My Child Stopped Saying Words That They Used to Say. Is This Normal?

When your child seems to have a pause or a loss in their language skills, it’s natural to worry.

When a child stops showing language skills they once had, they are experiencing a “language regression”. During a language regression, your child might stop saying words they used to say or might go from talking to babbling. 

All children experience some form of language regression at some point.

Some forms of language regression are  expected. Communication development is not always linear and, sometimes, babies and toddlers have short, natural pauses or regressions in their communication development. 

These expected pauses in development can last a couple of days to 1-2 weeks and can be caused by illness, bursts in other areas of development, a routine or life change, and interest in other skills. 

During typical and expected language regressions, we expect that:

• Your child will continue communicating in other ways (e.g. pointing, gesturing, using ASL vocabulary).

• Your child will show continued, upward growth in her communication development and an upward trend in their overall vocabulary.

• Your child is where we expect them to be in their communication development.

• The old skills come back on their own after a few days or weeks.

While a short pause in your child’s communication skills may be just that, here are some signs that your toddler that your toddler’s language regression might need more investigation:

• Your child is experiencing a language regression and you cannot pinpoint the cause.

• Your child has a consistent loss of skills, or a pause in skills lasting more than two weeks.

• Your child is having regressions in other areas of development.

• Your child does not regain skills they used to have.

If you can’t pinpoint the cause of your child’s language regression and their skills don’t reappear in time, it’s a good idea to get support.