our next door neighbors son has global development delay. they were informed of this after many appointments with different people about a year ago. at dd's birthday party last year, he, at three, was completely non-verbal. with intervention (OT, placing him in specialist day care with program specifically designed for him) he has come ahead in leaps and bounds. he still hasn't caught up verbally, but from a little boy who couldn't say mum/dad (just grunted) to a little boy who can now hold his own in a conversation, it's been huge. yes, it's still very stilted conversation compared to DD (who is a year younger, and very verbose) but it is still enough that he says names, he can express himself with words, and if he can't, he has worked out ways to get his message across