Guide
When should you worry about a speech delay?
"Wait and see" is the advice families hear most often. Sometimes it is right. These are the points at which it stops being right.
By 12 months
No babbling, no pointing and no gestures.
By 18 months
No single words, or your child does not respond to their own name.
By 2 years
Fewer than fifty words, or no two-word phrases.
By 3 years
Strangers understand less than half of what your child says.
At any age
Your child loses words or skills they already had. Ask for help quickly.
Common questions
- Our doctor said to wait. Should we?
- An assessment does not commit you to therapy. It gives you a measurement instead of an opinion, and you can still decide to wait afterwards.
This page gives general information only. It is not a diagnosis. For your own child, see a registered speech-language therapist or a doctor.