Speech Development

[browneyedgirl23]

Hello
My LG is 25 months old and doesn't speak. She started preschool in September and still no words. She makes lots of sounds and understands everything we say to her, just does not respond using words.
She will pull you to what she wants and points to things too.
When we say to her use your words or repeat the word of what she is asking for (for example juice) she gets visibly frustrated.
Has anyone experienced this or got any advice?
Thank you

[Gardencentregroupie]

Have you spoken to anyone about this? My DD is the same age and has only started using words in the last few weeks, but they're hard to understand and she's noticeably behind her peers. She's had a hearing test - inconclusive, repeat test scheduled - and will be starting group speech therapy next week. The HV has no other concerns at the moment based on observations and the development questionnaire, but there are myriad reasons for speech delays and IMO pretty much all of them benefit from early intervention. Just brace yourself for 'helpful' advice like "have you tried talking to her?"

[browneyedgirl23]

Thank you so much! She's had a number of ear infections in the last 3/4 months so has been referred to the ENT specialist at the hospital to check her ears and have a hearing test - but she does hear everything and understands everything I say, so not sure if her hearing is a problem? I've spoken to her nursery who have said they will intervene after xmas if she still isn't speaking but I'm going to speak to the HV and see how I can get referred to a speech therapist. I don't want to keep leaving it in hope she'll talk if there is a potential problem - do you find the speech therapy has helped or have you not been yet?

[Gardencentregroupie]

We start next week in group play sessions. With the hearing I do think that they can sometimes hear what you're saying well enough to fill in the blanks, but not well enough to try to use the words themselves.

[Izzadoraduncancan]

Hi. We were in almost the same position almost a year ago. It turned out my DS couldn't hear a thing due to glue ear after numerous ear infections - he had however become most proficient at reading signals and masked his loss of hearing very well.
5 minutes of surgery early this year and we are chatting away in full sentences

[browneyedgirl23]

They did say she could have glue ear - hence the ENT referral. I'm glad to know that you've had a similar experience as I'm so worried about her speech and know she's getting frustrated.
How soon after your hospital referral was the operation? And how soon after the operation did your LO start talking?

[Sunshineonacloudyday]

Have you tried just repeating the word over and over again. I've had 4 children so I understand the pit falls. What I have done with my 19 month old is just repeat "you want bottle" or "watch Horrid Henry" anything. If you put them on the spot to say something like use your words don't help. My little one is now talking to me a little bit. He's not talking full blown sentences only what he wants and its mainly what I have said to him over and over again. When you first visit the speech therapist all they give you is a pack of pictures to go through with your little everyday. The little boy is under the table or the brush is on the chair etc. They will offer you a course to go to for an hour or so a week for 6 weeks. You have to be repetitive when learning a language.

[Sunshineonacloudyday]

I used to find it hard to talk to my other children when they were little. It felt weird to talk to a child who never responded back. That's why there were issues with speech. If your child is not saying a word then it could be a hearing problem. Good luck op.

[insan1tyscartching]

Rather than putting her on the spot or getting her to parrot words back to you can you give her a running commentary of what she is doing and what you are doing so that you are immersing her in language. It sounds and feels strange at first but it quickly becomes a habit. Only when dd had quite a few words would I say "talking, good talking" to prompt her to use the words she had instead of dragging me to what she wanted. Dd went from having delayed speech to having a rich and varied vocabulary pretty quickly and I'm sure it was down to her hearing my running commentary when she couldn't speak,

[MyschoolMyrules]

Run nun good commentary can (not for all children) be overwhelming, you are better off speaking in short sentences and focus on one or two words. So you don't say 'you must be thirsty after spending all this time outside would you like some milk? ' you say 'Would you like MIlK? Mmmm Milk, cold MiLK. yummy MiLK.'. It does sound very silly to start off with but you will soon get used to it.

Focus on a few key words, favorite food for example. Or the word MORE when giving food. Or Ball when playing ball. You really have to repeat key words and encourage her to imitate sounds. Such as car sounds, airplane sounds, animal roar, Miaow, woof, etc.

Also encourage and praise r n any effort at making sounds, even if it's just a single sound. Some experts even say that it's good for you to repeat the babble or noise, it leads the child to understand that you are Listening to her. It's better not to ask her to repeat words though, or if says it wrong you don't say 'no that's not right' you simply repeat the word correctly.

There are lots of resources on Ican website, search Ican on google and it comes up. Good luck

[MyschoolMyrules]

Running commentary! Must read my posts before pressing the button...

[insan1tyscartching]

Dd has ASD and the running commentary was a recommended strategy as it seems to result in less echolalia I think. Dd could parrot anything back to you which isn't much use if it has no meaning to the child and they aren't able to transfer it to situations where it is needed.

[MyschoolMyrules]

If a child has hearing problems, glue ear mild hearing loss it might be difficult for them to single out sounds and words. But I am no expert, it's what I was told for ds who had same problem as op's daughter. It's difficult to tell anyway are there are so many different approaches to helping children with speech delay. It also varies as to which country you are from some countries intervene much earlier but in the U.K. It tends to be a wait and see approach until the child is about three years old (not every case obviously). If a child has glue ear it's after a 'wait and see' approach anyway, so the mild hearing loss can be months before it's treated. And waiting lists are so long anyway it can take over four months before getting an assessment with a speech therapist where I live...

[laurzj82]

Sorry haven't RTFT so apologies if this has already been said...

My friend's ds was like this. Understood everything etc but no speech. Turned out he had problems with his hearing. He had grommets (sp?) And speech therapy and is now a happy healthy 6 year old. Try not to worry. Is she reaching other milestones?

[browneyedgirl23]

Thank you everyone - I will definitely look at what you've said. I do repeat words over and over but she gets to a point of being so frustrated I don't want to cause more harm than good - especially if she has something wrong with her ears.

I took her too a speech therapist yesterday (just a drop in clinic) and they do think there might be something wrong with her hearing (we are already on the list for an ENT appointment) so will have to wait and see the outcome of that. They are also referring us to a play and talk session - has anyone experienced these? What do they involve and any feedback would be welcomed.

All other milestones are either met or exceeding - so from that point of view she's doing well.

She does communicate with us, using hand gestures, pointing, pulling us towards things, it's just a lack of words.