“He’s two and he only says a few words — my mother-in-law says boys are just late talkers”

Speech delay at 2 needs a developmental history beyond words: understanding, pointing and showing, response to name, eye contact, pretend play, repetitive behaviours, sensory differences, motor skills and hearing. Always ask about regression — loss of skills needs urgent referral. Bilingualism does not cause language delay. Arrange a hearing test, involve the health visitor, refer to speech and language therapy, and when there are social communication concerns refer to the local autism (neurodevelopmental) pathway, as NICE recommends, rather than waiting to see. On video you can observe the child — ask permission and describe what you see. Explore the parent’s own concern: many parents fear “a label” or blame themselves; framing assessment as a route to support helps.