encouraging speech

[arielmanto]

I don't want to go into too much detail for fear of outing myself but was hoping some wise MNers could give me some tips for encouraging a 2yo with speech&language delay to engage in trying to speak.

He spends long, long periods of time totally silent, engaging only at the end of recognised songs or rhymes, and then the sounds aren't words, more of an approximation of words. Has had hearing tests which are "inconclusive" but I'm pretty sure he can hear me.

I've been practising just chatting about what he is doing, "oh, do you like the toy car? That's a blue car. Sometimes we go in the car, don't we" etc etc.

I've read about a game you can play with bubbles where you blow some and talk about them, and then the child has to say "bubble" or "bub" before you blow any more - I just don't think he would even try, and then I'd feel mean witholding more bubbles. !

Have any of you with a similar situation had any little games or tips which worked over a long period of time?

thanks for any help you can give - I will continue to research in the meantime!

am.

We had bath alphabet letters that we incorporated into our routine, so each night we'd pick a letter and make the sound, then list all the things we could think of that started with that sound. For the first while DD just stared at us, but then gradually started to participate, first by pointing, then naming. I have no idea if it helped or not, but at least we felt like we were doing something.

We used "bubbles up? Bubbles down?" to encourage LO to say which way he wanted them blown. Pretty sure that came from our SLT! "Stop and Go" - to encourage lots of silly stop starting when walking in the park, saying either word and exaggerating the wobbly screeching to a stop, or the speedy go go go. Hmm, what else... Using really short phrases "there's a car!" rather than "oh look, a car over there has got red stripes on it", to make it easier to copy. Naming body parts as you dry each bit after the bath, tickling a bit obviously!

I appreciate speech delay can be for all sorts of early life reasons, but you might get useful practical tips if you ask in SN Chat as well.

My LO has global developmental delay. I have found signing v helpful - we used to go to a signed singing class which we both loved and we still go to a Portage toddler group where they use a lot of Makaton (which you may have seen on Mr Tumble). When he's learning a new word he usually starts signing it then saying and signing - it seems to give him confidence and usually helps me understand him.

For some reason the book 'Goodnight Moon' has really helped.

When we've built a tower I say ready steady go before letting him knock it down. He was v motivated to say Go! He now says ready, teddy, go!

He sounds a bit like ds at about 3. I recognise the end of songs attempt! I also found the silence hard but when we started SALT they were very clear that we should use few words to narrate (though chat is tempting to fill the silence!). So: car. Blue car. Daddy's car? No daddy's car red. Car driving. Etc.

You've already had some great advice but a few things we use are repeating all words back, clearly. So if he attempts it and it's wrong then just say 'yes, a car.' Keep it simple. If he's only using single words keep your chat and instructions to 2-3 words. If he can put words together then you can use a few more words but make it as simple as you can. Turn off the TV/background noise whenever you are playing. Get on his level and let him lead the play so you are talking about things that interest him. Lots of singing and reading. I've been recommended the DVD 'sookie and Finn' and have watched it but haven't bought it. The animation is abysmal but it has really helped my friends little boy.
Also lots of simple, easy to repeat phrases like 'ready steady go'. When asking a question use the 'observe, wait, listen' technique, so give him a chance to answer, prompting when necessary.
Our most important lesson was just to try and keep language fun. It's a really difficult skill :)

Dimples we love Goodnight Moon too! Can't say I noticed if it connected to progress in speech, but it is adored by LO (and me).

IamnotaspoonIamafork re Goodnight Moon earlier in the year I made a list of the words my boy was saying to show the paediatrician and I was struck by how many of his words (and there were only about 40 at the time ) were used in the book. He's also now a bit obsessed with the moon - his first sentence was 'moon's hiding'.

arielmanto if your child is closer to 2 than 3 I would not worry too much. Some children speak later, especially some boys apparently.

Some tips....

Turn off the TV and radio and music some times, because kids lean through talking and listening to people, not so much through TV or music.

Talk to your child a lot, ask lots of questions but no pressure if they do not reply.

If it persists seek some help fro doctor, to make sure all is OK re hearing and the mechanics of making the sounds etc. I know very little but I think that there are things that can change and get better with time. Our son was temporarily hard of hearing because of colds, which caused his ears and throat/nose etc to be blocked. Now he is that bit older (5) he no longer has problems. My dd (10) had a lot of ear infections but it did not affect her hearing or talking, so these things can all vary, professional help is useful if it persists.

ADD2 was only on single words when placed at 2.5, and only linking 3 words when she turned 3. She had 2 or 3 lots of SALT age 3 / 4.

She also did singing the last word of each line of songs.

Have you come across 'Baby Talk' by Dr Sally Ward? I thought it was a great book, very readable and useful.

Blowing bubbles is good for mouth muscle development I think, both bubbles and through straws.
Making sounds up against a balloon so you hear the vibrations might help.
Simple phrases.
No background noise.

At 11 (where did time go?) DD is still behind peer group in speech, but not enough to hinder her greatly.

Suggest you contact community paediatrician for a referral too baby toddler disability team, we did this and ds is now attending at, sure start centre programme for such children, its great meet other children/parents interacts is learning makatron , british sighning, (age 14 months) too use along side may be problems, he really loves it.

thank you so much - i really appreciate all the advice and will be acting on it. there is definitely a SALT referral which needs to happen and I will chase up the health visitor about it.