Parents often wonder whether it's "too early" to start communication-focused therapy, or whether it's worth waiting to see if language develops on its own first. Here's how to think about timing.
The General Principle: Earlier Is Better
Across the research on both autism intervention broadly and communication development specifically, earlier support is consistently associated with stronger outcomes. This doesn't mean there's a hard cutoff after which support stops being valuable — communication intervention can help at any age — but it does mean there's real value in not waiting for more certainty before starting.
You Don't Need a Finalized Autism Diagnosis to Start
If you have concerns about your young child's communication development, you don't necessarily need to wait for a formal autism diagnosis before pursuing speech-language evaluation and services. In Michigan, Early On provides free developmental screening and services for children under three regardless of diagnostic status, based purely on developmental concern.
Common Reasons Families Wait (and Why They're Usually Not Good Reasons)
Some common but ultimately unhelpful reasons families delay: "he's just a late talker, boys develop slower" (sometimes true, but not something to assume without evaluation when other signs are also present), "she'll catch up eventually" (possible, but waiting to find out delays support that could help either way), and "I don't want to worry unnecessarily" (an evaluation itself doesn't create a problem — it either identifies a genuine need for support or provides reassurance, both of which are useful outcomes).
Signs That Suggest It's Worth Pursuing Now
If your child shows limited use of gestures or pointing by around 12 months, no words by around 16 months, no two-word phrases by around 24 months, or any loss of previously acquired language or social skills at any age, these are generally considered signs worth evaluating promptly rather than waiting on.
What Starting Early Actually Looks Like
Starting communication-focused support early doesn't mean intensive, all-day therapy from infancy — it typically starts with developmental screening, then age-appropriate intervention scaled to your child's specific needs, which might be relatively light-touch support at first and increase if concerns are confirmed and needs become clearer.
There's Rarely a Real Downside to Starting Early
Even if it turns out your child didn't need ongoing communication support, pursuing an evaluation and early intervention causes little to no harm — while waiting when support was genuinely needed does have a real cost in lost time. This asymmetry is part of why "wait and see" is generally not recommended by professionals when genuine concerns are present.
Getting Started
If you have concerns about your child's communication development, the practical first steps are: a developmental screening through your pediatrician or Early On, and if concerns are confirmed, referral to a speech-language pathologist and, if autism is suspected, a comprehensive autism evaluation (see How Is Autism Diagnosed in Michigan?).
For Wyoming-Area Families
If your Wyoming-area child has a communication delay or autism diagnosis and you're ready to start ABA therapy, Our Individual ABA Therapy service is designed around exactly this kind of goal. our in-home ABA therapy in Wyoming page has more information, or Get Started Today to get started.
This article is part of our complete guide, Nonverbal Autism: Communication Strategies That Work. Clinically reviewed by Kimberly Blazer, BCBA.