Those of you with ASD - at what age did you start speaking?

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I have a son who just turned 3 this month who has moderate (Level 2) ASD.

Prior to a few months ago, he was completely non-verbal. He now can say around 50 words, but they are all nouns used for labelling (kitty - points to our cat, etc.). We have a talking device for him, but he doesn't yet understand how to use it in any meaningful way. He also gets 3 hours a week of private speech therapy (all we can afford), but has mads very little progress.

At what age did you start to speak or really start to understand verbal language?

I'm not sure if my son will ever be able to speak, and I'm coming to terms with that... I'm just unsure if I should just "accept" it at this point and move on, or still hold on to some hope that he might eventually speak some day.

Wait a second: he IS speaking. Except maybe at a 18-month old level. Perhaps he will "catch up," like other kids do.

The fact that he is speaking spontaneously at all, and not merely repeating things (echolalia) is significant. It is documented that the prognosis for kids who learn to speak by age 5 is significantly better than kids who learn to speak later than age 5.

There are some "normal" three-year-olds who have minimal language, then develop "normally" thereafter.

How is he in other skills---like dressing and toileting?

I started speaking at age 5 1/2. I rapidly progressed to the point there I was speaking in full sentences at age 6.

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