So worried about almost 3yo DS

Some 2 year olds have outgrown Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (distraction test) so they do need to understand how to do Cooperative Play Audiometry. There's often a few months where they've outgrown VRA but can't do CPA reliably enough to get a definite audiogram.

OP - before you go for the test, see if you can teach him how to play Ready, steady, go games or listen for a bell before racing/jumping or whatever.

As far as school is concerned, it sounds as though your child would be fine in a mainstream school. If other concerns emerge, there are lots of steps to get an EHCP or look at special schools so don't worry about that now.

@happybirthdayjism I can only give you my son's experience and yours may be different I dont know, but he never struggled with friends or anything, always had a small close friend group. One thing though, he's never shown any interest in girls, I don't know if that means he's gay or he's just not bothered about a relationship, he's very independent and likes to be alone a lot. Which of course I worry about as he also has dyspraxia and is sooo clumsy so him living alone at uni worries me to death! 😂 But he is managing ok, of course I worry so much as he's quite sensitive and vulnerable but you wouldn't necessarily know this looking at him. Kids are so adaptable and I'm sure your son will do just fine, all you can do is watch and monitor it. At least you realise this now, I had no idea and feel terrible about that but at the same time it allowed him to develop and adapt in is own way and that seems to be working for him.
On the learning front, my son didn't know any of that really until he started school and he was never behind or anything, I wouldn't say he excelled but he didn't fall behind and passed his GCSEs fine, went to college and now he's studying law at university!

I honestly wouldn't worry too much. My eldest son was very much the same. He had speech therapy at 3 due to him not speaking much at all or clearly, he also didn't respond to his name much, he wasn't very affectionate, was a very picky eater etc. I did notice he was different after I had my other two kids as they developed more 'normally'. But I was very young when I had him (20) so we kind of just accepted that was how he was. He sailed through school fine really, never really had any issues with him. It's only now he's 19 at university and struggling a bit socially that I'm realising he's probably autistic. He's had a couple of 'meltdowns' whilst being there and I notice other traits a lot more now (he's very direct and fixed in his thinking and communication). But he's actually a lovely person and I can't say it hinders him too much, I'm not sure if he realises it himself but he seems generally happy most of the time. So what I'm saying is if it's a mild case like my son I don't think it needs labelling really, keep an eye on it and if it starts to affect him at school or anything then maybe look into support but just wanted to say it's not always something to worry about

sounds like you’re really advocating for your son! I agree there’s quite a few traits of autism you’ve listed so it’s good to be questioning it. What does his speech therapist think about his delayed language?
he sounds like he could be a gestalt language processor (this is not a diagnosis) but a way that children learn language, different to the typical language development route. Sometimes associated with autism, and sometimes not. Look it up and see what you think and maybe ask your SLT about it if you think it’s a fit.

You're doing a great thing getting him started on speech therapy, we are getting it for our son too ouch it is expensive!! But he's making great progress in. I would definitely raise your concerns with a health visitor, give them a call. It's good to get onto lists and get investigation with them asap, they'll have a better sense of rest might be going on for him too

A two year old shouldn't need to be able to follow instructions for a hearing test - was this organised by the Paediatric team at your local hospital?

My nephew was like this, barely talked at all at age 3, and his Mum was really worried, and then suddenly when he started nursery, you couldn't shut him up. It was as if he couldn't be bothered to talk at home, but then when he started to see lots of other kids and they would talk to him, he talked back.

Get the hearing test done, but try not to worry OP, they all develop at different rates, and actually when they're this age, an awful lot can happen in 18 months, think back to how he was 18 months ago, I bet he's made a lot of progress since then, hasn't he?

Its early days, as he grows older he will say more words and form better sentences together. I believe in his growth and education.

So this is what we’d have on top of the ear infection - no oozy ears but red and inflamed, the obvious infection bit would be his throat and chest. Basically the ENT said, every time he got a cold his inner ear, sinuses and adenoids would swell more, causing more of a blockage, none of the mucus could drain, get stuck allowing for any bacteria to thrive which would then cause an infection further down. I’m probably simplifying it but this was the gist.

Yes ear infections, we’d had a fairly clean spell without for about 8 months and his speech started to slowly improve, then he was hammered again for 8 weeks and it went backwards.

I know so many people who have had to go the private route for things like this, it puts you as a parent in a rock and a hard place.

He was 3 years and 3 months - we’d held off purely because it was very borderline in the sense of nursery and HV being worried but he had 3 back to back infections, so we called it especially with him being a summer babe and already on the back foot starting school.

Maybe just start getting some quotes - initial consultation is about £150-250 dependent on who you go to. It seems a mad price to pay for a 15-30 minute appointment though.

Thank you , you it can be so many things ,hearing, eyes. Just see what the experts say x

He was diagnosed with glue ear - his ear canals are also extremely narrow so would get build up and his adenoids were enlarged so every time he had any kind of virus, nothing could drain making him deaf in essence. He’s caught up a lot in 3 months, speaking in full sentences although diction isn’t always there, we can have conversations with him, he’s playing with his brother a lot more, more roleplay and interest in colours, shapes, letters etc We’re starting speech therapy this week to give him a bit of a helping hand before starting school. The fact you have the hearing test soon will hopefully give you some answers - the result of that in theory should bump you up the nhs list but the wait times are awful, so feel for you.

At 5yrs old he was prescribed glasses, also dyslexic, yes he caught up and made lots of freinds and very creative.