Your child isn't talking. Here's what to do.
Whether your child is 2, 3, or older and not using the words you'd expect, there's a calm, practical path forward — starting with ruling out the most common causes.
First, rule out the basics
Hearing difficulties , even mild, intermittent ones from ear infections or fluid , are one of the most common and most overlooked causes of a child not talking. If a hearing check hasn't been done recently, that's a sensible, quick first step alongside seeking a speech and language assessment, not instead of it.
Common explanations
- A speech or language delay , the most common explanation, and often very responsive to therapy
- Hearing difficulty , worth checking, easily ruled in or out
- Bilingual development , children learning two languages sometimes talk later in each individual language, though total communication is usually on track
- Autism , communication differences can include delayed or absent speech, alongside other features
- Selective mutism or shyness , talks at home, not elsewhere
- Childhood apraxia of speech , a motor planning difficulty affecting speech production specifically
What not to do
Please don't wait it out for months hoping it resolves on its own without at least getting a professional opinion. An assessment is quick, non alarming, and either reassures you or gets your child the right support started early , both are better than continuing to wonder.
Your practical next steps
Check hearing
Rule out a common, treatable cause first.
Book an assessment
A clear, individual answer rather than general advice.
Keep talking and playing
Narrate daily life and follow your child's lead — it helps regardless of the cause.
Don't wait alone
You don't need a referral to book privately and get moving.
Questions parents ask
My 2-year-old isn't talking at all — what should I do first?+
Book a hearing check if one hasn't been done recently (hearing difficulties are a common, treatable, and often overlooked cause), then book a speech and language assessment. Both are quick to arrange and rule out — or point toward — the most common explanations.
My 3-year-old stopped talking after previously using words — is this urgent?+
Yes, a genuine loss of previously acquired language or speech skills (as opposed to simply being slow to add new ones) is something to have assessed promptly rather than monitored — please contact us or your GP without delay.
Could my child just be shy or strong-willed rather than delayed?+
Selective mutism (talking freely at home but not elsewhere) and general shyness are real and different from a speech or language delay. An assessment can help tell these apart, since the right support looks quite different for each.