How do I support a child who speaks little or not at all?

The short answer

Begin from what is known: the child uses little or no reliable speech. That fact does not tell you how much they understand, what they think or which communication method will suit them. Speak to them directly, use age-respectful language, explain what affects them and allow a response through looking, reaching, gesture, signing, objects, pictures, symbols, typing or AAC. Notice patterns but check your interpretation rather than treating behaviour as a fixed code. Build communication beyond choosing food: the child needs ways to refuse, stop, ask for help, report pain, comment, ask, joke and repair misunderstandings. Ask for an individual speech and language assessment, including AAC, without waiting for a readiness threshold. Check hearing and health, particularly when communication changes. Keep the child's communication available in every setting and make sure other people respond to it.

• Amount of speech does not establish the child's understanding, intelligence or inner experience.
• Speak to the child directly and allow several ways to respond.
• Treat interpretation as a hypothesis the child can confirm or reject.
• Build access to refusal, pain, help, comment and connection, not requests alone.
• Ask for individual speech and language and AAC assessment without a readiness test.