2.5 year old's and speech problems?

[smithfield]

I had a progress report from Nursery last week and was told my ds is 'still' babbling, and is behind others in his group with speech. He is now 2.7. He attends nursery 2days per week, and has 2.5 days with his nanna.

I feel a bit frustrated, I work full time so dont really come into contact with other 2.5 year olds, to compare. I guess Im also a bit sensitive about it as ds has a cousin 3 weeks older who has outstanding speech, and so ds always get compared.

The thing is I know he started talking later than his peers, but I do think he has come on leaps and bounds. His main problem seems to be pronounciation. especially s's, f's, possibly l's. I do think he is probably talking quickly on occasion at nursey at that gets labelled babble. At home I understand what he says most of the time!

Anyone been in the same boat? Should I be worried? What should I be doing at this stage...or should I wait and see?

[belgo]

I'm not an expert, just another mother, but it doesn't sound like anything to worry about at this stage...of course there will always be children a bit slower at talking then others...but it's not always something to worry about!

I think it's quite common not to be able to pronounce s, f and l at this stage.

Try not to worry, two and a half is still very young.

[becklespookle]

I would wait and see, he is still very young and although children develop at different rates they are usually on a level by the time they are 4 or 5. DS1 was only just starting to string 2 or 3 words together at 2.7, he got to about 3 and it seemed like he suddenly was talking overnight! DS2 was talking properly at 18 months but doesn't seem any different at 4 than DS2 was.

He'll get there and he'll learn to speak a little slower too - sounds like he is just eager to get it all out and that is why it sounds like babble to to people who don't know him as well as you do.

[bubblagirl]

i am in exactly the same boat my ds 2.5 not talking in sentences and has only really just started copying what i am saying has alot of single words i can undrerstand him but he is delayed and it is worrying

i took my ds to gp and have been reffered to speech therapy i have a long wait but a kind sleep therapist has agreed to come to me every other week to work on his speech

as your ds is at nursey he has more chance of picking it up quicker from his class mates but seek advice anyway about speech therapy it wont do him any harm

my ds also cannot do the s f l sound also has some trouble with b it iis always d

[bubblagirl]

my speevch therapist says as long as you can understand what they are trying to say then there is no real problem the pronounciations will come over time

my ds says alot but not properly alot not pronounced properly but you can tell what he is trying to say

he can read and say all the alphabet and numbers and can even write some and is a yr or so advanced there so we know he can do it it'll happen in his own time trying to get him into nursery at the moment so he will learn off other children

[juicychops]

my ds is the same too. He is 2.9. He can talk in sentances but cant pronounce some words like for example snake hes says "nake". and hasn't grasped the consept of words like it, and, is etc

he goes nursery 2 days and has come on so much since he started 6 months ago. he is behind compared to others at his nursery of the same age, and even my cousin who is a nanny aske the other day if his nursery have mentioned about getting his speech assessed!

i dont think there is anything to worry about, he is learning new words every day and constantly improving so as long as he doesn't stop improving, then im not going to worry about it

[glaskham]

my friends son is going to be 3 next week and i haven't heard him say anything that you can understand yet!!! its just something that some kids do....my little sister had a speech problem and couldn't talk properly till she was 5 years old.....now she has amazing speech, like anyone else her age.... my daughter is nearly 18mths and can only say 'dada'....our son was having full conversations with us at her age..... i wouldn't worry too much yet!! give him time!!- how does he talk at home just with you? it may just be the environment that makes him do this?

[smithfield]

Hi

Thankyou for your responses ladies. It does help to know ds is not alone in this.

glaskham- I understand him I would say 90-95% of the time. He sometimes surprises me with what words he does know. Today for example I was going through some picture careds with him and he knew most and pronounced them clearly. He speaks clearly with three-four word sentences, these are simple sentences, like can I have it? which he pronounces 'hab it'. Or I want dat one, mummy bought it, daddy coming in the mornin...

I guess thats why I was a bit taken aback with what the nursery said, just thought am I missing something and maybe he should be way ahead of where he is now?

Had considered getting him reffered for sp therapy, or senco or even hearing issues, but I also am reluctant to make 'him' feel like its a big issue..IYKWIM

[bubblagirl]

its so relaxed getting it seen to and he would be far to young to really understand but is always best to approach hv or gp just to rule out anything my ds has just had hearing test all ok thank goodness and has speech therapist but she palys games with him and he loves it

he has no idea why we do it he just does as she asks and enjoys himself but he is just showing he will do it when he wants to do it not when everyone else tells him too lol mum and dads stubborn streak i think lol

all children learn different things at different rates i have been told my ds does things 3 yr olds are still struggling to do so he has to lack in something apart from that he is a polite well behaved boy so just take him to be assessed it will do no harm no therapy is bad for you it might just help bring things on a bit quicker

[smithfield]

Bubblagirl- are you doing the sp therapy privately?

BTW How old is your boy..I meant to say earlier, never mind the speech he sounds like a bit of a mini genius

[Monkeytrousers]

Ds has just turned three and still babbles occasionally. His speach has come on a lot in the last six months though.

He was referred to a 'chatterkids' group and was found to be perfectly fine, just taking his time, though the structure really helped him along, singing songs, taking turns, etc. You could just devise an hour a week this yourself, maybe at teh weekend?

Has he had his development check with the HV?

Does he understand what you say to him?

[StormieOMartian]

My experience of nurseries is that they look after a wide age range of children, up to the age of 5, and they expect too much of younger children because they get used to the abilities of the older ones.

At 2.5, the speech therapist won't want to see him if he is talking. Full stop. You can try getting him on the list if you like, the HV will refer him if you insist, but he sounds fine to me. A rule of thumb is that at 2 years old they expect 2 words together - at 3 years old, three words together etc.

[Monkeytrousers]

Sorry, only read the OP - he seems fine from the other posts. I wouldn't worry.

[smithfield]

Monkeytrousers- will look up chatterkids- Have just started talking tots on a Friday (as I get to work from home half a day)...its a bit new tho so small class and v mixes age group. Think your spot on with the idea of doing this, as it has given me some ideas as to what to do at home, and also allowed me to sit back and observe him.

stormieomartin- have to say Im tending to agree with you hear. In my first post I mentioned his cousin has very advanced verbal skill, but has been in nursey 3 days a week from 4months. Ds only went to nursery from 18month (1day a week) From just before two he went to 2 days. I think nursery is a great environment for advancing verbal skills as they have to work harder at getting their needs met, but the downside is as you say...the sometimes unfair comparisons.

[Monkeytrousers]

Talking tots sounds just like chatterkids - great!

[bubblagirl]

hi no i'm not doing it privately i have had a long wait on salt and was seeing a sleep therapist for my ds

she is also a trained salt and felt sorry for me having such a long wait as he is really delayed with speech no two words together at all and has only just started copying words he has heard well she felt sorry for me and is coming out to help with speech not sleep untill he is making kmore progress as with her he talks and when we went to see salt at clinic wouldntdo anything but her rapor with him was cold whee as the lady that comes to me is really bubbly and friendly

so i'll have her every 2 weeks to help and to give me help such as giving him choices instead of yes no anwers but he has come on great just long to have a conversation with him his my little buddy lol

[bubblagirl]

sorry for mistakes lol

[smithfield]

bubblagirl- like I say he sounds like a very smart little man, he will be chattering away to you very soon im sure.

[bubblagirl]

thanks smithfield i really do hope so it is a worry i certaintly dont want him bein behind everyone although advanced in other ares its the speech that counts really just glad he i trying so much more now fingers crossed he will be chattering away non stop soon then i'll be wishing he couldn't lol hope your ds catches up soon although to me does sound normal

[BlueberryPancake]

In our area, SureStart runs info session on speech and has a free speech therapist and the waiting list isn't very long. You can find info at your GP or surestart.gov.uk

Sometimes nurseries panic about stuff. When DS1 was going to local nursery (at 8 months) he was the last baby to crawl, and the nurses told me a few times that I should do this and that to encourage him to crawl. He was the first one to walk, so that showed them.

[smithfield]

BlueberryPancake -thanks for that-my neighbour works for surestart so maybe I will ask her

[boo64]

A couple of things I'm having some success with that are helping ds to talk a bit more that I want to mention in case they help others a bit (although I am a complete amateur so a SALT would have proper ideas!):

• I miss out the last word of key lines in books he knows well and he has to fill the next word in which he seems to like
  
• I ask him to say a word, any word and then copy him but say it back properly if he mispronounces it but in a fun way.
  
  HT maybe H?

[Talkingtot]

Hi Smithfield ... hope you're enjoying Talking Tots!

Regards,

Lisa

Director of Talking Tots Ltd

[hayleybell]

TH is 3.2 and attends nursery three days a week. They told me yesterday that they think he needs speach therapy as he doesn't pronounce certain words well like Van he says an, and chris is cwis. TH chatters all day long to me and I was under the impression that he speach would improve with age. He can have a full conversation with adults and children and they understand his 95% of the time. He is the youngest in his group by 6months and I am hopeing that they ae just comparing him with older children. I went home feeling quite depressed last night, does anyone think I need to worry?

[bubblagirl]

no as pronounciation is normal for them not to have properly until about four i was told but speech therapy will be for the missed letters as ds says ca not cat etc cannot say alot of sounds at all but then he has hfa dx and will get help for that at some point

you need to correct him but not say no its not an its van just thats right van can you say v.a.n more he does this he will say it corresctly anyway

do games right down words and break them down and say them together