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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Worried about 2 yo speach

33 replies

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 08:00

My little boy is 3 in December and still not talking much.
He started nursery last month and its made me more anxious about his speach, listening to other children his age talking in full sentences.
Some words i can understand like mum, cat, juice, choc (chocolate), apple he can say the last words of it, duck and possibly a few more, but it is only one word or sometimes half the word if he can not say it.
His understanding is much much better, he can follow instructions, pull me by my hand to where he wants to go, points, but he does get incredibly frustrated when we cant understand what he wants.

He had been referred to SALT, waited 3 months to hear from them, had it over the phone because of covid but that was back in august.
Shall i contact them again? I know with covid its not an ideal situation.
Has anyone else got any ideas i can do to help him? I read with him, go through picture books, keep sentences simple
Any advice would be so much appreciated

OP posts:

fitzbilly · 13/10/2020 08:04

Contact the salt again. Has he had his two year check yet? The nursery have an obligation to do this ( usually at about 30 months) and the health visitor is usually involved.

You need to raise this further as he does sound like he needs help.

Original poster

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 08:06

Hes had his 2 year check and HV reffered him to salt, she said sounds like hes doing great with everything else for his age its just his speach.
had the phone call from salt in august, have not heard anything since

OP posts:

LG101 · 13/10/2020 08:12

I got my LO to speak two words, then three etc when they asked for something.

At the dinner table if they say drink or orange and then you get this for them why would they bother adding more words. So I started getting my little one to say orange juice or drink please. Now we have moved onto full sentences, they have to say please can I have a drink etc.

When your LO asks for something try to encourage them to add more words before you do what they want .

Original poster

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 08:16

@LG101
Thank you I will try that, i probably do find myself talking more for him.

OP posts:

Oysterbabe · 13/10/2020 08:16

Definitely chase up the SALT referral. He does sound quite delayed but that doesn't mean he won't catch up.

Emelene · 13/10/2020 08:18

What did SALT say? Is there any follow up in place? I'd be chasing this.

newname81 · 13/10/2020 08:20

My DS was really similar, how vocabulary was awful but he had very good understanding & good pronunciation.
We did one lot of SALT which I didn't really feel made much difference and then we changed his pre school which made the absolute WORLD of difference! He came on leaps and bounds and even now having started school I can hear he is still behind with his speech when compared with his peers but he isn't 5 till late in the school year & he has made so much improvement.
Work on building his vocabulary and although it can be frustrating for him and you make him ask for what he wants. Build on what he says so if he says car, say yes it's a blue car. Or if he says bus say yes it's a big bus etc then expand on this.
There are lots of resources online that can help as well. Chat to him all the time and give him time to speak, if he's trying to say something don't interrupt give him the time to finish what he's trying to say.
Has he had a hearing test?

newname81 · 13/10/2020 08:21

Sorry for the mistakes in that post, I didn't proof read

Grapesoda7 · 13/10/2020 08:25

My son has verbal dyspraxia, when he was around that age, I think the advice was if he said something like car, try to repeat it back but extend it like yes, blue car.

The SALT also used to use a sound bag. So it was a pump bag filled with little toys etc all beginning with the same sound. You take it in turns with them to pull something out the bag and say what it is.
Eg B ball, book, banana, Button.

The picture books he may have had when he was younger are good to read together where the pictures are labelled rather than a story.

If he doesn't say a word correctly, just model it back to him rather than try and make him say it again and get it right.

I hope it all gets easier for you both soon.

Grapesoda7 · 13/10/2020 08:32

Oh and clapping syllables so they can see how the word is made up.

I remember my son managing to say apple for the first time like this.

SALT recommended giving opportunities for them to speak as well, so instead of saying do you want a banana? Ask do you want an apple or a banana and dont have it in your hand so they can just point.

Grapesoda7 · 13/10/2020 08:34

Typo, so they can't just point.

Embracelife · 13/10/2020 08:48

Yea contact them
Use total communication use signs makaton mr tumblr
Choice boards using pictures
Create a " my day" book so he can point to what he wants thru the day or to what he wants to talk about
Visual schedule boards
Ipad communication apps (downliad gridplayer for free but to use effectively would need salt support)

Embracelife · 13/10/2020 08:49

Speak to ICAN charity for advice

whatwouldjohnmclanedo · 13/10/2020 08:58

Are you in a position to hire a private SALT? We did and have found her to be invaluable. We learnt so much from her and this has really helped us to help our son

Original poster

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 09:03

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice.

@whatwouldjohnmclanedo Unfortunately no, my partner has recently been made redundant

I will call them today and chase it up

OP posts:

Amelia891 · 13/10/2020 09:07

My 2 yr old DD has a speech delay and due to all the NHS delays with Covid we’ve been seeing a private SALT that nursery put us in touch with. Not super cheap but she’s been great just for a couple of sessions to show me games/tips etc and she isn’t pushy about coming regularly so if you can even afford a couple of sessions it might be worth it. Nursery have been a big help too and play a lot of these special games with her to help her language so definitely speak to nursery, they might have a SENCO person who can help.

whatwouldjohnmclanedo · 13/10/2020 09:09

Oh OP 😔

During lockdown I was doing my own version of SP and L with my son. I used some resources from twinkl. We also supported new words with makaton thanks to youtube

formerbabe · 13/10/2020 09:10

Did he have a hearing test op?

My DC sounds similar. I went to the GP and asked for a hearing test. Turned out they had glue ear and grommets were put in. My DC has other issues around speech but obviously the hearing wasn't helping.

Original poster

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 09:21

@formerbabe He hasnt had a hearing test since he was a newborn. Maybe i should look into getting it tested again

OP posts:

BackBeatTheWordisOnTheStreet · 13/10/2020 09:45

My friend's child had a speach delay she used the book 'it takes two to talk' which I think goes through similar activities to speach therpay. You could also look into private speach therapy if it's affordable to you.

123becauseicouldntthinkofone · 13/10/2020 13:15

Could i ask if he has had his hearing checked? My son was exactly the same with the half words and turns out he had quite bad glue ear (which is easily fixable) but had to keep pushing for checks as just kept being told 'hes only a few words behind' 'all kids develop differently'. My GP noticed his eardrum was 'flat' so got a referral to hearing. Always worth investigating. Good luck hope you can get to the bottom of it soon x

nettytree · 13/10/2020 13:59

My son had delayed speech. I contactes the hv at around 18 months and they started him with the salt. But it wasn't til he was statemented at 3 and put into a nursery with speech therapy every day it really made a difference. After a year of nursery and 3 years in mainstream school, still with the daily therapy, he no longer needed the statement. Now 13 he is in the top groups in school. Thank you to everyone in Bletchingley school and the therapy unit.

MinnieJackson · 13/10/2020 16:01

Definitely chase SALT. I would expect him to have another hearing test as well. If he says ball, say yes, RED ball! Etc. The level of understanding is really encouraging op. Has he been checked for tongue tie? It can affect some children more than others. Get messy, get him in bowls of jelly, sand, playdoh, shaving foam. The orchard toys game greedy gorilla is good. So yo choose two foods and ask which one he wants you to feed the gorilla i.e rice or chips? He'll tell you or point then you feed him and he burps.

Original poster

Tattoocrazymum · 13/10/2020 18:26

Some great advice on here thank you all

Didnt get a chance today to call, but tomorrow i definitely will and look into getting his hearing checked again. His ears are always waxy and im always having to wipe the inside bit where the wax is coming out. Could that be connected to ear problems? Ive just always thought he just has extra waxy ears.

Tongue tie he had snipped at 7 days old as we were struggling to establish breastfeeding, worked wonderfully and we then successfully breastfed for 22 months

OP posts:

Beaverdam100 · 13/10/2020 20:02

I had a therapist come to my house last year because i was so worried and the NHS waiting list is so long. She played with him and focussed on his understanding and concentration. Everything was excellent apart from speach. She said to encourage through play. So if he said dinosaur, we had to say green dinosaur. We also encouraged through playing hide and seek and getting him to say 'hide' when he wanted to play. Eventually we got him to say more like "daddy come find me'. I've never played so much hide and seek.

He's still not talking as clear as other kids his age but he will get there. Good luck.

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