Speech delay in 3 year old DS

[jsgirl]

Not sure where to start really. This could end up being quite long, so please bear with me.

DS2 is 3 years 8 months. He's reached all his milestones so far, although they have all been delayed, eg he didn't walk until 2 years 7 months.

He saw a speech therapist in March 2009 as he wasn't saying much and at that stage she was happy with his development. However, he doesn't seem to have progressed as he should.

He has full understanding of what's being said to him and what he's being asked to do. I understand much of what he says but even DH needs to ask for a translation sometimes.

The big concern is that he doesn't speak at nursery. They have said they know he can speak because they hear him speak to me, but, unless they specifically ask him a question, he doesn't talk to them. When he does talk to them, he doesn't make eye contact.

I did contact the speech therapist again in April this year and was told that his file was still open and we shouldn't have to wait too long. She hoped to keep it within the 16 week waiting time guideline.

I've since spoken with nursery in the hope that they may be able to make things happen a bit quicker. However, they've told me this morning that they've heard from the speech therapy department that his file is now closed and we need to start all over again with a referral and that it's going to be at least 16 weeks. That's another bloody 4 months! I'm not especially happy about this and have left a message asking for a return call from the speech therapy service.

His Health Visitor came yesterday. She's brilliant and said that behaviour-wise, he's fine but she's happy to liaise with nursery about his speech.

Does anyone have any ideas/experience of this kind of thing please? (I've just previewed this post and realised how long it is! Sorry and thanks for reading).

I would definitely start by contacting the speech therapist.

When you saw the therapist in march did they say what was going to happen next eg discharge, review, refer for therapy?

Have you spoken to the senco at your sons nursery?

Try contacting your local sure start children some offer support in this area.

x

Thanks for that. Surprisingly, the speech therapy service didn't get back to me today. I'm going to 'phone/leave another message first thing tomorrow (this time including the clever step of leaving my mobile number) but then I'm going to be out all day with DS1 and will have to have my 'phone on silent.

When I saw the therapist in March last year, she said to keep an eye on him and if I had any concerns, to get back in touch. I thought he was doing okay but then it became obvious he wasn't, so I got back in touch in April this year.

I've spoken to the SENCO at nursery and she's been really helpful. There's an Early Years person - don't know her title - already been into nursery last week and advised them what to do. She was supposed to come back today but I forgot to ask whether she came in.

I did think of contacting the local Sure Start and will see to that next week.

To be honest, I'm so pissed off with the speech therapy service at the moment that I think I'm going to have a good stomp at them! I am Not At All Happy with them. (I can write a stroppy letter like no other as well!)

Thanks again.

I didn't notice that you said march 2009 I assumed you meant 2010. I really hope you can be seen a little sooner.

My son has just finished a language group placement in a children's centre nursery. He attended mon-fri 9.30-3.30 and received speech and language therapy two days a week for this academic year. He was on the waiting list during the summer and because he was not seen till november he had to wait till the following september to be referred for the placement. Many other kids there were a year younger and it annoyed that if he was seen sooner he could have started the year before. Just an example of why it might help to push.

Good luck

It is a total nightmare getting SALT to contact you - I have been through this! The way I FINALLY got in touch with the speech therapist was to work out where and when her clinics were, and then to phone the centre at the time I knew she would be there. The receptionists there were very helpful and told me the time of her lunch hour and said she would be available, and lo and behold, I did speak to her, and she found me an appointment for 2 weeks time.

Phoning the SALT service was useless - I phoned them weekly for about 4 months....

Hi, I had a similar experience with DS1 (now 15). I was totally taken aback when the nursery he was attending told me that he had speech delay. I worked fulltime so didn't really see his peers for comparison, also I could understand what he said (although needed to translate for others). Felt guilty for not noticing!
He didn't make eye contact and used to sit facing away from the nursery-teacher on the periphery of the group at storytime etc. He was assessed for language problems and dyspraxia/aspergers later on in primary 1/2. Not diagnosed with anything specific just had some mild symptoms (apparently).
Anway, he got additional language help at primary school for a few years and speech therapy. Everything is fine now, he's starting 5th year and is studying 4 highers (English is still not his best subject - but his speech is perfectly normal).
Hope this helps speech delays are the end of the world

Ring SaLT and leave message 'Child X has not received a discharge letter and requires further therapy, please advise on the date of the next appointment.'
If you do not hear from them contact your local PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service), the contact information will be on the website of your local nhs trust.
They wont want PALS involved because it creates a paper trail. When I worked as a SaLT in the NHS a community medical file is not considered closed unless the patient has received discharge paperwork.

Thanks very much for all your replies. They're all very helpful.

2siobhan - glad your son eventually got some help.

LilyBolero - thanks for the idea about tracking down clinics and times.

Five2one - good to hear your DS1 is doing so well. Apparently, one of my nephews didn't really speak until he was about 3. He's just sat his A levels (chemistry, maths, advanced(?) maths and something else) and is expected to come near the top of his year. (Proud Auntie). I do say expected though ....

TurtleAnn - thanks for the information. I'll be doing that on Monday. (Been out all day with DS1 at Skipton Castle - had a great day!)

Bloody hell - I go on a bit, don't I? I'm going to bed now.

Turned out my dd had poor hearing, she'd passed the NHS hearing tests twice but turned out her hearing curve was pretty flat!

We sorted this out with the Johansen sound therapy

www.johansenias.com/

She now has perfect hearing and has learnt to speak really really well after only one lot of small group speech therapy.

Another dd had poor speech and wouldn't talk at pre-school nor at school because she had glue ear and was lacking in confidence that she was understanding what was going on. Grommits sorted it out and she became so confident, she also had a lot of small group speech therapy.

My ds has glue ear too but they just want to watch and wait. I said I wasn't happy with this last time I saw audiology so he is getting a hearing aid in a few weeks. I am confused cos I keep reading about children getting grommets when they are quite young but they wont do it for ds???

Yes it was good that he finally go therapy But now its stopped for I dont know how long. He is starting school now and therapy for school aged children is very reduced in my area. So definitely worth pushing for before he starts school.

Ds2's speech delay was caused by hearing los - he was missing low frequencies. They are just watching and waiting with him, as it is improving and his speech has come on in leaps and bounds and the SALT has now discharged him.