Bilingual SLT logo
Bilingual SLT
Get family guidance

My bilingual child isn’t talking yet. When should I worry?

Toddler playing with stacking blocks on the floor next to a parent's hand

Waiting for a child to talk is hard, and it’s harder when everyone around you disagrees. One relative says give it time. Another mentions a cousin who didn’t speak until three and turned out fine. Someone else suggests it’s the two languages. None of that tells you what to do this month.

The short answer

Ask for advice if, counting words in every language, your child isn’t trying to say at least three words beyond “mama” or “dada” by 18 months, or by 2 years isn’t putting two words together on their own or uses fewer than about 50 words. Ask straight away if they lose words or skills they had, and also ask if they rarely point, struggle to understand simple words in their strongest language, or you’re unsure about their hearing. If you’re worried, that alone is reason enough to ask.

Read this article in Arabic

Two languages don’t delay the start of talking

This one is worth clearing up before anything else, because it changes what you do next. Learning two languages does not make a child start talking later. ASHA states it plainly in its own milestone guidance: learning multiple languages will not cause speech or language problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics says the same, that speech and language problems are not caused by learning multiple languages. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the UK professional body, says the same: bilingualism does not cause, or contribute to, a speech, language or communication disorder.

So bilingualism isn’t a reason to wait, and it isn’t an explanation for a child who isn’t talking. If something’s going on, the two languages didn’t cause it.

First, what does “not talking” actually mean?

The phrase covers very different situations, and the differences matter more than the label does. Is your child completely quiet, or babbling with plenty of sound but no clear words? Do they have a handful of words that come and go? Do they get their meaning across through pointing, pulling you towards things and showing you objects, just without speech?

A child who babbles, points, brings you things and understands what you say is in a different position from one who is quiet, doesn’t point and doesn’t follow familiar routines. Both are worth taking seriously. They aren’t the same picture.

Count every language

Your child’s words are spread across the languages they hear. Hoff and Core, and Byers-Heinlein and Lew-Williams, both make the same point: a vocabulary that looks small in one language often isn’t small once you count everything. If your daughter says “مَيّ” for water and “ball” in English, that’s two words, not one word and a gap.

Consistent approximations count too. If “ba” always means ball and “da” always means the dog, those are words being used with meaning, even if they don’t sound finished. A child doesn’t need to say a word in both languages for it to count. If they do say both, like “water” and “مَيّ”, that’s two words too. And a word doesn’t need accurate pronunciation to count: if it’s recognisable and your child uses it with the same meaning each time, it counts. A word count is only one part of the picture, though, which is why an assessment should look at all your child’s languages and how they use them day to day.

This is why the picture from nursery alone, or a single appointment in English, can mislead. Keep a running list of every word, sound and approximation your child uses in each language, and what it means. It takes minutes a week and it’s the most useful thing you can bring to an appointment.

Milestones are reference points, not cut-offs

The CDC’s milestones describe what at least 75% of children can do by a given age. They’re monitoring tools meant to start a conversation, not diagnostic criteria, and the CDC says so directly. ASHA describes its own milestones the same way. Missing one isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a prompt to ask.

For a bilingual child, words in any language count towards these.

  • Around 12 months: waves bye-bye, calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name, pauses or stops when you say no.
  • Around 15 months: tries one or two words beyond “mama” or “dada”, points to ask for something or to get help, follows a direction given with both words and a gesture.
  • Around 18 months: tries three or more words beyond “mama” or “dada”, and follows a one-step direction without needing a gesture, like giving you the toy when you ask.
  • Around 2 years: puts at least two words together, such as “more milk”, and points to things in a book when you ask.
  • Around 30 months: uses about 50 words and combines words more regularly, including an action word, such as “doggie run”.

You may notice that 50 words comes up twice. The CDC lists about 50 words as a milestone at 30 months. However, using fewer than about 50 words at 2 years is also a commonly used indicator of late language emergence, as described by ASHA. These figures serve different purposes: one describes a developmental milestone, while the other helps identify children who may benefit from further assessment. Neither number diagnoses a language disorder on its own.

For a fuller picture at these ages, including understanding, play and eating, see the milestones for 13 to 18 months and 19 to 24 months.

Look at more than words

Talking is the visible part of communication, and it arrives after a lot of other things. Notice whether your child points at what they want, looks between you and the object, brings things to show you, copies your actions, responds to their name and takes turns in a back-and-forth game.

Understanding matters just as much. Does your child follow familiar routines, recognise names of people and objects, and respond to simple instructions in whichever language they know best? ASHA notes comprehension is one of the better predictors of how a late-talking child goes on to do. Strong understanding and plenty of gestures are encouraging, though they don’t rule out a difficulty on their own.

About “wait and see”

Some children start talking late and catch up without help. ASHA puts it at roughly 50% to 70% of children with late language emergence, which also means a substantial minority don’t. The honest problem is that waiting doesn’t tell you which group your child is in. Understanding, vocabulary size and family circumstances are the best predictors we have, and none is decisive.

What makes “wait and see” worse is when it’s offered because a child is bilingual. ASHA’s guidance on late language emergence is explicit that becoming monolingual is not necessary and should not be advised as a response. If someone has told you to drop Arabic and see what happens, that isn’t treatment.

What helps at home

Keep speaking whichever language you can be most natural in. ASHA’s advice is to talk to your child in the languages you’re most comfortable using, and give them plenty of chances to hear and practise them daily.

  • Follow what your child is interested in and comment on it in short phrases: “car going”, “big ball”, “بدك ميّ”.
  • Repeat what they offer and add one piece. If they point at the water, say “you want water”, or the natural equivalent at home.
  • Offer real choices, like “apple or banana?”, and accept a look, a point, a sound or a word as the answer.
  • Pause after you speak. Give several seconds before repeating yourself.
  • Share books by talking about the pictures rather than asking “what’s this?” over and over.
  • Use songs, routines and repetitive games, which give your child a predictable slot to join in.
  • Don’t make them say a word before handing something over, and don’t correct every attempt.
  • Ask nursery staff what your child understands and communicates with them.

When to ask for advice

  • Your child has lost words, gestures or social skills they previously had. Ask promptly rather than waiting.
  • By around 12 months, no babbling, no gestures like pointing or waving, or no consistent response to sounds and familiar voices.
  • By 18 months, not yet trying to say at least three words beyond “mama” or “dada”, counting words in every language.
  • By 2 years, not putting two words together on their own in any language, or using fewer than about 50 words across all their languages.
  • They seem to struggle to understand familiar words or simple instructions in their strongest language.
  • They rarely point, show you things, copy you or try to get your attention.
  • Little change over several months.
  • Frustration, or difficulty joining in at home or nursery.
  • Any concern about hearing, frequent ear infections, or inconsistent responses to sound.
  • You’re worried, even with no milestone clearly missed.

Speak to your child’s doctor and ask about a hearing check. If you’re in the UK, this is usually your GP or health visitor. If needed, they can refer your child to your local speech and language therapy service. Depending on your local service, you may also be able to refer your child directly. The Hanen Centre recommends having hearing tested even when it seems fine.

Ask for an assessment that looks at communication across all your child’s languages, not just English. An assessment isn’t a diagnosis waiting to happen. Most often it gives you a clearer picture, and if support turns out to be useful, it can start sooner.

Frequently asked questions

Does learning two languages make children start talking later?

No. Learning more than one language does not cause speech or language problems, and bilingual children are expected to reach the same milestones as children learning one language. So if your child isn’t talking yet, bilingualism isn’t the explanation, and it isn’t a reason to wait.

How do I count my child’s words if they use two languages?

Count every word in every language together. Looking at only one language can underestimate a bilingual child’s vocabulary, because their words may be distributed across both languages. When all of a bilingual child’s words are counted across their languages, their total vocabulary is expected to be broadly comparable to that of a child learning one language. A word doesn’t need to be said in both languages to count, and consistent attempts at words can count too, like “ba” for ball or “da” for dog. Keeping a running list of the words your child uses in each language, and what each one means, can be really useful to bring to an appointment.

My child understands a lot but says very little. Is that a good sign?

It’s encouraging. Understanding is one of the best predictors of how a late-talking child goes on to do, and late talkers whose understanding is in the typical range tend to do better than those who struggle both to understand and to talk. Children who catch up also tend to use more gestures. It doesn’t rule out a difficulty on its own, though, so if your child isn’t reaching the talking milestones, it’s still worth asking for advice.

Should we wait and see whether our child catches up?

Many children who start talking late do catch up without help: roughly 50% to 70%, according to ASHA. That also means a substantial minority don’t, and waiting won’t tell you which group your child is in. You don’t need a missed milestone before you ask: the CDC’s advice is not to wait if you have concerns.

Should we stop speaking Arabic, or switch to one language, to help our child talk?

No. ASHA’s guidance on late talking says becoming monolingual is not necessary and should not be advised as a response. Children with language difficulties can learn more than one language. Keep talking to your child in the languages you’re most comfortable using, and give them plenty of chances to hear and use them every day.

My child used to say some words but has stopped. What should I do?

Ask for advice promptly rather than waiting. Losing words, gestures or social skills that a child used to have is a reason to act early, even if other milestones seem on track. Tell your child’s doctor (in the UK, your GP or health visitor) what your child used to do and what has changed.

Does my child need a hearing test?

If your child isn’t talking yet, ask your child’s doctor (in the UK, your GP or health visitor) about a hearing check, even if their hearing seems fine. Checking hearing is a routine part of looking into late talking. Mention any frequent ear infections or times when your child doesn’t respond to sound consistently.

What should an assessment look at for a bilingual child?

It should look at communication in all your child’s languages, not just English, and at what your child understands as well as what they say. Looking at one language alone can make a bilingual child seem more delayed than they are.

Where to go next

Sources

Further reading

  • Paradis, J., Genesee, F., & Crago, M. B. (2021). Dual language development and disorders: A handbook on bilingualism and second language learning (3rd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.
Bodour Imseeh

Written by Bodour Imseeh

I'm a speech and language therapist specialising in bilingual development, speech sounds and early literacy. Since 2021, I've worked with children in schools and private practice in the UK and Middle East, and I speak Arabic and English fluently.

More about me →

Keep reading