Trilingual child with speech delay

[Lize90]

Hello , i have a 4 year old who is struggling with conversations, she does understand everything and take directions , communicates with single words but doesn’t make back and forth conversations. She is involved with 3 languages as me and her father were raised in different countries. Do you have a similar experience , I’ve been to speech and language but I haven’t seen any improvement as they were trying to make her say words but she already knew that .

Don't give up a language. Do try and get proper professional support.

Ds1 (bilingual) was slow to speak in both languages. At 3 could say very short sentences in English (not very comprehensible) and almost nothing in French. He is now fluent but still can struggle to communicate both in written and spoken language (both languages). He has ADHD and dyspraxia. (Hes 13 now)

Ds2 was speaking full sentences in both languages by 18 months. He would say one sentence to me then the same sentence in the other language to his dad. He would pronounce his brothers name differently depending on whether he was going to carry on talking to him in English or in French.

Until we had dS2 I assumed DS1s problems were bilingual problems.

That's why I said stick with 2 languages (English and maybe your language) rather than 3 until she's confident in at least one language.

Please, please, please don't give up speaking your mother tongue! It's so important! One person, one language consistently at home (it doesn't matter what you and partner speak to each other, only what you speak to child) and they will get the English from school. If you think there may be something else going on see a different language therapist who understands multilingualism, get hearing checked etc.... They are 4! Still a baby! It takes a lot of patience and time and all children are different. Do your research on it. Speaking as a mum of bilingual children and a teacher of EAL children. Good luck, it's worth it!

I used to speak in my mother tongue to my oldest DC so he was supposed to be bilingual. His speech delay didn't worry me since I know it's common in bilingual kids. Autism diagnosis at age 4. Went to speak English only so as to help him with social skills. Not saying that it's always the case but if you have checked hearing then I would see a specialist just to be sure. Yours' is trilingual though so I would think it's normal for a delay.

I wish people that have no knowledge of a subject would stop giving advice, especially if it’s incorrect and can really harm someone. OP you should definitely go to a good (preferably bilingual) Speech Therapist. Ideally someone that speaks all/most of your DDs languages so she can be properly assessed in all of them. In the meantime continue speaking to her in all your native languages as you do now.