2 1/2 Year Old Won't Speak

GampDub

Hey,

My 2 1/2 year old niece has never spoken a clear word. Is this normal?

I see other children that are speaking words or at least attempting to after about a year yet my niece has never made any attempt to talk.

She has no problem in communicating by pointing and dragging etc. But its a bit frustrating that she will not speak. I'm worried that it may effect her learning development.

I have asked my sister to bring her to be checked out but she has so far refused, its seems almost out of a fear of finding out that something might be wrong. she just insists that my niece is fine and will speak when she is ready.

Has anybody else had any experience with Children simply not speaking? Should I insist on my sister getting her checked out?
Would a normal GP be able to help or should she see a speech therapist?

Thank a mil.

Fran79

Hi
some kids are just late talkers I guess.

My little lad was 2, 6weeks ago and has about 20 words (most of them in the last 3 weeks). My cousin is 3 in a few months time and still says virtually nothing - she is seeing a speech therapist. (Only been to 2 sessions so far)

I wouldn't get over worried about it, but maybe a trip to see the PHN and get a referal to a speech therapist - they is a bit of a waiting list for this. When I went for little mans developmental check the PHN said to pop back if he wasn't speaking by 2.5 yrs.

HTH

Fran

Chuchoter

2 and a half? She should be sticking together words at that stage into little sentences. Try the test here, but to my knowledge thats very late to have said absolutely nothing. She could have a problem with her tongue or hearing difficulties. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/speechandlanguage.asp#mychild

smelltheglove

My little one didnt speak much at that age. At 8 she is a shy child and wouldnt speak a hell of a lot anyway. The thing is, we never really thought much of it. I remember one day my brother who would have been 6 or 7 at the time hurt himself and came in crying, the little one walked over to him and rubbed his head and said, whats wrong Gav. We were so shocked, myslef and my mam were sitting there going say it again say it again.

Most likely the child will seak when she is ready. If she is your niece then I assume you wouldnt be with her all the time, is it possible that she is uttering words to her mother? I mean my daughter wouldnt have said boo to anyone but me and my mam and my husband for quite a while, she was so shy.

JuliePhotoArt

I would agree with smelltheglove, it really depends on a child and it is not rare that children do not speak until later. Sometimes they are quiet for long and then start speaking in sentences.

axel rose

My son is 2 years and 2 months. He has no words however his comprehension is excellent and has no problem communicating through signs and noises and pointing.

I brought him to a speech therapist for an assessment. She is not concerned as his ability to communicate and comprehend is fine. She did however give me lots of tips on how to encourage him to speak.

silja

axel rose wrote: »

She did however give me lots of tips on how to encourage him to speak.

Would you mind sharing them? My two year 4 months old is a bit slow on talking too.

Lucy Locket

I wouldn't be overly panicked myself, but just as extra info, my cousins child was slow to speak also, he was making sounds and just not clear words, and use to get frustrated because he was asking for something and not being understood, it turned out it was his ears and he got grommets in and a little bit of speech therapy and is flying now, can't shut him up:D he is 5now, so it was about 2yrs ago when all this happened so would of been in around the same age as your niece. no harm in checking into it

Cat Melodeon

My PHN gave me some printouts on encouraging speaking - most of them came from the National Literacy Trust in the UK. You can download most of the resources for free here:
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talk_to_your_baby

racso1975

I was nearly 4 before i spoke. Had a couple of words to get by but nothing major. Cant really shut me up now. Just out of interest those people who said their child is slow to talk:

1) Are they the eldest child in house

2) what level of interaction is there with other kids their own age?

silja

1) Are they the eldest child in house?
Yes, by two minutes (he has a twin sister who is a chatterbox and way ahead of verbal developmental milestones).

2) what level of interaction is there with other kids their own age?
He has his sister, and they go to playschool two mornings a week, in a class of 7 (so 5 other kids). We also go to a mixed age playgroup (birth to 4 years) every second week for a couple of hours. For what it's worth, his playschool teacher is not concerned as his hearing and comprehension is good, she says he is behind but boys are often slower, and twins even more so. But as his mummy, I still worry, especially as he is starting to get frustrated.

Bill2673

Don't know if this helps or not, but the thing that really got our young guy talking was animals......for example going for a walk in the countryside and looking at a field of sheep, he got very excited about them. And then having toy sheep at home to play with. Ditto if we saw a cat in the neighbourhood, or a dog. I think miaow was his first word (apart from mammy). As it happens, my mother tells me my first word was Cow.

Speak Now

Bill2673 wrote: »

Don't know if this helps or not, but the thing that really got our young guy talking was animals......for example going for a walk in the countryside and looking at a field of sheep, he got very excited about them. And then having toy sheep at home to play with. Ditto if we saw a cat in the neighbourhood, or a dog. I think miaow was his first word (apart from mammy). As it happens, my mother tells me my first word was Cow.

That was an awful thing for a child to her mammy

Bubbles09

my son is 20 months and he does the same pointing and dragging he has his own little baby babble but my daughter was saying nursery rhymes at this age I'm sure some day he will just start chatting away but it is worrying