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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To send toddler to private speech therapy?

17 replies

Princesslucky1 · 01/06/2014 14:27

Ds is just gone 2 but is behind in his speech and I'm worried about him. He had no words at all until the past few weeks now he saying "wats tat" but this is all his saying really nothing else, babbles all the time. Can't even do animal sounds like moo or ba and so on. I have him referred for speech therapy but because of waiting lists he may not be seen for 6-9 months! I want to start privately but husband and everyone keeps saying I'm mad that he will talk in his own time... I don't think he will, I think there is some type of problem going on as his doing his best and is getting frustrated at this stage. He understands everything that's said to him and hearing tests came back clear. We are doing everything advised by phn but so far not much improvement

OP posts:

MrsWinnibago · 01/06/2014 14:30

If you can afford it I would. There can't be any harm in it as long as you get a good one. Some aren't so good....

At gone two he "should" be saying more but plenty of children take longer. Does he respond in other ways as expected?

How is he socially?

Chippednailvarnish · 01/06/2014 14:32

My gp wanted 10 words by 18 months. My DD didn't manage this, nor did she babble. We delayed the referral to speech therapy as she had a lot of other appointments but interestingly starting preschool seemed to get her talking within a few weeks...

Timeforabiscuit · 01/06/2014 14:33

Has your son actually been assessed by a health visitor? Does he attend nursery?

My daughters speech problems were picked up her (fabulous) keyworker at nursery and they made the referral, it was a really short wait for what I thought was endearing baby talk!

So I think your right to be concerned, but first get a good idea of what the issue is before forking out - there may be a range of physical and/or comprehension issues and there is rarely a wait for an initial assessment.

this was the one occasion that the health visitor was useful as she visited the nursery to do the initial assessment.

beccajoh · 01/06/2014 14:34

I would agree with your husband to be honest, and think a private SLT would probably say the same thing. Babbling is good, and I bet there are some words in amongst it all - my daughter is about the same age and she's very chatty, but most of what she says is only a very vague approximation of a word.

My friend is a SLT (has a son who's just about to turn 2) and she says as long as they seem to understand plenty and are babbling then there's nothing to worry about.

MrsWinnibago · 01/06/2014 14:34

biscuit that's really good advice. OP listen to Biscuit! I've never been in this situation.

BrianTheMole · 01/06/2014 14:35

I thought that about my ds, but he did talk in his own time. He had no words at 2, started talking at 2.5. We waited 6 months for salt. Salt didn't make much difference in our case.

Original poster

Princesslucky1 · 01/06/2014 14:35

Thanks for reply. Yes he responds fairly well to everything, seems bright and in tune. Socially its hard to tell, seems good mostly can be a bit shy..

OP posts:

scaevola · 01/06/2014 14:36

It might be worth booking a private session for a further assessment and decide after that whether you go for more. In many of these things, the earlier the intervention the better, and you need to find out if that applies to your DC.

Parliamo · 01/06/2014 14:38

My dsis is salt, and from what I understand from her, before the age of 4 most of what they do is parent education and group therapy. Again afaik, it is difficult to DP the diagnosis until they're older. Have you looked at some good websites for things you can be doing while you're waiting for an appointment? www.ican.org.uk I think it is about £80 for a session with a private therapist.

Lots of two year olds don't talk clearly and go on to have no problems at all. And again, from what I know, the understanding is the important bit at this age.

Parliamo · 01/06/2014 14:40

*to do, not DP!

Original poster

Princesslucky1 · 01/06/2014 14:41

Yes his been accessed they just said his delayed and will put him on waiting list... They thought his eye contact wasn't great but in general I think its ok. His not in nursery his home with me, I did try to get him into nursery but he nearly lost his life! I'm a childminder, I know your not supposed to compare children but the just turned one year old is saying mammy and daddy and my ds is a full year older and still can't say it so it is worrying..

OP posts:

IHeartKingThistle · 01/06/2014 14:59

I spent well over a year worrying about DS's speech andboring anyone who would listen. He was similar, understanding great, knew what he wanted to say but couldn't say it. He was assessed, did not require therapy, had a few sessions when he started school with their in-house person just to sort out his ps and bs.He will be 5 in August and speaks beautifully. I'm glad I got him assessed and got some advice about games and things to help him, but I should have spent a lot less time worrying.

alphablock · 01/06/2014 15:10

I remember on my dd's 2nd birthday all the other 2 year olds sang Happy Birthday to her, whilst she was only saying a handful of words, so the difference in their development was very noticeable. She also started nursery at 2 and it was several months before they heard her speak! By 3 she had totally caught up.

Luckily as I knew that both my husband and I were late speakers I was never remotely worried.

littledrummergirl · 01/06/2014 15:12

Ds2 has had salt involved for most of his life. At 2 he past the hearing tests because he would turn his head and see the rattle/nurse.

He suffered from glue ear that was picked up in reception class. The team member who assessed him said he would grow out of it and to come back in a year to be assessed again.

I refused to leave until a plan was in place and after being checked by the consultant during a night observation the operation to help him happened within a couple of months. He was a new child after this.

Salt worked with him in school as well as at the clinic however they were overstretched and as soon as he reached a certain level they had to stop treating him to spend time with others who were worse off.

His secondary school are now trying to get them involved again. His sal difficulties also masked his dyslexia which has just been diagnosed.

If I could have afforded it and knowing what I know now, I would pay for a private therapist. You will need to be able to involve them for many years though as I could be wrong but I believe it is very difficult to go back from private to NHS.

Sorry- epic post.

insanityscatching · 01/06/2014 15:23

If you can afford it then get private SALT it will be worth every penny. My two have autism so have had NHS speech therapy and private speech therapy and the private has been worth its weight in gold whereas NHS input has been sketchy at best and inadequate at times. Ds continues to have private speech therapy at his independent specialist school and their input has seen amazing results.

PrincessBabyCat · 01/06/2014 15:30

If you can afford it, do it. If not, you can try teaching him sign language for now? It might help him feel more in control with his communication than just pointing and getting frustrated.

elfycat · 01/06/2014 15:37

Have you taken him to have his ears looked at?

DD1 was a bit behind on words (at 3) and clarity of those she has. I knew from working in operating theatres about glue-ear and other problems so I took DD1 to be checked out.

Wax... absolutely filled to blocking point with wax. A few ear drops later and the stuff started coming out.

Her speech improved but after another 2-3 months I asked for her to be referred to SLT and she's still under them at 5 (they're underfunded and oversubscribed, try to get things moving sooner rather than later). I expect a swift discharge when we next go. As she's under SLT the school do a bit extra 1to1 reading with her and her 'group' reading is her and another SLT child, so a very small group.

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