for not having taken non-talking almost 2 yr old to the HV?

[PuffyPigeon]

We don't have a two year check here. Dd is almost two and can't really say any words. The only words she has that everyone can understand is yes please and mama. She has 'words' for the dogs name, her siblings names and her dad but they're all pretty similar and sound little like they're supposed to. I give her lots of opportunities to speak, like asking would you like the red or blue cup and giving her time to respond but she doesn't. However, her comprehension is fantastic. I chatter to her all day long and she understands, agrees and disagrees in the right places and is never frustrated.

As it isn't causing a problem I wasn't planning to act, figuring one day she'll just pick it up and there'll be no stopping her but my friend thinks she's 'severely delayed' and I should get her checked out. Aibu?

There is a loooong old waiting list for SALT and even the hearing test- my 2.5 yo ds has his shortly- so I'd say go for it. Take her to the gp.

What exactly have you got to lose?

Ps she is delayed. Maybe not by far but definitely delayed. I was hoping it would start to click sooner with my ds and was trying not to worry about him... Then his nursery key worker referred him for me! We went to a drop in session which started the ball rolling. My advice would be to make appointment with gp for hearing test referral and visit the drop in session too.

Hello. I'm a SLT. Great that her comprehension is good. At 2 years, the minimum for typical development is 50 words and starting to put 2 words together. So she is delayed and there could be a number of reasons for this. Most SLTs won't provide a regular service for a 2 year old, but some will refer you for a Hanen course or similar. You could order the book "It Takes Two to Talk" which contains all the advice an SLT will give you.

Over the next year, she will probably develop lots more words, but you may find they are very difficult to understand. Make sure she is referred to SLT by age 3 years, either through the GP or the Health Visitor. Good luck.

I recognise this, it was the same as my ds. Very little talking, struggling with lumpy or solid foods. How does he walk and play with things ie cars. Go straight to your doctor rather the hv they are less than useless we took ds and she said don't feed him till he asks for it! Turns out he is severely autistic and still doesn't really talk so we would have been waiting a Longtime to feed him it not likely that is the outcome for you but do get it checked out cos the sooner there is help the sooner you work together to bring him on

My son aS a bit like this although less so . On his second birthday he had 40 words that DH and I could just about understand. E.g. Gaga for Daddy, baa for sheep. I considered contacting HV but comprehension was excellent. He could follow Instructions like Go and put your clothes in the dirty linen basket. 1 month later he had 200 words and 4 months later talks in sentences of up to 7 words long.
I think in your shoes if everything else including listening to and following instructions is ok, I would wait a month or 2 but if no big improvement speak to Hv.

At 2, DS was following the minimum range of normal. I asked the HV what she thought when she came for new baby. We booked in for the fwo year check, and I've had a couple of phone calls to check that his speech was developing. It's taken until 3 to string enough words together to make a basic sentence. What he did say wss quite clear. With a few milestones he's shown the same pattern of waiting, internalising practice and displaying something quite well polished.

I found the confirmation of where he was at and the low key follow-up to be useful and reassuring. He also goes to nursery, so theres another chance yo flag up concerns. He is catching up, especially since hos sessions increased at 3, but access to further action if necessary had been established.

At 2 my brother had very few words. Turns out that he had fluctuating hearing loss that affects him still 32 years later. Can't hurt to visit a GP. Back in the day he had very little support and still is difficult to understand when speaking. He was teased relentlessly at primary school and high school.

Pop to your gp. My friend has a ds who was similar and she left it so late. At nearly five I cannot understand him still and his peers struggle too which is upsetting for him.

OP I could have written your post. My daughter is nearly 23 months and doesn't say much at all. Like your daughter though her level of comprehension is brilliant as are her motor skills. I think sometimes children are just better at one thing rather than another.

Saying that though my daughter failed her initial hearing test and has been under audiology ever since at the local hospital. She was born by c-section and they think this might have meant her ears didn't unblock properly and they think it's slightly congested. The audiology team are really brilliant so if you are worried I'd skip the HV (who I personally don't think can possibly diagnose the problem) and go straight to the GP and ask for a referral to audiology if they do it where you are.

I sympathise because I find it v frustrating that she's not talking much, as does she, but I am sure she'll get there in the end...good luck whatever you decide to do.

I should add though that although she failed her hearing test and not been signed off she still appears to hear us. Last time I went the audiologist said she hears at a lower level but it's a sufficient level. So def try and get an audiology appointment would be my advice, they are v reassuring.

Does she go to a nursery? They picked up in DS speech "delay" and arranged an assessment in nursery for him.

Her speech seems quite delayed tbh. I dont know why you seem reluctant to get it checked. Whhat is your reason for not getting it checked?

What harm will it do asking for a referral to a SALT?

You can always cancel if time passes and her vocabulary improves?

If it doesn't, you will know you did the best you could for her.

My DS was delayed and when he had his language explosion, we found he spoke through his nose, so we were so relieved when we could start speech therapy when he was aged 2.

I am positive that had I not, he would still be on the waiting list and continue to mis-learn words nasally, which would take even longer to re-learn in therapy.

He is 3 now and his f and v sounds are perfect and we are working on his t's.

yabu. Flagging it up is not a big deal, and most kids love their speech therapy sessions.

is your chattering to her with any attempt at interaction, or are you mainly talking to her?

She may well pick it all up. She may not, but if there is an issue, its much better if any intervention is early.

Maybe it means more to you than that, because you already have one with SN?

Well I'm with op for avoiding bloody hvs. Can't stick them either. Dense idiots with clipboards. I'd avoid at all costs too.

Every book I read said by two there's usually about a thousand words. Scared life out of me. That's a lot of chatter. In RL many of the two year olds we knew didn't have close to that.

I don't think you are bu yet. But this year I'd say is crucial. So by all means give to 2.5 but leaving til 3 could be very unhelpful.

I'm presuming you intend to get professional opinions at some point?

I'd get a referral on the basis that getting services is slow. It was 1 year between asking for help and getting onto a Hanen course in my area, due to various checks. The squeeze on the NHS is likely to impact further on this in SLT provision. If she catches up in the next year you'll know, and can decline the services. If you wait til it is a problem for her then you'd be joining the waiting list at the bottom of the queue.

We did the Hanen course, all for parents of 2 yr olds who could understand everything, but couldn't speak. I had quite a few important learning points - the biggest being that he now as very different learning needs for comprehension and speech so that sometimes I need to speak to him very simply to enable him to copy speech and develop productive speech. But his other learning needs mean that at other times its appropriate to use complex language and develop his understanding of the world. And that I need to ensure he gets both. So the fact of his comprehension being good can further act to reduce his opportunity to develop speech production as he gets older. I.e. - making it less easy for it to naturally 'get better'. Hope that makes sense!

I was worried, as I'd noticed delay in all speech development from not tongue protruding as an infant to a lack of babbling noises and then no words, and had been warned of a huge waiting list, so got on it, and I was glad I did. I got LOADS of advice from others to say 'he'll be fine' and made me feel like I was making a pointless fuss, but joining a group of similar parents and having concerns taken seriously by SLT was really helpful.

not much point adding more advice though is there? op yanbu to post but yabu to not take advice and go to see your GP for a quick check up.

by the way ditch the 'helpful friend' she sounds a pita.

Again I would recommend a hearing test. You may feel she can hear the rustling of the biscuit tin but hearing losses are generally not flat so while a child may turn to their name or to certain environmental sounds they may still be missing out on some key speech sounds.

SALT wouldn't accept a referral in my area at this age.

The development check is actually at 2 & half to 3 because doing in any early can highlight issues that are actually not issues just variations of normal.
I would be wanting a review at 2&half ASAP though.

Try your local children centre - they often have speech and language groups on.

I will say this - as part of my HV training (I am not a HV - I didn't finish) I did a piece of work on siblings of children with ASD... Language & play is often delayed a little in siblings of children with but as they enter nurseries & schools. This is because they model children over adults and at home they children they model from have their own way if doing things
Having a sibling with ASD was also associated with compassion, caring, sensitivity and increased empathy in non autistic siblings so it's not all bad

If you look at the iCan website too you will find some excellent advice.
Then look at the Healthy Child Programme and you will see the recommended times for development checks.... Then make a judgement

If she's pointing (with index finger) - especially to objects of interest then I don't think you need to worry much yet, if she isn't pointing she needs to be seen.

Bear in mind though that waiting lists are long. I referred ds2 to salt on his 2nd birthday and he wasn't seen until he was 3 (despite being at high risk of. Communication disorder). I often say refer & you can always cancel if the child catches up.

Sorry that should say they catch up as they enter the settings...

If she is pointing that would help to rule out ASD.

But could still be a motor issue with producing speech sounds or a hearing issue so please do get her checked.

I was uber paranoid about this he had lots of noises for cars, trains, animals etc. which all include in the 20-50 words i think they say they should have and his own words for things but not much made sense. We had his hearing checked and there Were no problems there gp said to give it time and they were right when he hit 2.1 they came flowing he is now 2.3 months. And learning new words every day. I would maybe take her to gp rather than hv.

To test understanding you need to test with no context at all. So for example get some toys in front of you, keep your hands by your side and say 'give me the bus' 'put the cat on the bus' etc etc. my eldest (14) has very good situational understanding but can't do that sort of task without a lot of help (& a lot of people still say 'oh he understands everything that you say to him'). No he doesn't. He guesses from key words and context - - and is very good at that.

Having read that she was delayed switching to solids I would get her referred actually - you can cancel - & will be waiting for ages.

I have a lot of sympathy for the OP tbh. My oldest child was late to talk. That was all there is to it. She had a tiny number of words at the age the OP's child is, was only putting two words together occasionally at 2.5 and at 2.75 constructed only very basic sentences of three words or so. Then it all clicked. She is now nearly 16 and incredibly articulate and expressive. The OP is looking at the whole picture of a child she actually knows and what she is saying is she has no concerns. Not really sure therefore why mumsnet falls over itself to tell her she MUST have concerns and to imply she's failing her dd in some way.