They have first words here too. I had a child go into their program and it worked wonders. This little boy I care for currently is verbal and has words but it's the manner in which he speaks and his lack of comprehension that is the issue. I actually don't even think its as straight forward as comprehension, maybe more of an attention thing or a processing/working memory issue...who knows.
This fella has been on the toilet before and is familiar with it. Nana and family tried to toilet train at 2 1/2. He is familiar with the toilet and is okay with change. There was no issue with transitioning here with complete strangers. His Nana tells me they went the underwear route and he wouldn't use the toilet. He would sit on the toilet for 20-30 minutes without doing anything and then straight away after they were pulled up he would go. She said that if they sat him on the toilet with his underwear pulled up, then he would pee through his underwear on the toilet??? He is in pull ups now. He doesn't falter when he poops, doesn't hide, doesn't slow down, doesn't stop what he is doing, doesn't tell me he is doing it and doesn't tell me when he is done. In this respect he is like an infant. I ask him if he has pooped and every time tells me no. I have put him on the toilet a few times here and he has never gone, but immediately goes in his pull up after. If this child was 2 years old, his disinterest in toileting would be a huge indicator that he wasn't ready. He doesn't seem to be psychologically ready to train. When I put him on the toilet, and I tell him to stay on the toilet, but then give him so privacy, he becomes agitated.