Most parents asking this aren't looking for a lecture. They want to know if what they're seeing is normal, whether it's worth acting on, and how to do that without turning their kid into a test subject. So let's keep this practical: what to notice, what to try, and when to bring in a professional.
The more useful question isn't "how do I get my child to talk right now?" It's "what is my child already communicating, and what would make the next step a little easier for them?" That mindset keeps things low-pressure at home, and it also gives whoever evaluates your child, whether that's an SLP, pediatrician, early intervention team, or school team, better information to work with.
Watch across several different moments rather than judging one hard afternoon. Pay attention to gestures, pretend play, how your child responds to their name, sound attempts, scripts, AAC use, and whether they seem to understand more than they can actually say. A pattern that shows up across routines tells you a lot more than any single moment does.
For this week, pick one routine that already happens daily, and just add one thing to it: model a useful word, phrase, AAC button, or gesture, then pause long enough for your child to respond in whatever form that takes. A sign, a point, a script, an approximation, a button press on a device: all of it counts as communication. And if the moment starts turning into a battle, stop. That's not the goal. There are a few different paths into an evaluation, and it helps to know them going in: a pediatrician referral, self-referral to early intervention if your child is under 3, your school district if they're 3 or older, or a private SLP. Each comes with its own cost, timeline, and process, so it's worth asking upfront what to expect.
If this concern is part of a bigger pattern, don't wait to ask for help. You can request a hearing check, an early intervention evaluation, a private SLP evaluation, a school-based evaluation, or a broader developmental assessment. Getting ahead of it doesn't mean you're overreacting. It means giving your child access to support sooner rather than later.
For more on this, the Free Speech Resources hub is a good starting point, and our parent guides collection covers related ground in more depth. You might also find it helpful to read about what happens during an ADOS autism evaluation, try some setups that encourage talking, or practice the ten-second pause and following your child's lead. If you're weighing a diagnosis, it's worth knowing about getting a second opinion and understanding what M-CHAT screening actually means, and at home, parallel talk and self-talk alongside play-based speech therapy are both worth trying.