Is My Child a Late Talker? A Clear, Supportive Guide for Parents
If your toddler is taking their time to start talking, it’s natural to feel concerned. You may be hearing other children their age chatting away while your child communicates mostly through gestures, sounds, or actions.
Here’s the reassuring truth: many toddlers who speak later than expected are known as late talkers, and this is more common than most parents realise.
In this guide, we’ll explore:
What it really means to be a late talker
How to know if your child fits this profile
Whether speech therapy is needed
Practical, parent-friendly ways to support language at home
Who Is Considered a Late Talker?
A late talker is typically a child between 18 and 30 months who is developing more slowly in spoken language compared to peers.
Late talkers may:
Use fewer spoken words than expected for their age
Have difficulty combining words into short phrases
Communicate more through gestures than speech
Show slower progress in expressive language
Some children also show delays in understanding language, while others understand well but struggle to express themselves verbally.
In professional settings, speech-language therapists often use the term late language emergence (LLE). This term reflects that language development includes both understanding (receptive language) and talking (expressive language)—and these skills are closely connected.
How Do I Know If My Child Is a Late Talker?
Many parents first notice concerns when they start comparing their child to peers, siblings, or milestone charts. This worry is valid—and paying attention early is a strength, not a weakness.
Your child may be considered a late talker if you notice some of the following:
Possible Signs of Late Talking
Limited spoken words (fewer than 50 words around age 2)
Slow vocabulary growth over several months
Few or no two-word combinations, such as “more milk” or “mummy come”
Understanding seems age-appropriate (or slightly delayed)
No clear cause, such as hearing loss or global developmental delay
Being a late talker does not automatically mean a long-term language disorder. Some children catch up naturally, while others benefit from early support to strengthen their communication foundation.
TAKE OUR LANGUAGE SCREENER TO SCRREN YOUR CHILD’S CURRENT LEVEL OF LANGUAGE
Using Milestones as a Helpful Guide (Not a Test)
Language milestones aren’t meant to create pressure—they help us notice patterns and progress.
Here are general benchmarks that can help guide your observations:
Around 18 Months
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Follows familiar instructions
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Uses gestures like pointing or waving
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Imitates words they hear
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Uses around 20 spoken words
Around 24 Months
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Understands new words quickly
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Uses more than 50 words
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Begins combining two words
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Participates in simple back-and-forth interactions
Around 30 Months
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Uses several hundred words
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Speaks in short sentences (3–4 words)
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Combines words to ask or answer simple questions
Remember: children develop at different rates. A single milestone alone doesn’t define your child—but patterns over time matter.
I Think My Child Might Be a Late Talker… What Should I Do?
First, take a breath. Late talking does not mean you’ve done anything wrong.
Research shows that more than half of late talkers do eventually catch up. However, it’s not possible to predict which children will catch up independently and which may continue to struggle with expressive language later on.
That’s why a proactive, supportive approach works best.
A speech-language pathologist can:
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Assess your child’s communication strengths
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Identify areas that may need support
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Guide you with practical strategies for home
Early support doesn’t mean labels—it means giving your child the best possible foundation.
Two Key Recommendations for Parents of Late Talkers
1. Start Supporting Language at Home (Right Now)
Parents play a powerful role in early language development. You don’t need special equipment or long therapy sessions—just intentional communication during daily activities.
Even 15–30 minutes a day during routines you already do can make a meaningful difference.
Here are three evidence-based strategies that work particularly well for late talkers:
Focused Stimulation
Repeat important words naturally throughout play and routines. Hearing words many times in meaningful contexts helps children learn.
Increase Commenting
Instead of asking lots of questions, talk about what your child is doing. Comments provide strong language models without pressure.
Follow Your Child’s Interest
Children learn best when they’re engaged. Talking about what captures your child’s attention makes learning easier and more enjoyable.
free home-practice guide or late talker checklist.
2. Consider a Speech & Language Evaluation
Parents often ask:
“Should I wait, or should I get an evaluation?”
An evaluation provides clarity, not commitment. It helps you understand:
Where your child is developmentally
What skills are emerging
Whether therapy is recommended—or not
Even if therapy isn’t needed immediately, having guidance gives peace of mind and direction.
👉 You can seek a referral through your pediatrician. NHS, or connect with private speech therapy services (UK/India/US/global online).
Supporting a Late Talker at Home: More Practical Ideas
Language grows through play, repetition, and connection. Parents often see the most progress when strategies are woven into everyday fun.
Play-Based Language Support
Activities using familiar toys can be powerful:
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Dolls and pretend play
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Cars and vehicles
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Bubbles
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Books
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Blocks and stacking toys
Supporting First Words
Some children need extra help taking that first step into spoken language.
- Helpful resources include:
First words activity ideas
Lists of common early words check freebies
Growing Vocabulary
Once words emerge, the goal becomes helping children say more words across situations.
Strategies that support vocabulary growth can be used during:
Play
Mealtimes
Outdoor activities
Daily routines
Putting Words Together
Combining words is a big milestone—and one that benefits from gentle modeling and repetition.
Support strategies can help children move from single words to short phrases and early sentences naturally.
Final Thoughts for Parents
Every child’s language journey is unique. Being a late talker doesn’t define your child’s future—but how early and intentionally we support communication can shape outcomes.
Trust your instincts.
Observe progress over time.
And remember—you don’t have to do this alone.
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Late Language Emergence.
https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/late-language-emergence/
Fisher, E. L. (2017).
Predictors of expressive-language outcomes among late talkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60(10), 2935–2948.
Kruythoff-Broekman, A., Wiefferink, C., Rieffe, C., & Uilenburg, N. (2019).
Parent-implemented early language intervention for late talkers: Parental behaviour change and child outcomes.
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 54(3), 451–464.
Rescorla, L. (2011).
Late talkers: Do good predictors of outcome exist?
Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 17(2), 141–150.
Rescorla, L. A., & Dale, P. S. (2013).
Late Talkers: Language Development, Interventions, and Outcomes.
Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Taylor, C. L., Zubrick, S. R., & Rice, M. L. (2013).
Late language emergence at 24 months as a risk indicator for language impairment at 7 years.
In Late Talkers: Language Development, Interventions, and Outcomes (pp. 23–40). Brookes.
This article is written by a Speech-Language Therapist and is informed by current research on late language emergence and parent-led early intervention.uthored by Shabana Tariq Speech Language Therapist