If your child isn’t talking or has been slow to start forming sounds and words, you may wonder what it means.
All children develop at different rates. Some are early talkers, while some start speaking a little later. But a delay can also be an indicator that your child needs extra support.
It can help to understand how to spot delays, and what the different causes might be.
As a guide, most children have about 50 words by the time they are two. By two-and-a-half years, they may have started to use two-word phrases. At age three, children can have about 200 words or more. You child may have a speech delay if, at three:
Development milestones can give you a rough idea of what usually happens when.
Some possible causes of delay include:
A delay in speech won’t always mean your child has one of the above conditions. You can take some steps to help your child’s language skills at home. If you have concerns, there is also support available.
If you’re worried or need more information, you can: