4 year old speech delay

[biscuitqueen]

Hi. I am wondering if anyone has any advice. A bit of background.... My son is 4,5 in January and has been at school for just under a month. He went to preschool from the age of 2.
We were told at the age of 2 that he had speech problems.we were given a handful of appointments with speech therapists. They gave us tips on how to help him which did develop his speech alot more.Preschool teachers were brilliant using visual aids if he started getting upset with not being able to explain what he wanted.
I had a letter from the teacher last week explaining that they are referring him to be assesed. I went in to ask what they were referring him for and she said primarily his speech. she said she could not understand anything he said which makes it hard to teach him.she did not say anymore.
I have noticed that apart from this delay in speech which is so much better than what it was,he does other odd things.
He is very loud,spends half of his day shouting.He does not seem to get personal space. Will have massive tantrums when not alowed something or is told to do something when he does not want to(quite aggressive).Is picky at every teatime. Does not like certain smells like coins,will not touch them.
There are good points ,very loving when he wants,eager to spell and learn to read.sleeps very well and motor skill are above average according to preschool.
I dont really know if there is a problem i should be addressing. part of me thinks no he is just a normal boy with a few odd traits but i dont know. what does anyone else think?
sorry about spelling etc, just did a nightshift.

He sound lovely on normal to me. He is still very little. He is probably knackered by tea time. My ds has the odd tantrun when not allowed his own way and he is 6! They will work on the personal space thing at school. He will grow up so much this year. Don't worry!

Was his hearing checked when you were assessed by the speech therapists? If he has problems in this area it may account for both his speech and loudness issues.

Having said that my ds had appalling speech at 4 and is also strangely sensitive to smell (he can't go near those perfume/soap shops they make him gag).

We paid for private speech therapy in the end as we were getting so little from the state. Mostly we had to work on correcting tongue/lip weakness (he has reflux as a toddler for a couple of years which we think caused this) and then teach him how to put his lips/tongue in the right position to make the individual sounds.

I found he had picked up odd little foibles to compensate for his lack of language and to help express himself in other ways. These lessened when the speech came.

I don't think it will hurt him being assessed. Looking back I regret being too laid back about DS2's speech (he is now 6yo and has loads of behaviour and comprehension problems, including a speech delay which is officially sorted but unofficially still an issue at times).

a friends brother was always thought to be autistic as a baby, as he didnt talk, but at three started talking in full sentences. it is quite usual for speech development to jump about a bit. dont worry to much but keep an eye on it.

Biscuit try posting this on the Special Needs Children board. People on there have lots of experience with speech delays and there are also some speech therapists who contribute. I have a ds who had moderate speech delay at 3 and still, now aged 7, occasionally find it difficult to articulate and pronounce. Behavioral issues and speech problems usually for hand-in-hand unfortunately.

At 4 year old, I would think that it's a good idea to have him assessed as some of the other issues you mention might resolve themselves if he can communicate better. my DS has a speech delay and something they work a lot on with speech therapist is loud/quiet noises, and the pronounciation of individual sounds (he can't seem to make the difference between sounds that are pronounced at the back of the mouth and htose at the front of the mouth has problems with G and L for exapmle.

I wouldn't worry about it (I don't think it's a symptom of a deeper problem) but if the teachers don't understand him he might have problems at school in the future and it might affect his self confidence. If being assessed ends up giving him access to a speech therapist in the school setting I would be all for it.

It would be a good idea to have his hearing assessed, you can get referred by your GP for audiologist.

Thankyou, i think yesterday i was tired from my nightshift and could not see the positives with getting him assessed.Have a meeting tonight with the teacher to speak about what they found etc.
mine24- you are right. Hunger does seem to make him lesswilling to do anything told which does result in some of the tantrums. Maybe i will take a snack for the walk home to see if it helps.
Sybilvimes- Hearing last checked at around a year old . Cannot remember if it was standard test or done for speech reasons!hv did it at routine appointment.
Ragged-Yes it is best to get his speech assessed,just scared they will find something else.
Madamesin-Thanks i will post there after my meeting with the teacher tonight.Have also been told speech and behavioral issues go together sometimes.
Blueberry-Thankyou for the info and i will speak to g.p
Vikkie- The site is brilliant.Thankyou.Dont feel that good of a mum at the moment. Why do i feel like i could of helped him more,i know i have done what i can to help him but...! Thankyou again