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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To access speech therapy for 2 yo?

75 replies

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 20:42

2yo seems very behind with his speech (hearing fine) his understanding is good but he seems to have a delay.

I know it’s largely pointless waiting for a referral so how do I put in motion speech therapy for him privately? Sorry to ask on here but a bit worried.

OP posts:

HappyValet · 02/04/2023 21:14

I thought you were going to say he didn't have any words. He sounds normal if he has quite a few different words.

He'll get the hang of stringing them together, especially if you consistently use techniques to improve his language. You'll quite possibly find by 3 he's chatting away merrily and never stops, or he might just not be a huge talker - not everyone is.

Sweenytoddler · 02/04/2023 21:15

Whilst you are waiting for NHS/ private, I would recommend the book small talk by Nicola lathey. Gives lots of Developmental insights and tips.

My local library had a copy.

FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb · 02/04/2023 21:17

Definitely go private. I tited about on the NHS and that was pre covid.
Best money I have ever spent

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:17

He’s quite chatty @HappyValet but you get a sort of random stream of observations … so he might say duck, quack quack, Bike! Noisy car! Woof woof, flower, wheel … etc. no mummy I see a dog for example?

OP posts:

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:18

Thanks @Sweenytoddler I’ll order a copy.

I’ve contacted a lady near us @FirstnameSuesecondnamePerb … just really want to help him.

OP posts:

Morningcoffeeview · 02/04/2023 21:19

My little boy only had 35 words at 2. He’s 4 now and his speech is absolutely fine, he can have a full on conversation and is where he should be/if not slightly ahead than his friends. Your little boy sounds fine. I remember some of my friends children having amazing speech at 2 - but they were definitely just advanced. My DS was a climber and really steady. He didn’t need supervision climbing at the park etc whereas his peers did. It’s normal for them to have different strengths and weaknesses.

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:21

I really hope that’s right @Morningcoffeeview . The 2 year review questionnaire does ask about pronoun use and about three word sentences. I guess maybe those two things in isolation aren’t too bad?

OP posts:

TheJudgeandJury · 02/04/2023 21:21

I don't know what area your in but in my area they do a triage service and I got my 2 year old sons wait down for 12-24 months to 6 weeks however he has additional needs so I don't know how doable that is for everyone but might be worth looking into.

minimadgirl · 02/04/2023 21:21

Cant help with private, but NHS the waiting lists are long right now.
We got referred last year as my 2 year old wasn't talking at all, spoke to them in December and she still was only saying a few words. She's just been seen this week and suddenly in the last 6 weeks her speech has exploded, she's a few weeks off 3.
It's true what they say every child is different. But I would talk to your hv if you are concerned as they can refer.

MamaCapybara · 02/04/2023 21:22

My DC was just like this at the same age as yours (and also had a history of recurrent ear infections). 6 months later he is a little chatterbox and talking in sentences non-stop. It's mind-blowing how fast it comes in once it starts. Obviously I know every child is different and you need to go with your gut if you think there is an issue but fingers crossed your little one is the same. I was so worried 6 months ago and honestly he doesn't stop talking now!

Do they go to nursery/ playground? If so, ask what they think. Our nursery were really reassuring.

MamaCapybara · 02/04/2023 21:22

*playgroup

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:25

Thanks, he’s at nursery and they don’t seem concerned so I should really stop stressing. It’s just that I also worry that in trying NOT to stress, I miss something!

OP posts:

OhMyChickenDinner · 02/04/2023 21:25

My son only said 10 words when he was 2, only single words and they weren’t very clear. He was still within normal range and is absolutely fine now. As is your son from what you’ve described.

gkhg · 02/04/2023 21:25

Seriously OP, you're stressing about nothing and by the time he turns 3 you'll be thinking 'what was I worried about?!'. You're getting caught up in the need to 'keep up' but the reality is the range of abilities is so vast at this age that it's impossible to examine every baby with the same expectations. My son had about 5 words at your ds' age, now he's almost 3 and I can have a mini conversation with him. A few months is often all they need. You sound a great parent for wanting to take early action, but give him time. He's only been here for a couple years!

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:28

No, this is really good and honestly so reassuring to hear as I veer between ‘he’s completely normal’ to ‘oh god he’s miles behind’ and I do think most of us have a tendency to blame ourselves and think we haven’t done enough!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 02/04/2023 21:32

Our son was very similar , only had single words until he was about 2 yrs 5/6 months and then started very suddenly speaking in quite long sentences . We always say he was waiting until he had something worth saying . FWIW he was diagnosed with moderate bilateral hearing loss when he was 6 and is autistic but very high functioning.

Busygoingblah · 02/04/2023 21:35

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:03

He has quite a lot of words but isn’t really using sentences very well, no more than two words and quite limited even with those. Still points to communicate a lot too. I’ve just come back from a day out with him and toddlers the same age and I think I was in a bit of denial before, but it was very noticeable that his speech was much more basic than the other children’s.

NHS speech therapist here. What you are describing is very much within the range of normal, he doesn’t need speech therapy at the moment. The best thing you can be doing is lots of stories, songs, getting down on the floor to share play and modelling back what he says with another word added. For example if he says car you say ‘yes, red car, ‘fast car’, ‘big car’ or ‘car go’.

Any independent therapist that takes your money for direct therapy right now wouldn’t be acting ethically, all he needs is supportive adults at home and at nursery if he goes there.

salt123 · 02/04/2023 21:37

I'm an nhs salt. The wait I really dependent on area, mine is max 18 weeks but really you'll be seen before that within about 3 months. Also you can usually refer yourself. Look up your local nhs salt. They may even offer things like drop ins to get the ball rolling.
As someone said above I'd be surprised if any therapist private or nhs recommended 1:1 therapy with a 2 year old. It really is about a total communication approach and therefore work will focus on communication strategies you can use at home. These are tried and tested and really work.
What issues did he have with his ear?

littlese · 02/04/2023 21:46

My DS couldn't speak at all at 2, got referred via health visitor and took about many months to be seen by speech therapist. Finally saw one at 3, but he was speaking much better by then so he got discharged

We tried going private but the initial assessment was £300 (we paid this) but she wanted him to go to weekly therapy sessions for £200 a pop. We couldn't quite justify that since his speech was improving so we thought we would wait and see.

In the meantime, started reading a lot more books to him and read about 3-4 books a day at least. And now his speech has come on tremendously

We just never realised we didn't read to him as we spent all the time practising phonics with my older DS! Poor child

lifehappens12 · 02/04/2023 21:49

Your nursery should have a senco - special education needs co-coordinator. Ask them?

My son has speech delay and the senco at his nursery helped us why his therapist and she used to see him at home first and then do sessions at nursery. We didn't start formal therapy until he was 3 1/2.

In the mean time here is home work we were given in the early days:

Model language - the train is big/slow/ going under the bridge
Keep language simple - it's a foreign language to your child
Name things dog, cat, breakfast, door
Read books but don't read the words instead talk about the pictures on the page

Patchworksack · 02/04/2023 21:52

I am involved with a charity where a lot of our children have speech delay and we’ve done a lot of work with Joanne Jones of Can-Do speech therapy. She works online and mainly supporting parents to help their child at home, and she frequently offers a free 5 day boot camp to see if her approach works for you. Might be a good halfway house?

Original poster

Twilightspring · 02/04/2023 21:54

We don’t have a SENCO - it’s a private day nursery, if that makes a difference.

Thanks to the speech therapists who have replied. He’s enjoying singing at the moment but he can only sing small bursts. So he can sing baa baa sheep but not the whole rhyme, for instance, or when he wants me to sing wind the bobbin up he sings wind and does the action?

We do read every day and he enjoys books, which is good.

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Zerrin13 · 02/04/2023 21:56

My son didn't really start saying anything much until he was 2 and a half. My daughter was having conversations at 2. They all develop at different rates. When my son did start to talk he didn't stop!

turtlemurtle1982 · 02/04/2023 21:57

Your dc sounds like they're developing fine. Maybe not completely as expected but making progress, putting short phrases together and showing intent and supporting with non verbals.

I'd give it time and look up strategies you can implement at home. Look up hanen or tempting communication approaches. I'm not a SLT btw but a psychologist who works with children with similar needs.

curlydiamond · 02/04/2023 21:57

Hi OP, I totally understand you worrying as we all do, but I'd listen to the SALTs who have commented in this thread. Your little one sounds absolutely fine.
I have a 11 year old who had delayed speech and was referred to SALT just before he started school (not speaking in sentences much, 9 consonant sounds he couldn't pronounce) he'd only had 2 sessions by the October half term and by Christmas his speech was great.
My littlest is 3 and a half, sentences are short 3 or 4 words, only just getting the hang of mine and yours, no clue about he or she. Nursery have suggested he be referred for speech therapy and we had the first session over zoom (pointless as he didn't engage at all because it was via a screen) and she suggested we talk to him lots, add additional words (if he says look car we say yes look a blue car etc) and read lots, which we already do. Really too soon to be worried, especially if the nursery aren't concerned.

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