You may have heard the term “late talker” loosely used to describe toddlers who do not seem to be talking at the expected age. You may have also heard friends, neighbours, and grandparents telling you stories of their child, niece, nephew, and friend of a friend who “didn’t talk until he was 3 and now he’s fine”.
“Late talker” is actually a very specific term referring to children who meet the following criteria:
- At 18-20 months – less than 24 words.
- At 21-24 months – less than 40 words.
- At 24-30 months – less than 100 words & not combining words (ex. ‘mama up’)
- There are no other developmental concerns:
- Understanding of language is intact.
- Social and play skills appear to be normal.
Don’t “Wait and See”:
50% of “late talkers” will outgrow it without any intervention, meaning the other 50% will not. Since we cannot be sure whether a child is in the former or latter category, it is a good idea to intervene. The first 3-5 years are the critical period for language development and those children who do not catch up on their own may experience longstanding academic, language, reading, and social difficulties throughout their schooling.
Although some Pediatricians may take a ‘wait and see’ approach, Speech-Language Pathologists prefer to be proactive by equipping parents with strategies they can use in their daily interactions with their toddlers to move their language forward during this critical phase of language development.
If you have any concerns about your child being a ‘late talker’, contact a registered Speech-Language Pathologist for a consultation.
