You noticed something.
That curiosity is already
helping your child.

A child who isn't talking yet may or may not have a speech delay — timing varies widely, and many children who talk later catch up fully. What matters most isn't just the word count: Is your child babbling? Using gestures? Understanding what you say? Engaging in back-and-forth interaction? If something feels off — even if you can't pinpoint what — that's a valid reason to mention it to your paediatrician and ask for a referral to an SLP. Earlier is always better than waiting →

"Wait and see" sometimes reflects genuine clinical reasoning — some children do catch up without intervention. But it can also reflect under-referral or long system waits. You are entitled to ask for a referral to a speech-language pathologist even if your paediatrician suggests waiting. A speech evaluation is an information-gathering step, not a commitment to anything. If you're uncertain, asking directly — "Can we get an SLP referral to get a clearer picture?" — is reasonable. What to expect at an evaluation →

Speech refers to the physical production of sounds — how clearly a child articulates words. A speech delay means difficulty with sounds or intelligibility. Language refers to the system of meaning — understanding words, putting them together, communicating intent. A language delay means the language system is behind, which can affect understanding (receptive language), production (expressive language), or both. Some children have one, some have both. Read the full explanation →

It could be, but most children with speech delays are not autistic — speech delay has many possible contributors including hearing differences, neurological variation, gestalt language processing, and family history of late talking. Autism affects communication in varying ways: some autistic children are early talkers, some are late, and some use little or no spoken language. If autism is a concern, mention it to your paediatrician — a developmental assessment is a separate process from a speech evaluation, and both can happen at the same time. Autism and speech development →

Quite a bit. Following your child's lead in play, narrating what you're both doing, waiting expectantly instead of filling every silence, and responding to any communication — gestures, sounds, looks, as well as words — are all evidence-informed strategies. They don't require specialist training and fit into ordinary daily routines. See the at-home strategies →

The most direct route is to ask your child's paediatrician or GP for a referral. In the US, children under 3 can be referred to early intervention services without a referral. In the UK, GPs and health visitors make NHS SaLT referrals. For private or faster access, a Google Maps search for "speech language pathologist near me" is a good starting point. Find help near you →