concerned when my son wasn't saying anything at 18 months. By 2, he could say momma and daddy and that was it. He was evaluated at 26 months by Early Start and started receiving speech therapy once a week. Now at 32 months, it is apparent that my son is not just a late talker. He has severe oral motor planning issues and will most likely be diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. He now has 2 different therapists and they both tell me that we're going to be doing speech therapy for many years to come.

I'm not trying to scare you with my experience, but in my eyes, it's better to be safe than sorry. The speech evaluation is free, it doesn't hurt and the children usually have a good time playing with the toys and the therapists. Even if therapy is recommended, where's the harm in it? It won't hurt, only help. I think you should follow your instincts and demand a referral from your pediatrician. If he doesn't give you one, find someone who will. You may also want to read Lisa Geng's The Late Talker. This book shows the differences between late talkers and children most likely to have speech disorders. Good luck!

I would be sure you get his hearing checked. As a teacher of the deaf, it is amazing how we parents think our children are hearing us, and equally amazing how my students can appear as if they hear, too. We call it the "deaf nod." Secondly, as mentioned before, look up CCS. They are a great service and will prvide free speech therapy until your child is 3, and support setting things up with your local school district after that. Best of luck!

Hi -
I have a little boy who just turned 3. It seems like he didn't talk much either for a while. I'd say that he has really picked up the pace the last 6 mo. or so though. If you are seriously worried there is help. ALTA Regional Center tests/and provides services for those little ones(under the age of 3) who need it. It is a state funded company and is free. My little guy did receive services from this company, so feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Good luck

T.

I wouldn't worry. I'm sorry to knock all of the Autism advice. But, I think Autism is extrememly overdiagnosed. I think that it's the Medical worlds way of trying to make more money. My father in law didn't talk until he was 4, and he is a genius. Also, Albert Einstein didn't speak until the age of 4 either. Don't do too much comparison to other kids. We have done baby sing language with all of our children. It is wonderful. They can communicate without tantrums. They all began to talk and do the signs at the same time. It was a great way for them to learn to talk.

GET HIM TESTED...Call your local school district and tell them your concern. It is their responsibility to make sure he is ready for kidergarten and if you think his speech is delayed then push for them to test. NEVER let your Dr say he is just a late bloomer. I know it's scary to think something may be wrong, but if there is, a diagnosis is the best thing because you can qualify for services and early-intervention is the key. Besides testing hearing, he needs to see a psychologist. We always thought my son was a late bloomer. He was out first so we had nothing to compare him to and friends said, "just wait". Well, at 3 he was diagnosed with Autism. He is 9 now and still struggles with speech but he has come so far from then. He didn't say 'mommy" until he was 4 yrs old. Autism is such a large spectrum. Don't be afraid to push for testing. Good Luck!

My son is 2 1/2yrs old and is in the Early Start program. He too wasn't saying much of anything but I caught it a little earlier and had him evaluated by the program above at the age of 18mo. At first, he didn't qualify but at the age of 2yrs, he did. Anyway, the first thing they made me to was get his hearing checked out at Children's Hospital. I believe it's a requirement for the program. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my son but he is just slow to speak. Since being in the Early Start program, his speech has improved greatly! Please feel free to email me if you need anymore information.

A.,
I have two girls who are 13 months apart. When the youngest one was 12 months she was saying a few words and then she just stopped talking. When comparing her to my older daughter I knew that this was not right. I took her to her doctor and had a hearing test done and then I started researching speech therapy options. I found Vally Mountain Regional Center in this area and they provided
FREE speech therapy for my daughter. A speech therapist came to my house once a week for therapy. When she turned three years old I then turned to the local school district and to Scottish Rites Temple Speech Therapy. Both of these options are free and she stayed in speech therapy in both of these programs until she was seven years old. Please act quickly in getting your child some help because as you can see speech therapy can take many years to be effective. Children can be so cruel when another child does not speak like them. I would definitely go to Scottish Rites and get your child registered. The waiting list at the time when I took my daughter in was a year.
A lot of what I learned through all of this was to talk to my daughter more, lot's of reading time, and not allowing my older daughter to speak for her younger sister. The strange thing was that when I didn't understand what my daughter was saying, her sister always knew! A lot of my daughters therapy was having picture flash cards with the word at the bottom of the picture and saying the word and then having her repeat it, over and over again. I hope this helps.

-M.
Stockton CA

I would encourage you to get him assessed for speech and language. Federal law now provides a program called early start that provides services for children under the age of 3. You want to contact ALTA Regional Center and ask for an assessment. Parents can refer and don't need their pediatrician to do it.

If his language is below a certain percentile, they will pay for speech and language services. When he turns 3 (literally on the day of his birthday), the school district is required to continue the services at their district. If his language is delayed enough, he may qualify for a speech and language preschool at the school district until kindergarten, also for free. The federal and state government don't require that a child have a true disability, only that the child's language is significantly delayed. By getting him help early, you can hopefully get him on track before kindergarten.

BTW, many tantrums are because a child can't communicate. They can be worse and go on longer in children with language delays because they get frustrated that no one knows what's upsetting them or what they need or want.

I have two children who are now 7 that were in early start and a language delayed public preschool program for 2 years and it was a God-send. They are both in regular classrooms now and there is not way they would've been without the early help. Our early start program taught us some basic sign language which my kids picked up really quickly and it kept tantrums at a minimum.

My first son was the same way. I actually didn't think too much about it at the time. We had his hearing checked when he was 4 - hearing was just fine. So along we went thinking "this is just how he is - not a talkative child". As a few years went by other little things started showing up - no related to his delayed speech - such as his odd pencil grip. In second grade he was diagonsed dyslexic. I poured over all the research their was. One of the earliest signs of dyslexia is delayed speech. I always wondered why they kept asking me on the various forms when he spoke his first words, when he spoke in sentences. Dyslexia is a language disorder - not a reading disorder. Just keep an eye on him - go with your gut always. Talk to you pediatrician. Is anyone in your family Dyslexic? It is hereditary. Best of luck to you.
T.

Please please please get him evaluated! If nothing is wrong, only thing you are out is the evaluation. But if something is wrong and you do nothing, it will just make his life (and yours) miserable. My son was the same at 2, I did nothing. At 2.5 he hadn't progressed, and I finally did get him evaluated. We got him the speech and language help he needed, but even that takes a while to kick in. They don't learn all their words overnight. And it led to a good 6 months of severe frustration on his part and some very bad behaviors.
I'm not telling you to panic and rush out, but don't wait either. It may be nothing, but if it is something you want to get on it ASAP. Trust me. My son is now 6.5 and still in speech therapy, but what an amazing difference a good therpist made. I know we wouldn't be where we are (we all still like each other, LOL) if I hadn't reached out.

You are describing my son to a T! He had NO words at 2.5yrs, so you've got something! My son just turned 3 and now has about 300+ words, but is still developmentally a bit behind where speech is concerned. When he was 2.5yrs old, I took matters into my own hands and got a hold of a speech therapist who worked with him a few days a week. In a matter of a few visits, my son started to mimic. He now is initiating his own speech, (to ask for things etc...) but in only one or two words. But it's better than nothing! I did a search online for "Early Intervention" and it came up with many hits for different speech therapists etc...your school district also provides services via their special education department, starting around age 3 (at least in California they do). Check it out, or ask your pediatrician for a speech therapist recommendation if you don't see the kind of progress you're satisfied with. Boys are typically late talkers. Hope that helps.

-S.

At about 15 months I became worried about our son's speech. Like your son, he had a very limited amount of words. The red flag for me was that he wasn't repeating anyting we said. Usually at that age, they're parrots so my ped referred us to our local regional center for an asessment. Does your son repeat what you say or attempt to repeat it? If not, I'd bring it up again to your ped & ask for a referral to get him a speech asessment. Even if there's not a problem, then it won't have hurt to get him asessed. Our son will be 3 in June & has been getting speech for a year. His speech has progressed tremendously due to his once a week sessions. He also started preschool which helped. Hope this helps & good luck!

my son went through the smae thing. he didnt say hardly anything until he wwas three. now, hes four and talks good. theres still times he rambles and i cant unerstand, but doctors and speech therapists say hes fine and that some boys take longer to process it. dont worry it will get better.

My pediatrician said the same thing when my son wasn't talking much at 2 1/2 either. "Boys are slower, just give him time." At the time, he had maybe 5 words or so. He ended up being diagnosed with Mild Autism shortly before his 3rd birthday. Now, I don't want to scare you or anything since it is probably just a speech delay. However, I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I suggest you bring him to a Speech therapist or pathologist for a Speech Evaluation ASAP. I wish I had done that sooner. We started speech therapy (amongst other therapies) and now he is chattering away. (He's almost 3 1/2 now & I have since switched pediatricians!). Hope this helps.

My daughter was the same way. Not a big talker, but was fond of grunting and pointing to get what she wanted. We just kept reminding her to use words and when she didn't we would show her by example. "May I have a glass of milk, please." She eventually started talking more.

She's 8 now and doing well in school, has no problems with language and we did not have her tested or anything. I just realized that she is more visually oriented, like me. She remembers more about what she sees instead of what she hears. When she was little she didn't want me to read her books, she only wanted to look at the pictures. She knew her colors at a very young age and would be reluctant to call something blue if it was closer to turquoise. She sees details in things that even adults sometimes miss and she remembers them.

My advice would be to really consider your specific child. Is there another area where maybe he is excelling? He just may be more visual or tactical than auditory.

My son who is 3 1/2 now is the opposite of my daughter. He's very auditory and has loved music and reading stories since birth. He spoke much more clearly when he was young and used a lot more words than his sister did. Even now, he's a much better singer than she is.

I am the mother of four. Three of my children were talking before they were one year. My fourth son did not say a word until he was 2-1/2, when he said, "Moon." It was full and quite impressive! Little by little he added words to his vocabulary. Later in life, he went to Cornell to get his PhD, to Davis to get a degree in eunology, and is now a wine maker consultant. He is the smartest of all my children. So, my advice is to just keep talking to him and give him time. A friend, knowing about my concern with my youngest son, told me her brother didn't utter one word until he was 4-1/2 years. He came down the stairs one day and said, "Good morning, Mother, how are you today?"

I would suggest another evaluation. My son was speech delayed. He had about the same amount of words as your son does. We started therapy at a little over about 21 months. In less than a year we went from signifcantly behind and eligble for intervention paid for by the state (the therapist came to our house) to "normal" for his age. The intervention made a huge difference. He had been so frustrated because he couldn't communicate.

He still has articulation issues, which we are working on (he is currently five), but at least he is talking.

our twin girls have had a similar problem. finally had them evaluated thru Alta Regional Center (the State agency who sent us for an eval) and they qualified for speech therapy which just started last wk. early intervention DOES make a difference and i would most certainly get your child assessed. our girls are 23mos old and i should've had them assessed at 18mos. not being able to speak is frustrating for a child (and parent) and can start to create behavioral problems as well. Contact Alta Regional center asap as it can take 45days to assess. Good luck!

Have his ears been checked? I may want to get a second opinion from another pediatrician. May be that the first one is correct but if you are concerned i would ask to have another opinion. You are the mom and know your child best.

As long as his comprehension is fine I wouldn't worry too much. I know it's frustrating. My oldest still has issue's and my husband needs me to translate her..

Like your doc mine said her comprehension is good so her cognitive ability is there.. give it time.. now at almost 4 it's 100% better but at 2.5 I was crying esp being around kids who were younger who could speak crystal clear :(

Hi there, I am a partial stay at home mom of a daughter who just turned 3 two weeks ago.....she is also limited on her speech, she can say lots of different words and she follows directions very well and comprehends what we are telling her but she does not express herself with words and does not communicate much with us....she seems to choose not to talk and some of the stuff she says about 50% of the time does not make sense to me....I think she is just a late bloomer and maybe a little immature for her age.....just to be on the safe side I am taking her in next month for a screening with the local school district's speech therapist....I am just afraid they are going to label her and I think she is just a little behind and nothing really wrong....sometimes kids are just later on things....all kids are different and do things on their own speed....I would just work with him by talking to him alot and letting him know what you are doing during the day when you are outside point things out and repeat things several times and before long he will probably have a much better vocabulary...Good luck and I hope this helped somewhat.

my nephew didn't talk until he was 3 years old. we were getting worried too! he didn't even talk as much as your son does. but, one day he just started speaking complete sentences! he is now 15 and very bright!!! i hope this helps!

My daughter is 25 months and talking up a storm-mainly copying everything we say. When she was 3 weeks old she had some brain surgery. She now has a huge hole in the front of her brain. So we were worried about her development. We were lucky enough to have a nephew born 9 days after her. They did everything at the same time. My daughter took forever to walk, but so did my nephew. It gave us relief and we were thankful for it. However now our daughter is talking a lot and my nephew hardly talks at all. No one is really worried. We just figure he is a little bit slower on the language thing. I think as long as he is developing fine in everything else it should be fine. We were worried about autism in the beginning, but he seems fine.

Dear A.,

It is hard for me to say if your son has a speech delay. I believe that some 2 1/2 year olds should be saying two-word sentences, but some children master physical movement,before they master speaking. What I would ask you is if his vocabulary has increased since he was 2? In the past 6 months, how many new words has he said? He should be saying new words and using pronouns 3-6 months from now.
From the age of 2-3 years old my son's vocabulary did not really grow and when he did talk about 70% of the time we could not understand him. At 3 years old, he was still using one word to ask for things and would point and grunt a lot. I was reading about speech on a website (parentcenter.com) to see what he should have been saying, and noticed that my friends boys were speaking clearer and had better vocabularies than my son. When my son did speak, I could not understand him most of the time. I contacted my local school district to see if he needed speech therapy. He did and at 6, he talks so much, we can't believe he ever had a speech problem! My advice is to monitor his speech and encourage him to "use his words". If you don't see significant improvement in 3-6 months then I would have him evaluated by a speech therapist. I hope this was helpful and best wishes to you and your son!

Laraine

I'm in the exact same situation! I have a 2 1/2 year old who has great receptive language but limited expressive language. I also started him in preschool early, hoping to see some improvement but haven't either. My doctor also told me to "give it more time" but I don't agree. I know my son has tantrums too but I feel its because he can't effectively communicate. Its so frustrating for him!
So here is what I did...I requested a speech and hearing evaluation referral from my doctor so I could see those specialists. Which is one way to get help.
Another way to get help is to call the "Regional Center of the East Bay" ####-###-#### (which I also did). You will have to "self-refer" your son. They will then set up an appt for a speech evaluation (free of charge) and if your son qualifies he can get free speech therapy! And you can chose the agency where you want his therapy to take place.
My son had his evaluation on Monday this week and he qualified...and we start speech therapy next week (free of charge)! The services provided by the Regional Center are free until age three and then the school district will take over.
Have you ever heard about Happy Talkers ####-###-####? Its in Dublin and provides speech therapy (along with other therapy). You should call them, they would be a great resource. Its where my son is going.
I'm sorry to ramble so much...this issue is just so fresh for me...it's caused so many tears...but I'm glad we're getting help. Don't be discouraged, if he can understand you then he's processing information and that's a great sign!
I hope some of this helps :)

My daughter also had very limited speech. Although there is a good chance that he will start talking on his own, it can only help to have him evaluated by a professional. My daughter did need speech therapy and it has been a blessing. The look of relief on her face when I could understand what she was saying was priceless. There is a possibility that the tantrums are because he's frustrated that he can't communicate with the world. I also think that speech therapy has given my daughter a huge advantage in letter recognition and early reading. As other moms have mentioned, the local school district is a good place to go,especially if your insurance won't cover the cost. We started with an evaluation at the SF Hearing and Speech Center and then had an evaluation at the school district. My daughter was extremely good at nonverbal communication, but it was no substitute for speech. She would get very frustrated. Good Luck. Remember no one knows your child better than you do.

I think this is unusual and I think I would get a second opinion. Have you though about teaching him sign language?
If the por's still say he has not got a med prob len you may have to try being as stuborn and manipulative as he is. Do you make him ask you for what he wants or do you play the quessing game? If he wants something make him ask for it or don't give it to him. When he pitches that fit pick him up and either take him to his room or if you have a safe back yard take him out there and let him throw his temper then let him try again. If he does the same think pick him up and start the process over again. You may have to hold the bedroom door or lock the back door(just make sure you can see him). He will soon get the message. Why does he have to talk when he can get the attentionby not talking. Are you can enjoy the quite and wait it out like the Dr advised, I have learned to be carful what I wish for LOL
Do you speak other languges in the home? If you do this could be why but continue, my friends who have gone through this said that around three it all kicks in and they speak both languages well.

Mom of 3 grown sons.

My cousin's son was not talking at two, and she had him tested. They tested his hearing, which was fine. Then they asked her if he babbled much as a baby, while playing for example. He was always a quiet boy, so not much babbling. They sent him to speech therapy, because since he was not babbling, he wasn't learning the sounds that he could make that would later turn into words.

Now at 3 1/2, he is talking as much as most kids, but he is still a little harder to understand than most.

My suggestion is similar to your doctor's...just give him some time. My second son didn't start forming sentences well into his third year. His brother is 17 months older than him and never filled in words for "Z" ( this was a family rule: " Let "Z" use his own words."). Always make sure your little one is using words for what he wants...don't let him get away with just pointing. As an educator let me say...Boys will move at their own speed. In no time you'll be saying, "Wow, he talks too much!" This is what we constantly say about my son "Z" who is now in elementary school and is doing great socially and academically!

Hi A., I had the same concerns when my son was 2 1/2, and 3- years seemed to be the magical year for him, he started talking and in complete sentences. It's possible your son learns by listening and watching others. I spoke to his doctor about this and he pointed out to me that he was fine, and one of the factors was that he understood everything others were saying or requesting from him. Just know that once he starts talking he won't stop. I have tapes of him and his friends playing together as toddlers, it's great fun for us to listen to now that he's a teen!

For all of you with little ones, it's goes by fast so enjoy every minute. It's so worth it to be present for our kids and ourselves everyday!

Enjoy!

Hi A.,

My name is J.. I am an aunt of a now 17 year old, slightly autistic nephew. I just wanted to relay some information on how my nephew was when he was the same age as your son. He was very energetic and smiley, he also could say a few words pretty well, but there were more words which he would say that we could not understand. Your story of your son very much reminds me of my nephew. I don't want to scare you or anything, just wanted to inform you so that you might be able to better educate yourself on the subject. My nephew is also sensitive to loud sounds and a very picky eater. He has grown into a highly functional young man and has full ability to do everything for himself, but he is in special classes, and people do still have a hard time understanding him...he however does not mind this, and will continue to talk your ear off about whatever subject interests him at that time...usually power rangers or teen titans. Wish you the best with your wonderful little boy. I hope my information helps.

Sincerely,
J.

Hi A., I don't have this situation myself, but I am reminded of the story my grandmother likes to tell about my father. Apparently he was almost 3 and still didn't say any words. He would just point at what he wanted. Since he had 3 older brothers and sisters, they would run to give him whatever he wanted. My grandmother felt sure that something was wrong with him and asked the doctor about it. His advice was, don't give him anything until he says the word - not dinner, or water, or toys, or anything. See if he says anything then. So they went home and pretended they didn't see him pointing at things. Sure enough he started speaking in full sentences almost immediately! He had lots of words, just had never had reason to use them before.

So just to let you know, there are perfectly normal, intelligent people out there who did not speak a word until they turned 3! (My dad is an electrical engineer, and to this day is a somewhat reserved guy, but has a bigger vocabulary than anybody else I know...)

Hi A.,
My 27months old is in the same stage as your son. I think the reason is because we speak different languages to her. What I learned is -- keep talking to her (regardless of language) and she will respond (speak back). I also repeat a lot of words and encourage to sound something back whether or not it's correct. It is frustrating for both of us; but, it is working for us. I hope it helps.
P.

Try the GGRC.org website.
Golden Gate REgional Center.
It's a state run program that provides free services to children under 3. YOu can at least have him evaluated and get a speech therapist to come to your home or preschool for a few months. Then they can refer you to the school district which offers speech therapy for free at their preschool language centers.

I see that you have so many responses, but I wanted to add my two cents :) I, myself, didn't say a word until 2.5-3 years old. I have a brother, 13 months older than me, that communicated for me. When I did begin speaking, it was in dialogue, not just words, not just sentences. I went on to excel in school at a young age, skip a grade and become very articulate and detail oriented to this day.

By the time my 3 year old daughter was 15 months, she was communicating with me in the very same fashion. I could have a complete conversation with her. I now have a 20 month old son that is much slower to speak. He just sits back and observes the environment around him (Daddy is very much the same as our son, quiet but alert and observant, man of few words, doesn't miss a trick). He has about 2 dozen or so words. It is hard not to compare him to my daughter and the level of communication she had at his age. I felt alarmed at first, but I was reassured by the fact the he clearly understands what I am saying/asking for. If I ask his sister to do something, like 'put your laundry in your room,' he will begin doing that. I began asking him to do more complicated things or phrasing things differently than I normally would so I could be sure he was actually comprehending and not just having a 'Pavlov's Dog' type of reaction. He was actually listening and understanding.

I guess my point is that in your shoes, I would probably seek a second professional opinion for peace of mind, but I wouldn't go to the extreme of therapy and such, just yet. Especially when you can see from the responses that other mom's have experienced the same. Besides, rushing to judgement, labeling him or forcing the issue could have an adverse effect on him. Give it a little time and I am sure you will see he will come around. And like another mom said, savor the time now before the backtalk starts!

Best of luck!
G.

Read "The Crystal Children" by Doreen Virtue, PhD
Google it in and you can get a used book from amazon.com for around $3 plus shipping. The major bookstores usually carry it too. Try not to worry, we are all here to experience something different, and it is how we react to a situation that builds our character.

My son only said a couple of words at 18 months and we had his hearing tested. It was fine. I was paranoid about autism and kept an eye on him. At 2 he only said may a dozen words, not 50 like the doctor said he "should". I decided to greatly reduce the amound of wheat and dairy in his diet, without completely cutting it out. A couple of months later his speech drastically improved. It might have been coincidence, but it's worth a try. He is now 32 months old and "talks" up a storm. Every day he comes up with a new sentence of phrase he's heard.

Fear not about the talking issue. My son didn't talk until he was 3 1/2. When my daughter, who was 2 1/2 at the time started talking more than he did, he stepped up the pace and started being more verbal. My husband didn't talk until he was almost 5 and the doctors said the same thing. He will talk. In my husbands case, The parents told him until he asked for water (in hot Texas)in a full sentance he wouldn't get it.....He asked in full sentance about 6 hours later and hasn't shut up since. Many children are able to get the necceassary things he/she needs with non verbal communication, it works so well they don't feel they need to talk.(This was my sons situation) Also sometimes children don't speek because of negative things at home and if they don't speek, they mentally feel they are not involved.(This was my husbands situation)So be patient and read to him....he will talk.

I do know that most toddler tantrums are a result of a child not being able to communicate his/her feelings,thoughts, etc. A friend of mine in Davis, her son didn't start talking conversationally until around 4, dr.'s even thought he might be autistic, but turns out now that he's just fine, he was just a "late bloomer". make sure you speak "child" in your home... simple sentences, give your child clear, limited options, annunciate words you'd like him/her to learn quickly... create an environment that makes him want to speak. And most importantly don't speak FOR him. If it takes him 5 minutes to answer your question, give him 5 minutes. Hopefully you'll start to see the tantrums decrease... My son is 5 and still has little fits here & there - it's just part of growing up!

A.,
I am the mother of a 4 year old with Autism. The first sign was lack of speech, he had a few words, but would lose them. We brought him in at 2y/o and received the same advice as you, wait and see. It doesn't sound like your son has autism (he is using some words to communicate and is able to follow commands), however, if it was your pediatricians child, he/she wouldn't wait. Time is rarely the friend of the child with delays. I would contact your school district for an evaluation and see what they say. If you are not happy with their response, look into an assessment by a speech and language pathologist.
Good luck!

Well I havent experienced anything like this, but I have a few friends who have. Maybe their is fluid in his ears? It makes it where he can hear you but everything sounds like its underwater. I know at my sons last doctors appt. for his 18 month check up, the doctor asked me if he was saying 20 words or more that we can perfectly understand. So maybe you should get a second opinion on what your doctor is saying or you could even try speech therapy. One of my other friends has to take her daughter to that, because she was only saying a few words like your son... She will be 2 in a couple days. I hope this little bit of information helps!! Good luck

don't wait... call the school district in your area and ask who evaluates and serves children under age 3. in our area it is called "early start" ... the earlier you intervene to help his speech development the better...
L.

My son, Will, was around that age before he started talking. I guess he had no need to, but he knew how! We pretty much responded to his points and "unh unhs" so he didn't need to verbalize what he wanted, so he didn't! One day he walked into the kitchen and said a complete sentence..just like that!! It was the weirdest thing. Now hes 26, and is overseas training the Kuwaiti Military security tactics.
So, if you've had him tested for Autism and all that other kind of stuff and he interacts with you in all the other ways, try not responding to grunts or pointing and ask him "what do you want?" Tell him you do not understand what he is asking for and he should speak. Some kids are not very verbal and I think it happens more in boys ( you know how men are). I think Will was around 2 1/2 or 3 before he started to talk.
Good Luck!
D.

Hi,
There are many reasons for speech/language delay; autism, fluid in the ears, auditory processing disorder, and a slew of many other things. You really should insist on an evaluation - even if its just to rule these things out. However, if there is a problem, you will need to address it right away. Contact your local Regional Center asap as there is a huge waiting list. They can evaluate your child. Sounds like your pediatrician isn't much help. Good luck!

It could be due to a toxic overload in his body from an allergy to food, and/or from shots. Please read the book "feast without yeast". You'd be amazed at this family's story. Maybe you can get it from the library. I ordered it used for a couple of bucks online. I also noticed my last child was having slight developmental delays in milestones as a baby, and then when it was time to talk. My first two children said 100 words by the time they were two. My third daughter said only a handful. Doctors, freinds and even my husband said she was fine.But a mommy has instinct! She is not where she is suppose to be. She is now almost 6 and 3 year olds are more developed in speech than she is.kids just dont "grow out of it". My daughter was born with a fungus in her mouth called thrush, which doctors claim is only in the mouth, but that is absurd because she also had it coming out of her rear/with crazy diaper rashes. Ear infections, slow to heal from colds, lack of normal crying were other early signs there was something wrong. In my research I conclude she is toxic with yeast. I have been giving her Caprylic acid and cod liver oil, which have helped fight the yeast a lot, but I would see a better improvement if I can get her off the cows milk.

I would see if your pediatrician is concerned.
Parents Magazine recently ran an article on speech delays. Sometimes it is caused by a processing problem. The kid has difficulty with the motor control required for speech.

If he is not exhibiting any odd behavior (like screaming, fits of frustration, etc.), then you may be right. Just not in the mood to talk.

Hi A.!

I am embarrassed all over again thinking about why my son didn't talk. He always sounded like "Greystoke"

In my experience, my older boy (now 11) was a "late talker", if you want to call it that :o)

He was also in daycare, and I worked full-time then, too. My daycare provider was the one who actually asked me if my son spoke at home. He always "pointed" and "grunted" what he wanted at school, and after thinking about it, I realized he did that at home, too.

I was always in a "hurry" when I finally got home from work. I always KNEW what my son wanted, and just found it "easier" to get it for him, so I could get on with others things. I never gave him the chance to talk!

How embarrassing for me, I told my daycare provider. She said it's actually very common with the first born, but when they reach daycare, they usually begin to talk, due to obvious interaction, and with the daycare always saying "use your words".

Anyway, after conscious effort, my son was talking in no time!

I wouldn't worry too much yet. He's talking at his own pace, it sounds like. Just GIVE him more language to try to use. He'll use it in time :o) Trust me!!!!

:o) N.

Hi A.,

We had similar issues with our daughter, not saying much at 2, but the pediatrician was hearing a pattern in the babbled speech that she did have that concerned her. We had her hearing tested, it was fine, and then waited a couple more months then put her in speech therapy. I believe it helped and was/is fully covered by insurance up to the age of five. It is worth looking into if your insurance covers it. I found it really helped me too to learn tools to help her with her speech growth as well and how to properly break down words for her to say them correctly.

A lot can happen in just a few months too…so giving him time is not a bad decision either.

Good luck whatever you decide!

Hi, My doctor said not to worry, however, I did. So, I called CCS, Chilren's County Services, in my local area and they evaluated him and started Speech services for free. Early intervention is available, and now that my son turned 3 years old he has an IEP throught the schools and is starting speech through the office of education. I would look up CCS in your area, just google it.
Best of luck!

Hi- my son was also delayed with his speach at 30 months, I have a daughter who is older and I kept comparing how verbal she was and didn't understand why my son wasn't talking yet. I talk to his doctor and she told us that he was fine, but I kept pushing and had him tested. He was diagnosed with PDD and has been getting the help he needs, he talks alot now! He use to tantrum, but it was because he wanted to communicate and was not able to. I'm not saying that this is the case for your son, but as a mom we must check out every avenue and make sure our kids are getting what they need to succeed in this world.

Sweetie just give him time~! The more you worry about it the more the focus will be on the issue~! Try to communicate with him in his own ways!! When my oldest son (whom now is 16~ ) and I wanted to communicate I love you kinda like a secret love you mommy and me.... we would look at eachother and scrunch our noses at eachother and we would know without words what it ment!!

I will pray for your situation~
P.!

A. -
It is definitely frustrating when your child is that old & not really talking. I experienced the same thing, just a little earlier. The thing you have to remember is that each child is different - some are "mimickers" & others aren't. My daughter was not a mimicker...
As long as your child can hear and does respond to what he is told, you shouldn't worry a lot. Make sure you read to him!!! Also, talk a lot around him & to him, but don't talk too fast...he may have a hard time keeping up with what you are saying. You're your son's first language teacher!
My husband & I started making her use her words with some things - she would "say" it, then we would say it correctly and tell her to say it again, or she wouldn't get what she was after. We didn't do that until she got it right, otherwise she would get frustrated. We also ask her to "show us" and when she did, we told her what it was & tried to get her to repeat.
Be patient, afterall, we spend the first few years of our children's lives getting them to walk & talk, then all we want them to do for the other 15-16 years is sit down & shut up. =) I say that completely jokingly, but again, patience is key.

I dont think you should wait. Both my children had speech delays and I can understand the frustration you have right now. I am not sure what state you are in but you can google
Special Education Local Plan Area (also knowns as SELPA) in your area. These are special education centers that can do a complete assessment and let you know if your child needs time or he really has a developmental problem. If you live in california here is the link to the SELPAs in this state:
http://www.icoe.k12.ca.us/ICOE/Departments/SELPA/Other.htm

Good luck

Read the book Leo the late Bloomer .
If he has a pacifer/binky get rid of it.
Start speaking to your two year old in complete sentences instead of commands. Have him repeat short sentences....you say I then he says I love...love... you...you... please give me water...please pick me up ,thank you...no thank you,yes thank you.
Read to him. Read two to three book each night. Read books like Are you my mother?, Go Dogs,Go. Bears in the Night... then on each page ask him questions he would know...such as What does a bird say? Do you like birdies? Discuss the story with him.
If he is learning his colors or shapes ask him what color something is.
Sing to him...alot.It does not matter what your voice sounds like he will think it is beautiful.

If you do laundry have him help sort colors and ask who each item belongs to...for example hold up an clothing item ask " is this mommmy's ?" knowing fully well it is his or daddy's...be silly..either he will say who it belongs to ....mine..or dada's.
Three of my girls took long to talk because her sibling/ or adults talked for her,another had a speech impediment... Believe it or not the child with the speech challenge is the best listener and and friendliest of my four girls.
Good luck and be patient! Before you know it he will be talking your ear off. My kid's mum.I did daycare for 18 years plus helped in the classroom forever. Laurel

Did you vaccinate him?!!! That is my son's cases... both are nonverbal autistic boys... but other kids are not autistic but do have motor problems like CP and language is gone!!! And for most ADHD/ADD and learning disabilities... Love, G.. :0)
P.S. Vaccine injured children!!! And People are only focusing on Autism... but what about the others?!!!

I understand your concern as I had that same worry when my son was that age. He's eight now and although he sometimes struggles in school, he's doing very well overall. I had him in speech therapy when he was two. I knew he was smart, but I was worried when I compared him with other children in his playgroup. He wasn't talking as well as others his age. Usually doctors will say give it more time because most insurance plans don't cover speech therapy. I live in Walnut Creek and had him tested with a therapist from the Regional Center of the East Bay. This is a free service. I would also contact your school district as I'm sure your child would qualify for early speech intervention when he turns three. I hope I was able to help.