Delayed speech
Discussion
My son is now 2.5 years old. He barely says a word. His repertoire consists of Yeah, no, up....and that's about it....oh and tan-ker (he likes tankers for some reason). He does however make quite a bit of other types of generic noise.
We talk to him constantly, we read every night, sing songs. Everything and anything we can think of.
When trying to get him to say something he clams up. Its like he wants to say it but can't. Occasionally he'll almost choke as he attempts. His hearing is excellent.
We went to a speech therapist months ago who was supposed to be contacting us but we've heard nothing. I'm going to chase them up now but can anybody offer any hints or tips that assisted them?
He's never said Daddy and he is 2 and a half
We talk to him constantly, we read every night, sing songs. Everything and anything we can think of.
When trying to get him to say something he clams up. Its like he wants to say it but can't. Occasionally he'll almost choke as he attempts. His hearing is excellent.
We went to a speech therapist months ago who was supposed to be contacting us but we've heard nothing. I'm going to chase them up now but can anybody offer any hints or tips that assisted them?
He's never said Daddy and he is 2 and a half
S10GTA said:
We talk to him constantly, we read every night, sing songs. Everything and anything we can think of.
Well it's this and you are doing everything right.But also: A certain amount of diagnostics needs to be done to rule out things like subtle deafness, or even a mouth problem.
A paediatric Speech and Language Therapist is clearly then something to work with, with a paediatrician, all accessed via your GP at your local (big) hospital.
Its the NHS, so push, push, push, push and eventually YOUR taxes gets YOUR treatment.
Cheers for the comments. I think its starting to get us down a bit, but I have probably done him a disservice as there are a few more words such as more and again.
I called the speech people yesterday and chased them up. He was down for a 6 month review (due in 2 months) but I've asked them to push this forwards as nothing has really changed.
We will keep talking to him, and singing to him, and reading with him. There doesn't seem to be much else we can do. He did start nursery a few months ago so maybe that will assist. I'm sure he'll be fine but it gets pretty soul destroying when getting little back.
I called the speech people yesterday and chased them up. He was down for a 6 month review (due in 2 months) but I've asked them to push this forwards as nothing has really changed.
We will keep talking to him, and singing to him, and reading with him. There doesn't seem to be much else we can do. He did start nursery a few months ago so maybe that will assist. I'm sure he'll be fine but it gets pretty soul destroying when getting little back.
Edited by S10GTA on Thursday 13th August 15:31
I've heard that Einstein didn't talk much until he was 4.
All children develop at different speeds, some are quicker / slower at walking / crawling / talking / etc. However, it worth pushing harder to rule out any underlying issues such as hearing which did affect a friend of ours boy. He got some implants and has been talking much better since. Does he seem to respond to you when you are talking and he is not looking at you?
Good luck and hopefully he may just be a young Einstein!
All children develop at different speeds, some are quicker / slower at walking / crawling / talking / etc. However, it worth pushing harder to rule out any underlying issues such as hearing which did affect a friend of ours boy. He got some implants and has been talking much better since. Does he seem to respond to you when you are talking and he is not looking at you?
Good luck and hopefully he may just be a young Einstein!
I have twin boys, and both suffer from severe speech and language disorders. We started worrying when by the age of 2 they hadn't started talking yet, so we went to the GP and got referred to a paediatrician, who in turn referred them to the various speech/hearing/physio (there are other issues but not relevant to heir speech) departments.
While we were waiting for the speech therapist appointment we took them to the local monthly walk in centre where they held speech therapy classes. We also put them in nursery so they would have some exposure to other kids talking and talking in social environments.
Once we got our appointment with the speech therapist they were seen monthly and some time twice monthly at the hospital by the team, they also went to the school and worked with the school to assist them and help them with a plan to get the boys talking.
We also started the statementing process with the local government educational department so that when they started year 1 they would have a statement going in to year R. This took some time but thankfully we got it before they started and we were able to get them in to one of our local schools which has a language programme, and an on site NHS speech therapist.
They no longer see the hospital based speech therapist, but are seen twice a week at school by the on site, they also get help from the LSAs and the teaching staff.
They are about to start year 1 and while their speech isn't great, they are able to have full blown conversations with my wife and I, and people who interact with them often have no problem understanding them. So while it's not 100% yet, and may never be, it is a million miles on form where we started.
Getting to where we are now was a lot of work, there is so much paperwork involved in all of these processes at times I just sat crying over forms (you have to describe the worst aspects of your child in depth, and that is really difficult to do), but I can honestly say the benefits have far outweighed the sleepless nights.
So to sum up. go to your GP, get referred to paed, fight.
While we were waiting for the speech therapist appointment we took them to the local monthly walk in centre where they held speech therapy classes. We also put them in nursery so they would have some exposure to other kids talking and talking in social environments.
Once we got our appointment with the speech therapist they were seen monthly and some time twice monthly at the hospital by the team, they also went to the school and worked with the school to assist them and help them with a plan to get the boys talking.
We also started the statementing process with the local government educational department so that when they started year 1 they would have a statement going in to year R. This took some time but thankfully we got it before they started and we were able to get them in to one of our local schools which has a language programme, and an on site NHS speech therapist.
They no longer see the hospital based speech therapist, but are seen twice a week at school by the on site, they also get help from the LSAs and the teaching staff.
They are about to start year 1 and while their speech isn't great, they are able to have full blown conversations with my wife and I, and people who interact with them often have no problem understanding them. So while it's not 100% yet, and may never be, it is a million miles on form where we started.
Getting to where we are now was a lot of work, there is so much paperwork involved in all of these processes at times I just sat crying over forms (you have to describe the worst aspects of your child in depth, and that is really difficult to do), but I can honestly say the benefits have far outweighed the sleepless nights.
So to sum up. go to your GP, get referred to paed, fight.
Lots of good advice here.
Don't wait for the speech therapists to come to you, hassle your GP to get seen.
My Niece is in a similar position, initially the hearing tests indicated all was fine, but after pushing and pushing, they now have decided she has glue ear and is going to get gromets fitted this month.
You can also get a private speech therapist as well. This helped my Niece a lot and didn't cost a lot to do.
Bob
Don't wait for the speech therapists to come to you, hassle your GP to get seen.
My Niece is in a similar position, initially the hearing tests indicated all was fine, but after pushing and pushing, they now have decided she has glue ear and is going to get gromets fitted this month.
You can also get a private speech therapist as well. This helped my Niece a lot and didn't cost a lot to do.
Bob
Unacceptable by SALT. Chase this via your GP and push for paediatrics assessment as well.
Any delay in his other milestones? Has he spent time around a non-English speaker growing up? Ie : is mum a different language speaker, that is associated with delayed speech. Glad you've checked his hearing as a first step, but get this formally assessed as part of the investigations if it hasn't already been done.
Any delay in his other milestones? Has he spent time around a non-English speaker growing up? Ie : is mum a different language speaker, that is associated with delayed speech. Glad you've checked his hearing as a first step, but get this formally assessed as part of the investigations if it hasn't already been done.
Does your son have an older sibling?
I ask as our son had the same problems at the same age and one of the things we noticed was that my daughter who was four at the time would understand what he was trying to say or ask for and responded regardless so he found that he didn't 'need' to speak as such. This, apparently is quite common when the child has older siblings.
Our son didn't reach the normal stage on the 'curve of development' in terms of speech until he was about four and still struggling at 5.
He's 16 now and perfectly normal.
I ask as our son had the same problems at the same age and one of the things we noticed was that my daughter who was four at the time would understand what he was trying to say or ask for and responded regardless so he found that he didn't 'need' to speak as such. This, apparently is quite common when the child has older siblings.
Our son didn't reach the normal stage on the 'curve of development' in terms of speech until he was about four and still struggling at 5.
He's 16 now and perfectly normal.
Thanks for all the advice above. I will chase the speech and language people again this week. It seems pretty clear that is what is required with the NHS currently. I've made enquiries with a local private therapist and am awaiting a call back but am happy to pursue this course of action.
Nobody he spends time with speaks a different language so can rule that out. His hearing is excellent so I am not worried about that but it cant hurt to get it checked out. No older children around, actually he's spent very little time with other children which might be part of the issue and why he is now at nursery. With regards to nursery he is the same there (lack of any speech).
He has always been a bit slower to do things as he is our first we've just assumed its normal and due to a lack of spending time with other children. I do have concerns that he has autism but not sure if he is autistic or just being a 2 year old.
Nobody he spends time with speaks a different language so can rule that out. His hearing is excellent so I am not worried about that but it cant hurt to get it checked out. No older children around, actually he's spent very little time with other children which might be part of the issue and why he is now at nursery. With regards to nursery he is the same there (lack of any speech).
He has always been a bit slower to do things as he is our first we've just assumed its normal and due to a lack of spending time with other children. I do have concerns that he has autism but not sure if he is autistic or just being a 2 year old.
Is your son 'normal' (sorry to use that expression) in all other respects? Happy to be cuddled? Makes eye contact? Does he draw pictures etc? Laugh? There's been no dramatic incident?
As others have said, you'll need to push and shove to get seen.... Hopefully it's an issue that can be explained and therefore you'll feel reassured.
I have two children and one was late to walk, late to talk - sorted in the end through speech therapy.
Good luck - as parents we want everything to be ok and are always concerned to read about the children of others. Genuinely so. I do hope you can get seen soon.
As others have said, you'll need to push and shove to get seen.... Hopefully it's an issue that can be explained and therefore you'll feel reassured.
I have two children and one was late to walk, late to talk - sorted in the end through speech therapy.
Good luck - as parents we want everything to be ok and are always concerned to read about the children of others. Genuinely so. I do hope you can get seen soon.
NDA said:
Is your son 'normal' (sorry to use that expression) in all other respects? Happy to be cuddled? Makes eye contact? Does he draw pictures etc? Laugh? There's been no dramatic incident?
As others have said, you'll need to push and shove to get seen.... Hopefully it's an issue that can be explained and therefore you'll feel reassured.
I have two children and one was late to walk, late to talk - sorted in the end through speech therapy.
Good luck - as parents we want everything to be ok and are always concerned to read about the children of others. Genuinely so. I do hope you can get seen soon.
Sorry, neglected to answer this one it seems. In answer to the questions above he is normal with all those, very cuddly, makes eye contact, draws, laughs etc. No major incident. We do think he is autistic however. Quite a few traits, but again that could just be him being a 2 year old. As others have said, you'll need to push and shove to get seen.... Hopefully it's an issue that can be explained and therefore you'll feel reassured.
I have two children and one was late to walk, late to talk - sorted in the end through speech therapy.
Good luck - as parents we want everything to be ok and are always concerned to read about the children of others. Genuinely so. I do hope you can get seen soon.
He has a check up with speech therapist today, but mummy also had a major breakthrough today. First time he's said this in 2.5 years.
https://video.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpl1/v/t42.1790-...
What did the speech therapist say? We had concerns about our daughters speech and were fobbed off by the doctors. We took her to a speech therapist who referred her for a hearing test. She had glue ear. Had grommets fitted, tonsells and adenoids removed in March and her confidence and improvement in speech changed overnight. Unfortunately she's had alot of ear infections and the glue ear has returned. Going to see the ENT specialist on Thursday to understand the options.
Good luck and don't accept being fobbed off!
Good luck and don't accept being fobbed off!
Edited by W12GT on Saturday 26th December 09:53
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