My boyfriend didn't say his first word until he was three. He lived in Texas and has a Spanish speaking nanny and his parents spoke English at home. When they finally moved to Pennsylvania when he was three he started talking perfectly normal.

Thank you ladies
I will decline the psychologist.

As a sped teacher, I would wait it out with the psychologist. Like you said, she was with her non-english speaking grandma and just recently started daycare. Some kids just lack stimulation that why they "bloom" at a later stage. This is why it's important for her to socialize with other kids because she learns a lot of skills including communication. As for the speech therapist though, I think it wouldn't hurt to get some help from them because they come up with programs and give you techniques on how you can elicit more verbal response from your child -- it doesn't even have to be structured, it can be incorporated during daily routines which can really feel natural. As for the occupational therapist, if your child doesn't have behavioral issues or movement issues, I'd say wait it out too. The added stress is just not worth it.

The key is constant stimulation/interaction.

I agree with everyone else that it is amazing how all children are so different and reach milestones at a different pace. The guidelines are so stressful. I just went through this with my son as well. He has been late on all of his milestones. I took him to his pediatrician and she said right away not to worry about autism. He is just more of a shy and cautious toddler.

Some things she stressed are important in terms of autism is if your child makes eye contact and interacts with you by wanting to show you things, give hugs, etc. It is much more of a social thing than straight up communication. My son also acts more open with me than he does with others. I think moms have a feeling about their children, and honestly I would have never thought anything was wrong with him until I started stressing about the milestone guidelines. Now in the past month (he is almost 2) I have seen significant changes. They just seem to pick up on things when they want to!

That's why I don't like to do monthly doctors visits. In my opinion every kid is so different you can't put them under one category. My sister would not talk for a long time, now she is 23 and sometimes we wish that she would just be quit! As a mother you know what's right and what's not for your kid!

My nephew didnt talk until he was 4. Please do not go to a psychologist. These are kids, they are bound to be hyper and not pay attention. The psychologist are probably gonna say "yup, she has autism" out of the description that you have and prescribe her a ton of medication.

Good grief. I have stressed sooo much about this same subject.
My oldest, Ryan, is 3.5. He was a very late talker. He is improving, and I have to constantly remind myself of his progress. He says long strings of nonsense no one understands. Then, he asks very clearly for his favorite food or movie. I tried to get his hearing tested when he was two, just in case, but wouldn't cooperate and wasn't testable. They told me to bring him back later.
Now, my little girl is 1.5 years old. At her 15 month appointment, the nurse practitioner made a big stink because she had three words instead of eight.
The truth is, I keep the kids home with me. It isn't worth it to pay up for daycare when our kids don't need it. We're just waiting things out and trying not to stress.
GL!

My 2.4 year old just started talking 4 months ago. Her doctor was worried a little bit and gave me 2 options. 1. to wait it out or 2.speech therapy. We decided to wait it out. After all..... every child is different. She is now talking like crazy. She Can communicate so much. We started actively reading to her multiple times every day the same books over and over. Its amazing as she is now practically reading them with us. I totally understand the importance of reading daily. This next baby i will read a book everyday. I didn't understand and thought everyone was wack as they were telling me to read everyday even at birth. I'm now understanding why it's really important for speech. I mean I talked to her all the time and read books once she was is enough to sit and watch. Its just something in the brain about reading books that really helps with speech. I say hang in there. Don't worry some kids don't talk right away. Especially if they are not the only child. Its often found that the older sibling talks for them So they have no need to talk.

All docs will say at a different age. I wouldn't worry much until there is something to worry about! My son turned 1 in January and he has an appointment tomorrow for speech therapy. I think it's ridiculous but his doctor highly recommended it and it's covered by insurance. All because at his 1year check up I said that he wasn't forming words yet. As of last week he is now starting to. It's just ridiculous how they will scare anything into parents and really kids just learn at their own pace.

Thank you ladies so much, you're the best! ???
Made me feel so much better

I've been through all of that. We had a 4hr evaluation at a hospital that determined my son was on the autism spectrum. We started speech therapy with First Steps, then he transitioned to a special education preschool. He's 4 now and still doesn't fully speak actual words, but therapy has definitely helped us out a ton. It's frustrating for everyone involved when you can communicate with your child, but I assure you it gets better.

Get a second opinion!! My daughter has been in speech therapy 14 months now. She started a few months before her second birthday (she will be three in june) she was not talking really at all just mama and dada.we were told at first there could be other issues. She had an evaluation with all therapists and she was only way behind in speech. She didnt start really improving until January after spending a week with my nieces. Im a stay at home mom so she isnt around many other kids. Honestly speech therapy has been great but I think the best therapy for her is being in day care around other children and she will really start talking! I have alot of info about speech delays you are welcome to message me!

Dont stress. Bilingual kids take longer. Mine started out of nowhere with almost no baby gibberish and fluent in both languages.

Dont let them scare you. I think it sounds like she is an normal 2 year old.

I wouldn't be too alarmed right now. My ds is an only child (til june), and never was in daycare or around other children. He would talk, but it was limited and hard to understand. His pediatrician recommended speech therapy as well for him. However the place he referred us to, had such a long wait list- that he ended up never going. We put him in daycare for a few days a week, to get some socialization. Within a month he was saying things outside of his normal vocabulary, and speaking clearer. He's not in daycare anymore, but I think he's doing fine. He's now just at that point were I think his brains going to fast for his mouth, so he tends to talk a little fast- usually when he's excited. But we're working on it, and I don't see a need for concern. I would get a second opinion and keep your lo in daycare for a bit longer. You'll see changes soon. Gl.

My 2-year old babbles up a storm and only uses a few select words (Mama, Daddy, juice, please, no, more). He gets in parrot modes where he will repeat almost any word I say, but won't use them on his own. Doctor isn't concerned as long as he's being social (aka babbling).