Will my late-talking toddler catch up on their own?
A “late talker” is a toddler, typically between 18-30 months, who starts talking later compared to same-aged peers, has a limited vocabulary, and may have trouble combining words.
According to the American Speech-Language and Hearing, the percentage of toddlers who talk late is estimated to be:
13.5% of 18-23 month olds
10 - 20% of 24 month olds
16 - 17.5% of 30-36 month olds
Some late talkers “catch up” on their own, but it’s impossible to tell which toddlers will and which will need professional support from a speech-language pathologist. Even when they do appear to catch up to other children their age, these toddlers are still at greater risk for difficulties with reading, social skills, and later academic success.
While we can’t predict which late talkers will catch up on their own, there are some risk factors that make it LESS likely:
quiet as an infant (little babbling)
a history of ear infections
a mild delay in their understanding of language
uses mostly nouns and few action words
has few consonant sounds
does not link pretend ideas and actions while playing
does not imitate (copy) words
difficulty playing with peers
a parent or sibling with language and/or learning difficulties
uses few gestures to communicate
Since we don’t have a magic ball to tell us which late talkers will catch up, and which ones will continue to struggle, I recommend to “check and see” instead of “wait and see”. Early intervention is key to helping your little one close the gap!
If you need help finding a speech-language pathologist for your toddler, click here for helpful resources and directories. Join the newsletter to get easy tips and encouragement delivered directly to your inbox!
References and Further Reading:
Ellis, E. M. & Thal, D. J. (2008).
Hanen Early Language Program, (2012)
Hawa, V. V. & Spanoudis, G. (2014).
Horowitz et al., (2003); Rescorla & Achenbach, (2002).
Paul, R. (1991).
Rescorla, (1989); Rescorla & Alley, (2001); Roulstone et al., (2002); Zubrick et al., (2007).
