My daughter is over 2 years old and still not talking, any suggestions?

Question

My little girl understands everything I tell her but she does not talk. She doesn't even attempt to say anything. She does make noise with her mouth but it sounds like "ah-ah-ah" We are scheduled to see a speech pathologist in 2 weeks. I have taught her a few basic sign language signs and she will use them but I want her to speak not sign. I am getting really concerned because when I compare her to other kids her age they are staring to make sentences and she doesnt even have one word mastered. I know I shouldnt compare her but it is difficult and others have pointed it out to me several times. I am trying to be repetitive with our daily routines and say the same things over and over but nothing seems to help. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

Is she around other children who are her age? That helps. Then when she wants something like a certain toy, juice, or a snack. Instead of just her pointing and you giving tell her that she can have it when she tells you what it is.

For example. She points to her cup. You say do you want your cup? Of course she will nod and you reply with when you say cup I will give it to you.

It sounds cruel but she doesn't need to talk if all she has to do is point or sign.

Answer 2

My daughter was a late talker, so we had a consultation with a speech therapist. We found our situation was similar to yours--our daughter had excellent language comprehension but very limited expressive language. We were thrilled when we qualified for very inexpensive speech therapy through our state program. Once a week her therapist comes to the house and works with her for an hour, playing games and identifying objects and practicing talking. It's great fun for my daughter; her therapist brings a big bag of toys and we have a great time playing. It's been less than a year since we started the program and my daughter is almost caught up with others her age.

Don't worry too much. As many others will say, I'm sure, your daughter really will talk eventually, even without intervention. However, if there is therapy available, you should take advantage of it. Your therapist might have strategies for getting your daughter to talk that you haven't tried yet, and even if your therapist doesn't, your daughter will probably benefit from the extra playtime anyway.

Good luck; I hope you'll have as much success with therapy as we have so far!

Answer 3

My son was the same way. We took him to see a Developmental Peds doctor and they put us on a path to a speech pathologist and then onto Special Education services thru our local public school. He is in Special Ed pre-school and is now talking a mile a minuite. Sign Language is GREAT!! Don't stop doing that. Signing and reinerating what it means will eventually get her to talk. Be patient. It could be a medical problem (extra skin under her tongue?) Don't be concerned until a doctor give you a reason to be and even then there are lots of docs willing to help you along the way. My son was diagnoised w/ Autism, but now that he goes to speech therapy and pre-school we are looking at having him re-evaluated b/c it seems that he never had it to begin with but a comprehension problem. This could be something that you might experience. Just remain calm and do what you are doing now. You are doing nothing wrong and you are on the path to help her and you are doing it early enough to make a differnce. I wish you all the luck and just be calm and make a plan. Write it out on paper and go that route. It sounds stupid, but it helps you see what you are going to have to do to get her to talk. It will happen....have faith!!

Answer 4

Go to the speech pathologist. My son did not speak. At three, the pediatrician sent us to a speech pathologist when his hearing tests came back normal. Turned out, he simply did not feel the need to talk--maybe because he was not around other kids his age or maybe because we anticipated his needs. Anyway, he worked with the pathologist until he started school. Now he is sixteen, an honor roll student, and never shuts up!!!

Answer 5

My niece was that way. She is almost 3 and still only says a couple of words but she understands. She went to a speech pathologist and everything and they just said that she will talk when she is ready. My daughter however was not even a year old before she started talking and was making sentences by the age of 1 and is now 4 and can say her entire ABCs count to 20 everything knows how old she is she can even write her name. Its when the child is ready to talk that they will.

Answer 6

I know what you are going through. My little girl didn't start to talk until I started her in daycare last year. She was 2 and a half at that time. We enrolled her into the daycare to see if this would help her with her talking and have enrolled her in speech therapy. Just keep doing what you are doing until you see the speech pathologist they will give you exercises to do with you 2 year old. It just takes time and a lot of patients. Hope this has helped a little bit.

Answer 7

My son isnt either. i know what you are going through. He is 20 months old and does every noise possible except the ones we want to hear. Been told that he will speak when he is ready. Give it time. But how do we know that there isnt something seriously wrong with our babies? We dont. Ask your doctor. I have. Hes told me to wait it out a while longer and if we still have concerns, we will take him to a speach therapist. Maybe you should try it too. Good luck, Im praying for you.

Answer 8

I think what you are doing is excellent. Introducing sign language is a great way to ease your daughter's frustration when she tries to communicate. And seeing the Speech Pathologist is what I would've suggested too. It sounds like you are doing everything right already; but I'd also recommend reading TONS of books to her. That is one think my daughter's Speech Therapist recommended. My daughter was delayed in her expressive speech as well, due to being born very premature. Her receptive language was right on target (which sounds just like your daughter). We saw tons of improvement with the therapy. My daughter was discharged after only 7 months. I hope your daughter's therapy goes just as well.

I'm not sure if you're looking for a reason for your daughter's speech delay, but you may want to ask the therapist about Apraxia of Speech. From what little I know about it, it only causes expressive delays; not receptive delays. I do know it's a Neurological condition. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more information about it, but doing a web search will most likely give you a lot of information on it.

If you're interested; I belong to an on-line support group for parents of children with special needs and disabilities. There are a lot of parents there who have children with speech delays. You'll get great information from them; as well as emotional support. I know how difficult it is to watch your child fall behind their peers. The address is: www.specialparent.org

GOOD LUCK! I hope all goes well for your daughter.

Answer 9

You need to read read read to her! When reading ask her what "This is"...and point to something. When she says something, then repeat the word, and then have her say it again. Do this all the time with her. It helps expand their vocab.
Also a lot of kids won't talk if they don't have to. Are you talking for her? When someone asks her a question, do you answer it? Let her talk on the phone with people, grandma auntie, and see what she says.
See what the doctor says and go from there. Nothing is wrong with her. She just needs more dialogue with people.

Answer 10

My daughter is getting involved with community bridges for speach therapy. The did this with my oldest daughter. Some kids are slower then others. My youngest probably because when she crys or just stands there and points in handed things. They all ushually go to school talking perfectly fine. Unless there is another problem. Good Luck