Is two years old too young to get speech therapy?

[mamadadawahwah]

I have just had my ds "assessed" for SLT and was told to take a wait and see attitude. Wasnt happy with this and asked for immediate help. Anyone have their kids in speech therapy at a very young age? Is it helping? How long did it take to get any kind of diagnosis? And finally, maybe you could impart some of your knowledge as to how you can get on the "list" quicker for speech therapy and for the developmental clinic. I dont have £50.00 to pay for hourly sessions to a private SLT so must go with the NHS. But every day my son dosent speak, is another day we dont really communicate.

Its all dreadful

[hercules]

My sister's son is 2 and a half and has no recognisble words. He was seen by a salt who said he is fine. There was no wait as he was in care.

[Cristina7]

Do you have a diagnosis for your son? Our son is profoundly deaf and he started speech & language therapy at 12-13 months old (at that age it was really the language aspect of it that we were concerned about).

[mamadadawahwah]

Christina no, no diagnosis yet. I have known he had a problem since about 20 months but waited a bit. He is now in limbo, as am i, just waiting to be seen by the cdc and by another speech therapist. He has sensory integration issues and due to his lack of speech and understanding is displaying autistic type behaviours. The first assessment was a joke, the usual games and toys were used but no real in depth discussion. Its the waiting which is the hardest, as many of you know.

[colditzmum]

I also have had my 22 mo ds assessed today for Speech Therapy, I also was told to wait and see. Not happy actually, she treated me like a complete moron, and said "Well, first of all, you have to speak CLEARLY to him..."

FFS!!!! And here was me thinking that to help my sons speech, all I had to do was fill my cheeks with cotton wool and hide my mouth behind my hand.....

[coppertop]

My ds2 has been assessed as needing speech therapy. He was 2 earlier this month. We got into the system earlier because he was showing similar traits to his elder brother (autistic). His speech was assessed this month by the team at the local child development centre and we will be seeing the speech therapist in just over a week. I don't know yet if we will still have to wait the usual 6 months to get to the top of her waiting list though or whether we will get straight in.

[Merlot]

My ds2 is 18 months and we have been seeing a SALT for the last two months (NHS). Ds has global delay, but the crux of the matter is that he is not/has never babbled. I was surprised that he is being seen by a SALT because I couldn't imagine the sorts of activities they would do with him - I mean its not as if he is just mispronouncing words/sounds...

Anyhow, the point I am trying to make in a long rambling way, is that all the exercises we do revolves around prespeech activities. Making Sounds, turn taking, trying to establish eye contact etc..

So yes, I do think SALT can be useful to someone as young as 2 years of age

[mamadadawahwah]

he he colditz. Yes, never underestimate the knowledge of the "experts", or their attitudes. I have to say now my SLT was not patronising, just seemed too ready to dismiss. Anyway, in my limited experience so far, i will impart to you what i have learned. Following the "assessment" i rang the SLT and told her i did not want to wait and wanted immediate therapy. Despite her saying he was too young, and despite her saying that therapy might put him off of therapy in the future, she agreed to put him on the list immediately.

Furthermore, i rang a private speech therapist who gave me the scoop on how things work. Contact the cdc, (child development clinic) and tell them you are very very anxious, to the point where it is affecting your relationship with your son, (or something like that) and tell them you want your son placed on the list asap and should any cancellations occur, you would like your son to be given that cancellation. In my case, i dont have to lie about my angst because it is consuming my every waking moment. I only wish i had done something sooner. dont accept a pat answer and dont take anything personally and DONT get in an argument with the SLT. Be calm, cool collected and state quite clearly what you want.

but of course you know all this already!

[Cristina7]

I wrote directly to the Director of Education (I think) at our local LEA. I said we'd started private SALT for our son and were happy to continue with this arrangement provided the LEA picked up the tab. Amazingly, a SALT was found immediately. Perhaps you could write that you could take your son for private assessment and diagnosis since this time is invaluable for language development etc etc and you can't afford to waste it and could the LEA reimburse your expense.

Did it help? As I mentioned, we already had a definite diagnosis and there are specific, well established techniques for deaf children. Our aim at the time was for DS to understand language by whichever means, so we used some sign language alongside speech. He's had a number of SALTs so far and generally they have been very good. I have become very interested in the topic and learnt a lot myself but it has been useful to see that I was doing all the right things with him at home. I used ideas from the Hanen programme, from www.listen-up.org and other places. To see if your son is on target etc you can have a google search for "caroline bowen speech", excellent website.

I don't know where you are based but a good place in London for assessment and treatment is Christopher Place, nr King's Cross.

[Jimjams]

NHS speech therapy is a disaster area and you will be fobbed off I'm afraid.

Do you have any idea what may be wrong. is it speech or overall communication. How easy is your son to work with? At 2 ds1 was quite easy so we had one private assessment, we were given exercises to do and had one follow up- everything else I did myself. The assessment, a report plus the follow up cost iro £100 (this was in the SE) iirc.

if its speech production stuff then I'd recommend something like the kaufman cards. For general communication its things like marble runs with a jolly 'ready steady go" We used to do lots of posting as well (I'm sure that's how he learned most nouns- letter box made out of a shoe box and posting photos of objects).

[Jimjams]

The hanen programme stuff is excellent.

just one word of warning about christopher place - if you suspect anything remotely autistic they are not good. I have heard that from several sources. they told my friedn her dd definitelly wasn't autistic (she is and quite obviously so- having saiid that the first NHS SALT we saw said that about my son as well- hmmm),

[mamadadawahwah]

Hmm interesting. Jim jams, i want to circumvent the waiting list time. Perhaps you could advise seeing you have been through this already. I want to have ds assessed by a private SLT and spoke to her today about it. It means travelling and the cost is about £70.00 for first assessment. Even though ds has not been diagnosed, or even put on a list yet, what do you think i should do? I know in my heart NHS speech therapy is not really going to do much, at least not any more than what i can do at home which is plenty. However, interaction of any kind will be good.

Do you know if a private speech assessment will be taken seriously by the NHS when it comes time to dx my ds? Finally, do you think i should write a letter now, even before the process has started? I dont want to be one of those parents left in the shuffle, on a waiting list.

[hercules]

Why do you think there is a problem,mamadadawahwah ?

[mamadadawahwah]

dont know what you mean by problem? ?

[hercules]

What makes you think your ds has a speech problem?

[mamadadawahwah]

Oh, i see. Yes, he is two and has three words. babbles a lot, has some sensory integration issues and a lot of other things like not coming to his name when called, not understanding what i say etc etc. There is lots and the initial assessment showed he is delayed, though dont know how or by how much.

[hercules]

What does sensory integration issues mean?

[mamadadawahwah]

Herc, sensory integration is when the child wants to "feel", or not "feel". My child has to feel things constantly. Its a breakdown somewhere in the brain which causes the child to not really be in touch with their senses, in my sons case, his sense of touch. He is not very tactile.

[hercules]

Thanks. I am interested as we are worried about dd (16 months) although she points etc and doesnt have that.

[hercules]

DD was refered to salt when she was 8 months by our hv

[mamadadawahwah]

Herc, a parents worry is the best incentive to do something. In my humble opinion, if you are worried about anything with your child, do not delay and never be put off by pat answers. Research and talk to professionals. I feel i have waited too long and should have done something 6 months ago. However, my ds is an only child and I had nothing to compare him to.

[Jimjams]

A session with a good SALT would be worth it. DS1's last SALT (who we had foor ages until she gave up her private work- sob) really knew her stuff and helped me sort out school. Reports do help. I've never had any luck getting anywhwere with NHS SALT. last year ds1 had SALT in his statement, had been listed as the child most in need of SALT in mainstream school in the city- and got - wait for it....... 2 visits in 9 months! (when he went to speciual school). without input fomr the private therapist we would have been stuffed.

however it is expensive so you need to get a good one- I think you can get a feel froom the phone whether they are any good, and also fomr talking to other parents.

Any private report helps. The BIBIC SALT report goot him SALT in his statement.

[Jimjams]

mada- BIBIC might be another option for you They are good, and althougb they loook pricey they allow you to fundraise for your child's fees. you sound as if you are at the stage where you would get a lot from a visit. They are very up ojn sensory integration and you would get a private SALT assessment as well.

[hercules]

DD passes everything in the test on the other thread. She is very active and quite aggressive to other children but I am pretty sure she is okay. Have posted lots of threads in the past and always been reassured.

[mamadadawahwah]

Thanks jim jams. The lady i spoke to really does know her stuff and we "clicked". Do you think i could ask the NHS to pay for it? Also, i have contacted BIBIC as my son was in a road traffic accident about a year ago and may have suffered neurological damage (as yet unproven). What does bibic do regarding their report? I know they are pretty expensive too, about £700.00. Do you think they would be worth going to to determine a whiplash type injury causing speech delay?
thanks jim jams, you have been really helpful to a mother who is on the edge!

[Jimjams]

you could ask but you would struggle to get anywheere. We did get the LEA to pay for his private SALT to go into school- but only because it was in his statement and they weren't providing SALT.

BIBIC give a detailed developmental report and the SALT there gives a separate one. it might be worth talking to them, they do an initial free interview by phone to see whether or not they can help you.