My son is already two years old, and he barely talks - just individual sounds like "ma-ma" and "pa-pa". But he's great at pointing at everything he needs, he mumbles, makes sounds. He plays normally with kids his age at daycare. The doctor says it's individual and could be a speech development delay. Should I start working with a speech therapist now or wait?
The main thing is not to panic and not to bounce around between speech therapists hoping that someone will magically get your child talking in two weeks. A speech delay at two years old is actually within the normal range, especially if the boy understands everything and is actively communicating with gestures. But you shouldn't just sit back and do nothing either.
Try first to create conditions at home that stimulate speech: comment on what your child is doing ("You built a tower, great job!"), read books together, sing simple songs, name objects. Often kids just don't get enough speech input - when there's a lot of talking going on around them, they start to catch up. While you're at it, observe how he hears things - does he react to his name from a distance, does he listen to music.
If after three or four months of active interaction there's almost no progress, then it makes sense to see a speech therapist - not for a course of sessions, but for a consultation and recommendations. The doctor ruled out serious neurological problems? Great. That means you're in a more positive scenario, you just need patience and consistency at home. You can also get his hearing checked by an audiologist at the same time, if you haven't already - sometimes that's the simple reason behind speech issues.
Does he understand what you're saying to him? If your child responds normally to his name, follows simple requests without gestures, and communicates actively in other ways - that's a good sign. At two years old, the range of normal development really is huge; some kids don't start speaking in sentences until three, but since your doctor already mentioned a possible delay, don't put off seeing a speech therapist.
A consultation at least once won't hurt - a specialist can give you a more accurate assessment of whether this is within normal range or if there's actually an issue worth addressing now. Better to get it checked and sleep soundly than regret it later.
Start speech therapy sessions right now - at two years old it won't hurt, and if needed it'll show whether there's actually a problem or everything's fine. At the same time, pay attention to sound imitation: during playtime deliberately make animal sounds, car noises, ask your child to repeat them - this often gets speech going better than just saying "say a word." If your child understands what you're saying well and is actively communicating with gestures, then most likely development is on track, but it's worth covering your bases.
Pay attention to how actively your child listens to you and tries to copy the sounds you make - this often works better than any structured lessons. If he responds to his name, follows your speech with his eyes, and tries to imitate you, then seeing a speech therapist is more for your peace of mind than out of medical necessity. But here's what really matters: avoid situations where you guess what he wants from his gestures - give him a chance to ask for things with words, even if it's just a single syllable, let him repeat sounds after you just for fun. This often works better than deliberate practice sessions.
Try deliberately "getting it wrong" when naming things as you show them to your son - like you point at a cat and say "dog," then look at him expectantly. Kids at that age often start reacting more actively when they need to correct an adult, and that stimulates speech better than direct lessons. As for a speech therapist - there's no point rushing if your child understands speech, follows requests, and communicates actively with gestures. But it's worth getting a speech therapist to check his hearing and mouth motor skills at least for your own peace of mind, so you'll know whether he actually needs sessions or just time.
What's he like in general - active, curious, or withdrawn? Because if the kid understands speech well, plays with other children, and communicates actively with gestures - that really could just be a late start with talking, it happens. But it wouldn't hurt to see a speech therapist at two just for an assessment - you don't necessarily need to start intensive sessions, just so a specialist can check if there are any physical issues (with hearing, muscle tone, tongue mobility). If everything's fine and he's just a late talker - okay then, but it's worth checking.
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