On our lunchtime walk today, Mel and I ran into a woman who was trying to engage her granddaughter by pointing at a flag flying in front of a school. I joined the grandmother in drawing the girl's attention to the flag, using simple language.

Almost apologetically, the grandmother told me that her granddaughter wasn't yet speaking, despite the woman's efforts to encourage the child to do so. Then the woman asked us, "Have you ever heard of a 17-month-old child that doesn't say anything?" I smiled and pointed to Mel. I then proceeded to share Mel's story: her delayed speaking, her diagnosis with nonverbal learning disorder at 2½, her interest in letters and numbers, her early development of the ability to read, her success in French immersion.

My message for the grandmother was not to worry, to trust that her granddaughter would speak in her own time, and to keep doing what she was doing. That wasn't to say that the grandmother should discontinue her efforts and simply trust that all would work out. But it did mean, don't panic. Her granddaughter's not speaking at 17 months did not mean that she would never acquire language, if Mel is any example. I encouraged the woman to focus on all the things her granddaughter was achieving: her ability to identify objects by pointing to them, her ability to communicate basic signs (such as "more" and "done"), her engagement with the world around her. I shared my own experience of using simplified language with Mel, such as "want milk?" instead of "do you want a glass of milk?" I recommended that she praise her granddaughter's successes, rather than dwell on her shortcomings.

I noted that we had had Mel assessed at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and that, following her assessment, she had been eligible for a range of services. These early interventions along with the work we did at home made a huge difference. Not only did Mel go on to speak, read and write in two languages, but she studied linguistics in university and established a career that benefits from her strong communication skills.

I wish I had remembered to share with the woman Colin Powell's wonderful words: "Things will get better. You will make them better." This quote succinctly communicates what I hope the woman took away from our conversation. First, things will get better. So don't panic, and don't let your desperation lead you to the wrong strategies. Second, you will make them better. Having confidence that a situation will improve does not mean doing nothing; keep doing what you're doing.

Things will get better. You will make them better.