Reply to When to worry about SNs with speech delay?

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[quote=Anonymous]If your child seems to understand everything you say, and looks at you to communicate (even non-verbally), and you see evidence that the kid is engaging with the physical world, but JUST WON'T SPEAK, then I wouldn't worry too much at 18 mos. or even 24 mos.

DD would not speak, but she clearly understood what we were saying and wanted us to read books to her and read the names of items form DK Picture Books (a million times over).  By the time she was 24 mos. she had 12 verbalizations if you include "uh-huh" and "unh-uh" for yes and no.  In addition to that she had ma, dah, bus... things like that.  But this girl would not speak.  I called Early Intervention around 16 mos.  They did an assessment and told me right away that DD was not autistic b/c of the way she interacted/looked at me to communicate and for comfort.  Had hearing tested.

Speach therapist came for a couple mos. around age 20 mos.  I told them to stop coming b/c it was a waste of time (nice therapist, just clearly a waste... she would put a block on another block and say "up!" over and over... DD would look at me like "duh!  what is wrong with this lady??")  It's not like the therapist was doing anything that we as parents weren't doing, and it was intellectually below DD's receptive ability, so I told them to stop coming.  Well, at about 2 yrs. + 2 mos., this child just started talking and never looked back.  By 2.5 yrs, she was 100% on par with her age group.  By 3 yrs., we would have to tell her to "stop talking so much" at dinner.

I know other parents whose children were late talkers -- 100% perfectly normal, but they didn't really talk until after 2 yrs.

OP -- don't freak out if your child doesn't have 15 words by 15 mos., or 30 words at 18 mos., etc.   The info. we now have from the internet and parenting books can drive you nuts if your child doesn't follow the standard.  Sure, you should follow your instinct if the child seems "off" or not interacting with you or doesn't understand like you think s/he should.  Definitely check it out.  But, realize that MANY normal children are "late" talkers.

FWIW, my late talker has been at the top of her class for reading for the last 3 yrs.  She scored in the 99%-ile for reading on the G/T test that the school gave in 2nd grade.  Some kids are just more reticent/risk-averse than others.  I think that can show up in their reluctance to verbalize.  It's more a personality trait than a developmental delay.

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