We’ve all heard the term “late talkers,” but what does it truly mean to be a late talker? Are these children doomed to stay behind their peers in terms of communication and language development, or can they catch up with extra help and proper interventions? Read on for an exploration of late talker milestones, associated challenges, and tips for parents about recovery.
In this article we will discuss:
What is the Definition of a “Late Talker”?
Late Talker – A toddler who is between 18-30 months with a good understanding of language (receptive language), typically developing motor/play/cognitive/social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for this age. These toddlers have a difficulty with spoken or expressive language.
They may appear to have a “language delay” because they are not saying as many words as their peers. They may also have trouble putting words together to make a sentence. Some late talkers will start to catch up to their peers by the age of three, but some may continue to have difficulty with spoken language.
There are many different causes of late talking, and it is often hard to pinpoint the exact cause. Some possible causes include hearing loss, autism spectrum disorder, and other developmental delays. Many late talkers do not have any underlying medical condition, and their late talking is simply a “delay” in their development.
What are the Speech Milestones for Toddlers?
18 month olds
Use least 20 words, including different types of words like nouns (“doggie”, “car”), verbs (“run”, “sleep”), prepositions (“up”, “down”), adjectives (“cold”, “wet”), and social communication words (“hi”, “bye”).
Point to objects or pictures when they are named for them.
Follow simple one-step commands without gestures (“Please put your book in the toy box”).
Imitate actions in books and real life. (e.g., clapping, waving, “brushing” teeth)
Use objects correctly (e.g., drinking from a cup, brushing hair)
Start pretend play (e.g., feeding a doll, using a stick as a magic wand)
Early intervention is crucial for late talkers
24 month olds
Use at least 100 words
Combine 2 words together
Does not include combinations that are “memorized chunks” (e.g., “thank you”, “bye bye”) True word combinations examples are “ball gone”, “eat more”, or “hi baby”.
Point to body parts when they are named
Follow two-step commands (“Please put your shoes on and then go outside”)
Since these kids are doing well in other areas like social skills or with their receptive language, parents and pediatricians might assume that they will catch up on their own and actually, many do outgrow their “late talking” on their own. But unfortunately many do not catch up to other kids their age.
In fact 20-30% of kids do not outgrow “late talking” on their own.
Why? Because research has shown that there is a correlation between “late talking” and other speech/language impairments and learning disabilities. Also, “late talking” is a risk factor for reading disabilities, especially if your child is a boy.
What are the Risk Factors?
Risk factors that have been identified to help determine if a child is likely to have continuing language problems. This makes it easier to understand if a child is a late talker who will be one of the 30% of children who do not outgrow it on their own.
quiet as an infant; little babbling
a history of ear infections
limited number of consonant sounds (eg. p, b, m, t, d, n, y, k, g, etc.)
does not link pretend ideas and actions together while playing
does not imitate (copy) words
uses mostly nouns (names of people, places, things), and few verbs (action words)
difficulty playing with peers (social skills)
a family history of communication delay, learning or academic difficulties
a mild comprehension (understanding) delay for his or her age
uses few gestures to communicate
Current research strongly suggests that a “wait-and-see” approach with late talkers is outdated and delays treatment that can make a very difference for the child.
What to Do if Your Toddler is a Late Talker
If you’ve noticed your child has a limited vocabulary as well as any of these risk factors, consulting a speech-language pathologist may be a good idea. And research has shown that kids with the last three risk factors (family history, comprehension problems, or few gestures) have the greatest risk for a persistent language delay. If you are a busy parent, speech therapy online may be the most convenient option for your child.
Tips for Helping Your Toddler Talk
Here are some ideas for ways you can help your toddler talk:
Model, Model, Model – Use lots of words when talking to your child and emphasize new words by repeating them several times. Make sure you are using proper grammar as well. If you make a mistake, correct it.
Read, Read, Read – Reading to your child on a daily basis exposes them to a wide variety of words. Try different types of books like pop-up, touch-and-feel, or lift-the-flap.
Describe What You See – As you go about your day point out objects and describe what they are used for. You can also describe what you or others are doing.
Play Games – There are many games that help promote language development like I Spy, animal sounds, and Simon Says.
Use Toys – Pretend play is a great way to encourage your child to use new words and practice using them in different sentences.
What if Your Child Catches Up on Their Own?
At Better Speech, we recommend that even kids who seem to catch up on their own get speech therapy intervention. Why? Because even though many of these toddlers catch up by the time they start school, studies have shown that they continue to have problems with some aspects of language (e.g. grammar). So, getting ahead of the problem by teaching your child early on will help to prevent any difficulties from getting worse as they get older.
Do you need some ideas for what to work on with your child? You can download a month of ideas. Download the calendar here:
At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all late talkers eventually catch up?
Many late talkers (70-80%) do eventually catch up with their same-age peers, while other late talkers may need intervention in order to catch up. There is not always a cause or a reason for late talking, and some children might catch up rapidly with their peers with or without intervention, while some may remain behind for several years to come. Either way, speech-language services are often recommended earlier rather than later, so that the child does not continue to fall further behind.
How long does it take a late talker to talk?
How can I help my late talker child start talking?
References Ellis, E. & Thal, D. (2008). Early Language Delay and Risk for Language Impairment. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 15: 93-100.Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (2008, May 16). Mixed Results For Late-talking Toddlers. ScienceDaily. 16 May 2008. Web. 10 Jun. 2011.Rice, M. L., Taylor, C. L., & Zubrick, S.R. (2008). Language outcomes of 7-year-old children with or without a history of late language emergence at 24 months. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51, 394-407.Olswang, L.B., Rodriguez, B. & Timler, G. (1998). Recommending Intervention for Toddlers With Specific Language Learning Difficulties: We May Not Have All the Answers, But We Know a Lot. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 7, 23 – 32.
