Just read your 3-word sentences comment. We never spoke baby-talk to our son. I never understood the reasoning of "dumbing-down" our language when he understood completely what we were telling him; but now I understand that we needed to give him simple words in simple sentences to say because they were easier for him to access in his head. Giving him the words to say is important, as well as giving him the chance to try to get it out. We had to force DS to say things. He said our names and a few other things, but refused to say more. He used ASL for "more" a lot. He got so angry with us at times when he wanted to be picked up - we made him say "up." Signing it didn't count. We never made him ask for food or drink however, but still gave him the words to say it and its sound. If he can hold a letter "a" in his hand (like a puzzle piece), the feeling of it creates another tie in his filing system while getting him to say it. If you don't want to go to an SLP now, go through the letter sound list per age to help him with the sounds:
http://www.abramslearningtrends.com/Downloads/whitepapers/pdfs/089551.pdf There is a more succinct list elsewhere I'm sure; but this is accurate.
The 3x thing is also helpful for some reason as well (ball ball ball). We didn't use it when he was younger because no one explained it to us then; but I see now, having a better understanding of ELD, how it could have helped - and it helps now, like I said before, with his reading.
