i don't want to say you worry too much, because everyone worries too much when it comes to their children, but i think you should follow your instinct and relax a little.  you say he's social, responsive, can pay attention, etc, and the only sign of anything being out of the ordinary is his lack of speech. well, i really believe if that's the case that he'll talk when he's ready. everyone else is trying to read a whole lot of something into what will probably amount to nothing, and its causing you a whole lot of unneeded stress. you're his mother, you know your son better then anyone. i honestly think that one of the biggest problems with trying to raise kids today is that everyone seems so anxious to slap a label or a diagnosis on a kid when there's no need for one. also, if he gets everything he needs from you without having to talk for it (ex: wants a drink, points, gets) there's no motivation for him to talk :)

I was a slow talker, but when I started, I didn't shut up.  I also spoke sentences/phrases first and not individual words.  I would say, "I want a cookie" or "Pretty purple."

All of my siblings had speech delays, but they're gifted.  My systor stil cnt spel, but she's excellent at math and science.  She had a really hard time learning to read though. 

Kids are different.  Delays are normal.

I used to walk around the house and say, "balloon" a few hundred times.  I went over the same word so much that my siblings got it. 

probably nothing wrong with him, working on an individual level with kids will do wonders. Like @jersey_jenn@xanga - said, if there's no need for him to talk, he won't.  

I've had four children and each progressed differently.  My youngest son had no need to verbalize, his sister and brother anticipated his every thought.  I went through the battles with my family, who claimed he should be talking up a storm by one year.  He is now 38 and still a quiet guy...but when he speaks, he always says something worthwhile to listen to.

my uncle never talked until he could talk in complete sentences.  I think he was like 3.  Don't worry.

I would agree that your son should be evaluated.. do you not have a First Steps or another Early Intervention program in your area?  Have you talked with his pediatrician?

My boy just turned five a few months ago, and he's just now starting to use three-word sentences.  He's been evaluated three times by three different specialists, and all say that he just has some sensory issues and probably can't process everything all at once.  As of right now he is on the autism spectrum, given his speech delay and sensory problems, but he exhibits no other symptoms so he's not been diagnosed.  He has twin cousins who also started talking late.  They're close to my boy's age and about on the same playing field.  I've also got friends whose boys didn't speak till they were about six or seven years old, and it was full, perfect sentences.  I'm hoping my boy does the same, and I suspect yours will too.

I'm a graduate student in speech language pathology and have discussed similar issues with supervisors. I think it is great that you're attentive to your son and he's very social and responsive. One thing to consider though is whether it is worth it to wait and see if he will later catch up to peers or if he will remain delayed in his language development. It's impossible even for professionals to tell who falls into which category and by then a crucial time in his early development will have passed.

I was slow to talk. I didn't talk until I was 4 or 5 years old. I do have a speech problem, in that I have trouble pronouncing the l sound. It tends to come out as R. which is a whole lot of "fun" every two years, when I try and say "election"  But I have managed to work around it, and I have a nice supply of words that I can say to work around the ones that people misunderstand, or ones I can't pronounce right. 

My being late to talk, has not affected my ability to communicate at all. I have been on 6 mission trips with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. I have preached at several churches, once spoke at a state wide convention in Texas to over 300 students not counting adults. Your child will turn out just fine, he will talk.  Look at the comments above mine. If you notice, the kids they talk about, tend to be good at math. You may have some future math teacher, or accountant with you right now. Maybe, your child will be the first person to balance the federal budget!!!

I have read stories about kids late to talk. they all tended to be good at math, just like the ones above. I actually break the mold. I flunked out of algebra, in HS and got C's in math all through college. but I have noticed that I have a unique ability to memorize strings of numbers. I have memorized the addresses and telephone numbers of every place I have ever lived, and most of the ones I have worked at. I have memorized employee numbers, bank account numbers, college id numbers. Once they are in my head, they tend to stay there. I have one college ID number that I have not used in over 11 years, but I simply cannot forget it. I have tried. but it is stuck in my head.

I mention this not to brag, but to convince you not to worry. even if your child is late to talk, the trend seems to be that such children will be good in other fields, particularly ones involving numbers. One thing that tended to help me, was when people read to me. My older brother used to read "nobody listens to andrew" he read that book to himself and me so many times, that he had every word memorized. He could recite it to you word for word if you asked him. When you read to your kid, point to each word as you say it, so that he can follow along. So that it is not boring, after you read the words on the page to him, point out things in the picture, have him point to something blue, or point to the sun or whatever, just so that he can do something and participate and not just listen. Read to him as often as you can, and it may help him pick up words faster.  Then again, it may not. But I don't think you have much to worry about. He really will talk when he is ready. I did

My two step sisters and one step brother have children, now much older, who didn't talk until they were three.  They themselves didn't either.  It had nothing to do with smartness, just a genetic factor in their family.  They were just late talkers, and for most of the children, they utilized speech therapists at school as well.  All the children are very smart, and it never occurred to the parents to be worried, as the whole family is like that.  If I were you, to alleviate concern, and to get family members off my back, I'd take him for a visit to a speech therapist.  He/she can reassure you, tell you how to handle nosey people who make you feel bad, and perhaps give you some subtle clues as to helping his brain develop verbally.  I couldn't say my "R"s until first grade, and then my parents took me to a speech therapist, who helped me overcome my problem.  Parents definitely should not put these issues, like lisping, and what I just described, on the back burner of "She'll just grow out of it."  No, she won't.  But your little guy is undoubtedly going to speak in a full sentence one day and shock the be-jeepers out of you.

My little sister didn't talk much until she was ~4 years old, but she was still very bright (On a chart she could point to numbers 1-10 and any of the letters of the alphabet as you said them.  And you could ask her different parts of the body and various objects and she could point to them as well.).  My mom came up with an alternate method of communication -- BLINKING ("Blink once to say please, blink twice to say thank you."  "Blink once to say yes, blink twice to say no."  Etc.).

I AM GOING TO TYPE IN CAPS.

DON'T DO ANYTHING!!!!

LET NATURE TAKES ITS COURSE.

My kid didn't say anything, except the word "car" until 2 yo.  He doesn't even say mama or papa.

When he's 2.5, he start talking a lot more things.

By 3 (he just turn 3), he speaks tons, sing plenty, understand so much more stuff than i can ever imagine.

DON'T DO ANYTHING.  His mom is worried like you, but for nothing.

@ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake@xanga - Thanks a bunch for the story and reassurances. I loved your anecdote about trying to say "election." LOL! I'm sure people take it in stride