When a child speaks very little, people often say, "Just wait—children will naturally catch up as they grow." But should parents really wait, or should they seek help earlier?

In the old days, the wait-and-see approach was commonly recommended. Today, however, this approach is considered outdated.

In research, there is a term called "late talkers." These are children whose language comprehension, cognitive abilities, play skills, motor development, and social skills are generally age-appropriate, but whose expressive language is very limited.

Typical criteria for identifying late talkers include:

• 18–20 months: fewer than 10 spoken words
• 21–24 months: fewer than 25 spoken words
• 24–30 months: fewer than 50 spoken words, and not yet combining two words

Research shows that 20-30% of late talkers do not naturally catch up to their peers without intervention. This means that simply waiting may not be effective.

For the remaining 70-80%, children may appear to catch up with their peers between ages 5 and 7, reaching language abilities within the normal range. However, studies show they may still perform slightly weaker than their peers in areas such as vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing, executive functioning and verbal memory. These abilities may still fall within the lower end of the normal range, but some of these differences may persist into adolescence, even up to age 17.

Therefore, if you have concerns and your child shows some of the following characteristics, it is recommended to seek a comprehensive speech and language assessment from a speech therapist. Early identification and intervention are important, and parents should not miss the critical early intervention window.

Possible Warning Signs

• Very quiet and rarely babbles
• Family history of speech, language, or learning difficulties
• Limited play skills, especially little or no pretend play
• Minimal interaction at home, or little interest in communicating with others
• Rarely uses gestures to communicate

Early support can make a significant difference in a child’s language development. If in doubt, seeking professional advice early is always a good step.

Reference

Rescorla, L. A. (2013). Late-talking toddlers: a 15-year follow-up. In L. A. Rescorla & P. S. Dale (Eds.), Late talkers: language development, interventions, and outcomes (pp.219-240). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Hawa, V. V. & Spanoudis, G. (2014). Toddlers with delayed expressive language: An overview of the characteristics, risk factors and language outcomes. Researchers in Developmental Disabilities, 35, 400-407.

Ellis, E. M., & Thal, D. J. (2008). Early language delay and risk for language impairment. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 15(3), 93-100.

Singleton, N. C. (2018). Late talkers: Why the wait-and-see approach is outdated. Pediatric Clinics, 65(1), 13-29.

Rescorla, L., Mirak, J.,& Singh, L. (2000). Vocabulary Growth in Late Talkers: Lexical Development from 2;0 to 3;0. Journal of Child Language, 27(2), 293-311.