And, honestly, I still suspect an expressive language disorder, possibly an apraxia. But that can't be diagnosed for a long time yet, and I don't want to rush stuff. All in good time.
Oh, and completely apart from the study on toddlers, I used to work with adults with acquired aphasia, and encountered many situations where we felt the person committed suicide or "lost the will to live" as it is said, due to the practice of 'making' them produce words and ignoring clear gestures or neglecting supported communication methods. I can't really think of a worse harm than that. Luckily the tide is changing on that front, and people are much more willing to "build communication ramps" rather than forcing people with aphasia to haul themselves up on their elbows...
Developmental conditions _are_ different, admittedly, but I think the lesson is valid.
