Is it a normal wait time

[Rosebel]

Wasn't really sure where to post. In April we had a meeting with the paediatric doctor. DS is 3 and has a lot of development delay. They were going to refer DS for SALT but he needs a hearing test first apparently. Doctor said she'd put him on the system.
At the end of July DH phoned them and said we feel DS speech is regressing do they know how long the wait for a hearing test is.
Receptionist wasn't sure but said she'd mark DS as urgent but still heard nothing. I'm thinking of ringing again this week but is there any point? I feel I'm doing nothing while DS is regressing. He won't use Makaton either. Nursery try their best to encourage speech but there's a lot of children there. Senco is snowed under and often ends up in numbers so he's not getting masses of help there either. DH and I talk to him lots too about everything but nothing. So I really feel he needs professional help.
Is this just a normal wait time for something urgent? Did anyone have a similar wait time? I don't want to annoy them as they're busy if this is normal but is it?

Ring again and find out where he has been referred to. You can then check the average waiting times for every hospital department on a new website - you can access it through the NHS site. Suggest you also start looking at going private for the hearing test. Again speak to gp about a private referral if they do them for paediatrics.
Slightly different but my DH has been waiting for an urgent procedure since early March. The website I mentioned above gives an average waiting time of 21 weeks for treatment - he's 26 weeks now and deteriorating so hoping he hears soon otherwise we will try the private route.

Thanks. I did look at private speech and language therapy but it's our of reach financially unfortunately. I will ring again and then check the website. Thanks for the information.

I would check again and get some confirmation of how long you would normally expect to wait in your authority.

Where I live, there isn't a huge wait for hearing tests (within 3 months or so) but there is a MASSIVE wait list for SaLT (count in years rather than months). However, they do balance that out somewhat with advice lines where you can get advice on strategies to use whilst you are waiting, which are very useful.

There are also several organisations where you can get advice and support from SaLTs

Speech and Language UK

I Can

Thankyou for the information. I have had a look on NHS and it says 6 week wait or 2 weeks if it's urgent. So I'm going to have to phone today and ask what's going on.
Only thing I can think is we moved house during the period after we were referred and I have this horrible feeling the letter might have gone to the old address, although letters from paediatrics and physiotherapy came to the right address so who knows?