As parents, we’re often very conscious of our baby’s milestones and development</a>; marking down their first smile, when they finally slept through the night, and that first wobbly-leg attempt at standing. But what if that little one you’ve nurtured, cuddled, and read to over the months has yet to utter their first words? What if instead, they opt for nonverbal communication techniques to let you know their needs?
What is nonverbal communication exactly? Well, if your child has been communicating to you with hand gestures, pointing, body language, eye contact, and other cues that are not actual words, they are communicating nonverbally.
If this is the case, and your child isn’t speaking as much as you think they should, or at all, read on for a speech and language milestone checklist and tips on how to know when to reach out to your child’s doctor for guidance.
Ways to improve child communication
Nonverbal child? When you should be concerned
All children develop at different rates and reach milestones at various times, so when your child is nonverbal, it can be tough to know when it’s time to seek professional help. If your child is not talking and hasn’t developed appropriate language skills for their age, use the following guidelines to help you gauge whether or not it might be time to take action.
- Child language development is progressing but then suddenly stops
- Language development doesn’t change or improve after several weeks
- The child’s language development regresses
- The child tries to communicate but becomes frustrated that they’re unable to get their point across
While most people associate a nonverbal child with the autism spectrum, there are a number of causes. These include apraxia of speech, speech and language disorders, and selective mutism, which can be anxiety related.
For Emily Barton, finding the right resources for her nonverbal daughter took time. Her daughter Jaxlee, who has cerebral palsy, saw little improvement with therapy. “The more time that went on, the more I grieved her inability to be verbal,” Barton wrote on her blog. “She couldn’t tell me simple things like she was thirsty, needed a hug, or wanted to play dress up. I became an expert at her body language and the little sign language she could coordinate to tell me something.”
At the age of 2.5, Jaxlee was evaluated for Augmented and Alternative Communication (AAC) which in her case allows her to communicate with a tablet, and she’s been using it and improving ever since. “She is in a general ed Kindergarten class where she fully participates in her class through her AAC. She can communicate things that we had no idea she knew,” Barton wrote.
If you suspect that your child may have a language delay, connect with your child’s pediatrician. They can refer your child to a licensed speech therapist if further evaluation is necessary.
