Support for my 2.5 year old

[Loppyloo5]

Hi Everyone,

I am looking for some advise.

My son is 2.5 and has a speech and language delay (he has very few words) he only follows very few commands and does not always respond to his name. His play skills are also delayed.

My son has a cleft palate and has had glue ear since birth. As part of his care one of the speech therapist referred him to a paediatrician to assess his development delay.

At the appointment the pead carried out and assessment (griffiths developmental assessment) where his speech and language came out at 8 months old she was also said he was showing some red flags for autism which were not responding to his name and lack of eye contact. She recommended we enrolled him into pre school and adopt a wait and see approach as he was due to get grommets for his glue ear. She agreed to reassess him in 6 months time. We are also on the waiting list for a speech therapist (can take up to 6 months)

He has started at pre school and doing well the reports are he is very socialable and affectionate and has made a friend. They have also reported since grommets (he has had them in 2 weeks now) his eye contact has improved and he responds to his name almost every time.

My main concern is his understanding of language. For example he doesn’t understand simple things such as “where is mummy” or “get me your shoes” I personally think he has a learning disability.

Should I call the pead up and ask her to review him before the 6 months and diagnose him with her findings? as that is the only way I am going to get the help he needs and I have heard the earlier you get it the better the outcome.

My worst fear is not the diagnosis whatever it may be, it is the possibility he will never progress and I want to help him in anyway I can. I know I should not compare but seeing him with children his own age breaks my heart because it shows how far behind he is and I seem to spend most days worrying about him rather than enjoying him.

Any advice would be welcome ...

[Kanga59]

Ask the paed to refer for a multidisciplinary assessment.

[BackforGood]

Personally, I would wait for the appointment in a few months time. If he has not been hearing well for the first 30months of his life, then he has a lot of catching up to do from the time his grommits were fitted. You have already said the Nursery have reported excellent progress since that happened. Give it those extra weeks / months to let it continue.
He is in Nursery, and he is seeing a SaLT, so he is getting support and help. You need to give it enough time to see how much of a difference that help is making.