Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
A late talker is a toddler between 18 and 30 months old who says fewer words than expected for their age. In every other way, they’re on track. They understand what you say, engage with people, play well, and reach other milestones on time. Per the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, about 10% to 20% of 2-year-olds are late talkers. About 50% to 70% catch up to their peers by kindergarten on their own. But there’s no clear way to tell early on which children will catch up and which won't. Because speech therapy before age 3 can be so effective, most speech therapists suggest an evaluation rather than a “wait-and-see” approach.
Key takeaways
A late talker is a toddler (18-30 months old) with an expressive language delay only. They understand language, and they play and interact well. They just don't use many words yet.
Late talkers have fewer than 50 words and no two-word combinations (like “more milk”) by 24 months.
A late talker is not the same as a speech delay. A speech or language delay involves gaps in understanding, social skills, or thinking, too. A late talker's delay is limited to spoken words.
About half to two-thirds of late talkers catch up by kindergarten. But you can't tell early on which children will catch up. A speech evaluation is the only way to know.
Speech therapy for late talkers is proven to work. Even a few months of therapy, especially when parents are involved, can speed up word growth and lower the risk of later language problems.
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Screener for childrenWhat is a "late talker"?
Late talker: definition
A late talker is a toddler between 18 and 30 months old whose spoken vocabulary is well below what’s expected for their age. This usually means they’re using fewer than 50 words at age 24 months, or not using two-word combos, like “Mommy go.” All else is on track: receptive language (what the child understands), play, social skills, and thinking. The delay is related to expressive language—the words a child says. The child understands you. They just aren't saying much back yet.
Toddlers who are late talkers use fewer words than expected for their age. Despite this delay, late talkers often have typical development in other areas, like understanding language, play, motor skills, and social interactions.
A late talker has a delay specific to expressive language, meaning they struggle to use words to communicate. While the exact cause is unclear, research shows late talkers are more likely to have a family history of language delays, be male, or have been born prematurely or with low birth weight.
A late talker does not have an obvious cause for their delay—no major developmental delays, hearing loss, or intellectual disabilities.
What is the typical age for a baby’s first word? Learn about speech milestones, how to help your toddler talk, and how to know if they might have a delay.
Is my child a late talker, or is it a speech delay?
“The difference rests on one question: Is the delay only in spoken words, or does it also touch on understanding, social skills, or thinking?” says Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP, a speech therapist at Expressable. “A late talker's delay is limited to spoken words. A speech or language delay involves gaps in more than one area.”
Use the profiles below to see which pattern fits your child. But remember that only a speech-language pathologist can make the diagnosis.
Late talker profile:
Fewer than 50 spoken words at 24 months, or not combining two words by 24 months
Understands most of what you say (“Go get your shoes,” “Where's the ball?”); their comprehension is on track
Uses gestures, points, looks at what you point to, shares attention with others, plays pretend
Reaches milestones for motor skills, thinking, and social interaction on time
No hearing loss and no known health condition
Speech or language delay profile:
A child with a speech or language delay has fewer than 50 words at 24 months, plus one or more of the signs below:
Trouble understanding you (doesn't follow simple directions, doesn't know names of familiar objects)
Rarely uses gestures, has poor eye contact, doesn't point or share attention
Has delays in play, motor skills, or social interaction
May have a known cause for the delay, such as hearing loss, chronic ear infections, a health diagnosis, or a family history of language problems
Bottom line: If your child fits the late talker profile, an evaluation is still worth it to know for sure whether they need support. If your child shows any of the speech or language delay signs—especially trouble with understanding or social skills—it’s important to have an evaluation. For more on speech and language delay in toddlers, see our guide on speech delay in 2- and 3-year-olds.
Communication milestones by age
It's also helpful to know the speech and language milestones expected for your child's age. This can help you tell whether your child is on track, or if they might need extra support.
You'll notice that for many of these milestones, there's a range. While there is a general timeline for speech and language development, kids develop at their own rates. “For example, some children will say their first word at around 12 months old. Others don't start talking for a few more months,” Barnes notes.
Smiles, makes eye contact, responds to social cues
Babbles and experiments with sounds
Begins to use simple gestures like waving
Says first words
Follows simple directions
Recognizes names of common items and people
Uses at least 50 words
Combines words into simple phrases (“want cookie”)
Speaks clearly enough for family to understand about 50% of the time
Learn what to expect in your child's early language development. Plus, how early intervention speech therapy can support your toddler's communication.
Beyond 24 months:
Vocabulary keeps growing
Begins forming longer sentences
Understands and follows more complex instructions
Signs for potential concerns beyond age 2 include:
Limited vocabulary
Difficulty combining words
Speech that’s hard to understand
Low engagement or lack of interaction with other people
Trouble understanding simple directions
Learn when speech therapy is needed for a speech delay and what to expect in your child’s speech delay treatment.
When should you seek help for your child’s speech?
So when should you worry about a late talker? If your child isn’t meeting these milestones, it’s worth contacting a speech-language pathologist (also known as a speech therapist). It’s also important to check your child’s hearing, even if they seem to hear well. Subtle hearing issues can affect speech and language development.
“Early intervention is powerful!” Barnes says. “Research shows that children who start speech therapy early are more likely to catch up to their peers.”
Signs your late talker is likely to catch up
Long-term research on late talkers has found a clear set of signs that point to good outcomes. These researchers followed the same group of late talkers into the teen years. Late talkers who show these signs at 24 to 30 months are the most likely to catch up to their peers by kindergarten:
Strong understanding—follows directions, knows names of familiar people and things, follows when someone points
Uses many gestures (pointing, waving, showing, giving) to fill in for missing words
Tries to say new words often, even if they're not clear (says “ba” for ball, “nana” for banana)
Adds at least one new word per week to their spoken vocabulary
Plays pretend, shares attention with a grownup, and shows interest in other kids
No family history of long-term language, learning, or reading problems
Late talkers without most of these signs are at higher risk of long-term language problems. This is especially true if they don’t understand language well, don’t use many gestures, or have a strong family history of language problems. These children benefit most from an early evaluation.
And even for kids who do catch up, a long-term study found that late talkers as a group score lower than their peers on vocabulary, grammar, and verbal memory at age 17. That's one more reason early speech therapy is so important.
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Get startedTips for helping your late talker at home
You can make some changes at home to encourage speech and language development. Here are some ways to support your child's speech:
Talk to your child throughout the day: Narrate your day, including yours and your child’s actions. (“I’m washing the dishes. The water is warm!”)
Offer choices: Instead of anticipating your child’s needs, give them options to encourage communication (“Do you want apples or bananas?”)
Model simple language: Use short, simple phrases and repeat words often. Hold objects near your mouth when naming them to draw attention to your speech.
Pause and wait: After you say something, pause and give your child time to respond. Even if they don’t say a full word, responding with sounds or gestures is a step forward.
Read books together: Choose books with repetitive language and engaging pictures. Point to the pictures and label them. Encourage your child to imitate your words or sounds.
Teach simple signs: Teach your child basic sign language for common words like “more,” “all done,” or “help.” This can give your child a way to communicate while building their confidence in using words.
How do you get a toddler to pay attention in speech therapy? Find out what speech therapy sessions look like for toddlers.
Speech therapy can help late talkers
Speech therapy for late talkers is targeted, often short, and works well when it starts before age 3. A late talker is already meeting milestones in comprehension and social skills. So speech therapy focuses on helping them use more words and combine them into two-word phrases.
Most late talkers who get early speech therapy make real gains in 3 to 6 months. Many are done with therapy before kindergarten.
Evidence-based approaches used with late talkers include a few core methods:
Focused stimulation means the therapist overuses target words on purpose during play. (For example, repeating “my turn” many times during a game.)
Milieu teaching means the therapist follows the child's lead and prompts words in context. (For example, if a child is interested in blowing bubbles, the therapist might focus on the words “bubble” or “pop.”)
Enhanced milieu teaching adds parent coaching, so caregivers learn to use these strategies at home with their child. This helps the child learn to communicate during everyday routines.
“At Expressable, our speech therapists use a parent coaching model built for late talkers,” Barnes explains. “Sessions are online, play-based, and involve parents. You leave each one with strategies to use with your child during daily moments, like meals, bathtime, and storytime. Because you're with your child all week, your involvement speeds up their progress.”
If you’re concerned about your child’s speech, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Get matched with a speech therapist who's right for your family. We’ll answer your questions and help you determine the next best steps for your child’s language growth.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
A late talker is a toddler between 18 and 30 months old with a smaller spoken vocabulary than expected—usually fewer than 50 words at 24 months, or no two-word combos (like “more juice”). All else is on track: they understand what you say, play and interact as expected, and hit other milestones on time. The delay is specific to expressive language, or the words a child says. Per ASHA, about 10% to 20% of 2-year-olds are late talkers. About half to two-thirds catch up to peers by kindergarten. But early evaluation is the only way to spot the kids who won't catch up on their own.
The difference rests on one question: Is the delay only in spoken words, or does it also involve the child’s understanding, social skills, or thinking? Late talkers have a delay in spoken words only. They still understand you, use gestures, share attention, and play well. A speech or language delay involves gaps in more than one area. It may also have a known cause, such as hearing loss, a health diagnosis, chronic ear infections, or a family history of language problems. Only a speech-language pathologist can make the diagnosis.
About 50% to 70% of late talkers catch up to their peers by kindergarten without speech therapy. This has been shown across many long-term studies. That leaves 30% to 50% who don’t catch up on their own. Those kids are at higher risk for language and reading problems in school. There is no way to know early on which group a child will fall into. That’s why a speech and language evaluation is never a bad idea.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech and occupational therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication, feeding, and developmental skills, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 4,500 5-star reviews from our clients (4.83/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech and occupational therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
