2 year old not speaking | Mumsnet (2024)

Does he use a dummy a lot? That won't help. I'd wean him off it during the day.

And just keep talking to him and ask him questions he has to answer. Sounds like he's taking it all in, and he'll come out with full sentences one day. That's what dd did.

My first child was the same. Walked Kate etc. Had to know he could really do it.

We got his hearing checked. Then we got speech therapy which was more beneficial for us as we were advised we were using too much language around DS and to simplify it right down.

Once he started he didn’t stop!

Im glad we did all the checks though.

Has he just turned 2, or nearly 3, or in between?

This makes a difference here. If he's just turned 2, I would give it another 6 months or so and see if there's any improvement. Sometimes children are just a little later and that's OK, especially as he has good eye contact and imaginitive play, so autism seems unlikely.

If he's over 2.5, try and get him a speech & language therapy referral, either through nursery or the GP.

Also, a dummy doesn't get in the way of a child's language, but it can affect their speech. So, he should still be able to say 2-3 words together, regardless of the dummy. The dummy can mean that he is not developing speech sounds properly so it might sound garbled.

I'd try to wean him off the dummy etiher way.

When did he turn two? It doesn't sound worrying if he's 24 months, but is more concerning if he's 35 months, iyswim.

Does he put the words he does have together, e.g. "more milk"? My DD had only just started doing this when she turned too and usually in the context of instructions ("mummy, sit!") but once she started she progressed really quickly and is now 2y3 months and saying sentences up to 5 words.

I agree with his exact age mattering here.
DS1 "failed" his 2 year check - and in those days it was only 10 words.
About 4 months later, his language just exploded and he was talking in sentences within weeks.

Definitely request a hearing assessment, seeing they will put you on a wait list for SALT, and keep giving him opportunities to communicate - ideally without a dummy.

If he's only just 2 I wouldn't worry too much. One of mine was some months over two before she ever strung two words together. She is now a very articulate adult.

With a late talker, though, I'd just keep an eye on his reading when he starts school, as he might have a few issues there.

If he's just turned 2 then try not to worry OP, he might just need a little more time. Children really do develop at such different rates.

It sounds like he's babbling a lot and he's got a few words and his understanding is quite good. I know it's hard but give it another few months and see.

The best things you can work on are :

1. reducing the dummy and
   
2. model lots of language to him, so if he points at a car, say 'car', if he starts pushing a car around say 'Car driving!', maybe try 'Red car!' or 'The car is red', etc. Keep your modelling very short and simple.

   If you want to test his understanding a bit more, try putting a big car and a small car next to each other - or maybe a red car and a blue car if he knows the colours, and ask him to pass you the red car, pass you the big car, etc. Then you can see if he understands 2 words together.

   (I'm from a SALT backgound)

He doesn't need to know colours or size concepts at the age of just 2.

Have a look at BBC Tiny Happy People OP, lots of lovely fun language development activities and advice, by age, given there.

He sounds like he's doing OK. I'd try some of the strategies mentioned and see how he is in 3-4 months and then get a SLT referral if still concerned at that point, nearer 2y6m. At this stage, he wouldn't meet criteria yo be seen in our service, yet, based on what you have said.

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I didn't say that he does, but most children can understand colours and the difference between big and small by 18 months. It's simply an optional activity OP can try if she wants to check his understanding a little more.

I agree though with waiting until he's 2.5 before worrying about any of this.

Not sure about the colours thing. My 2yo says everything is yellow but otherwise her language is really good. Plenty of words, some sentences and fab comprehension.

I know lot of boys her age though who are limited to 4-5 words (flower, car, milk). There's also as pp mentioned lots of kids who don't speak at all until they start with full sentences at 3-4.

Op, my ds got to 2y2m and hadn't said a single word. I'd made an appointment with the gp to get him referred. And then he said 'key' pointing at the car key.

By the end of that month he was chatting away with maybe 50 or 60 words, and whole sentences within 3 months.

He's 14 now, normal teen, top in science, pretty good in maths.

Honestly, yours sounds like he's doing fine. Don't worry. Just play word games with him, sing little songs with him, and give him a month or two longer. The GP will probably say the same.

I have a video of my DS aged just 3 at Christmas and he was only saying a few words and still using lots of noises.

Now aged 4, you can't shut him up! I guess he was just a late talker.

Have a look at BBC Tiny Happy People OP, lots of lovely fun language development activities and advice, by age, given there.

I came on to post this. I’m a SALT and I wouldn’t be too worried about a just 2 year old who isn’t talking much as long as he can understand simple instructions and is trying to communicate.

You’ve had good advice here, but I wouldn’t talk too much or ask too many questions. Keep your language simple and comment on what he is interested in. Don’t put pressure on him to say words and certainly don’t not give him something he wants if he doesn’t say the word. Instead, say it as he would if he could - if he points to a biscuit, say “biscuit please” so he hears what he is meant to be saying. I always tell parents that, at this age, what goes in is much more important than what comes out.

Good luck