Ds2 referred to SALT. Can i hear some positive experiences please

[mosschops30]

hes my 3rd child, 19 months and not saying a word.

Hes bright in all other ways, can walk, eun, spin round, kick a ball and understands everything we say (get your drink, turn the tv off, find your shoes etc etc).

I dont know what to expect or how it will go.

Has anyone else had a child not speaking at thus age?

My DS2 is 2.4 and has only just started talking seriously. He could say the odd word before but hardly ever did. Now it's like he's suddenly seen the point of language .

fresh did he go to SALT?

Ds2 just points at everything and says 'ugh' 'ugh' until someone works out what he wants. He doesnt really even say mama or dada in context, some random babbling but he is fairly quiet speech wise but not in other ways, hes like a whirlwind

No - the nursery have asked me to get his hearing checked but I haven't done it yet I do intend to do it though even though his speech is improving daily.

I have very positive experience of NHS SALT though my son didnt start till nearly 2 and a half and was speaking just not clearly. Our therapist was great, reliable, professional, non patronising and made the sessions fun for my son and he loved her.
In fact it is the only area of the NHS that I have had a good experience with!
He may have had intermittent glue ear but the paed never confirmed if this was the cause and he understood and followed all instructions.
Did you self refer or referred by HV?

The hv has referred him, we habe private health insurance so am going to check if they cover it, otherwise its a 6 month wait for him to be seen on the nhs

DS2 was pretty quiet at 19 months - had maybe 6 words. Like WFHIT he's now 2.5 months and talking loads - I honestly think something clicks in their head. Getting hearing checked out is a really good start.

I have also had really positive expereinces with the NHS SALT. I have 4 children, 3 of whom have needed speech therapy. My eldest was the only one who did not, although she was a late talker with no words until she was 2 but then spoke in sentences from that point on!

My next child had speech therapy, he was referred in preschool aged 3 as he only had about 3 recognisable words although he had more words that I understood. He had ST until he was 7 or so. He had verbal dyspraxia and a phonological speech disorder.

Next boy also had ST but was less severe than DS1. He had ST until he was 6. No VD but he did have a Phon SD.

Youngest daughter also had a Phon SD and some VD but not as severe as my eldest.

Having speech issues makes everything so special when the achieve it. Much as a child with muscular issues is a wonder to their parents when they walk, for me with children with speech issues, watching them stand on stage and narrate the school play, or do a reading at the Xmas concert is truly incredible.

Feel free to pm me, there is loads more detail I could give but don't want to bore you!

Oh I must say though, progress can seem slow at times and it can be frustrating. Most chidlren will get a block fo 6 weeks at an hour or less a week. Then a break. There is a tendancy for some people to go privately because they feel this is not enough. I can say catagorically that it is. You need some gaps to ensure the work has been effective, time for the speech patterns to be absorbed before starting on the next sounds.

p.s. speech therapy not covered on my private health insurance unless due to medical condition eg stroke. But DS1 has speech therapy - NHS and private - as was such a long wait for the NHS ones (and you get blocks of 4 sessions then nothing for several months etc for NHS - he sees private therapist every 2 weeks). He's been doing therapy for a year and a bit now and his speaking is so much better!

He doesnt even have two words, hv said she looks for 6 at 18 month check.
He is going for a hearing test.
Just found out not covered by health insurance so looks like a wait. Its such a shame, 6 months at this age is a lifetime developmentally

Mosschops - it may be that your DS starts talking by the time you get to see your NHS speech therapist. In the meantime, have you tried baby signing? DS2 used to sign things really well before he started talking. We just got a book out from the library with pictures and signs and started doing it.

yes, two.

sounds a good idea to get the hearing test.

if he's pointing at what he wants then turning back to you to see if you've realised what he's pointing at, then you're halfway up the language mountain already really...... this is really important.

Test his understanding by unexpectedly altering your instructions so they don't match the usual point in the routine. eg get his attention then hold up a drink he likes then say "do you want some [name of other drink] and see if he spots the mismatch between language used and visual cue by laughing or looking surprised or cross!

the third area is about ability to form words with your mouth but my kids didn't have problems there so I don't know what's expected at your son's age.

Mosschops, are you in Cardiff, or have I imagined that? I am, anyway.

My DS, 2.3, has just been refered to SALT, have been told wait is about 4 months, so not perhaps as bad as 6?

At 18mth check he only said Mamma and Dadda, and HV said not to worry until he turned 2. When he hit 2 in May, and still only had a small handful of words (and some only recognisable to me) I called her to get the referral. Since then though, he's acquired loads of new words. I'll still do the ST, of course, but it does make me think that some of them just take a little longer to get get going, esp. when not your 1st child.

Is a worry, I know. But hopefully a needless one.

My sister was refered to SALT for late language (this was 30ish yrs ago) but never went cos my mum didn't like the idea. She is now a v articulate lawyer.

Yes he is pointing to things and is happy when you confirm what it is he ants 'do you want your drink' etc. I do try and talk to him constantly through the day, nothing mind blowing just general 'mummy needs to put this washing out' 'we will have lunch in a minute' 'lets go and fetch your brother' etc etc. Not sure if im doing the right thing.

Yes am in cardiff, is that where you are?

Thanks for all these great stories, im worrying about it constantly

Have a look at the great book It takes two to talk. We used the book while waiting for the SALT to start, then found that the SALT was based on the book! DS has gone from saying 20 or so words in January, to 100 now. He's 3, and we've got more work to do but it is so great now he is talking more, including finally saying Mummy.

His SALT has been great, I am so grateful to her for how she has helped both my ds and me.

And Dd didn't talk until she was 2.5, according to her so school report (she's 5) she is articulate and confident. Like your DS she wasn't talking much at 18 months but was pointing & communicating in her own way. By the time she was 3, 3.5 she was chatting away.

Sorry if that's confusing: DD spoke late but caught up quickly (no SALT), DS has wider issues but SALT has helped a lot.

DS was a late talker, said nothing but Daddy until about 2.5. Was being monitored by language HV but only got referred until 4 because he was progressing - albeit behind the curve. We had SALT to improve sounds as he was developing vocab but couldn't say loads of sounds so was really hard to understand. Still is at times but we're getting there but SALT really helped - and especially as they made sure to educate us as well.

My DS sounds like yours as he heard everything, could do what he was told and understand everything but just didn't say much.

One thing I found that helped was when giving him a choice (standard toddler operating practice) where I couldn't show him the two things I held out my hands and indicated one was 'beans' and one was 'peas' so he could indicate his choice. Basic sign language but also reassuring that he could understand and choose.

agree with omicron. the book is expensive. but very worth it.

What age is 'It takes two to talk' suitable from? DS is 2.2, not sure if he's too young?

I think it would be good for a 2.2 year old. You can read a bit of it on google books, if you want to see what it's like.

It takes two to talk is definitely good for a 2.2 year old. It covers different stages from just "communicating" without language (pointing, making faces/noises) to saying single words to joining a few words. It seems really simple but has excellent ways of helping you interact/keep the communication going. Helpful pictures too.

Thank you for more fab posts.
I spoke with one of the Salts in work today and when i said he was 19 months she was quite shocked he was being referred and said that hes still very little . She also said its very common for children with older siblings to be slower at talking.

That book looks great, but it is very pricey. Does anyone have one i could borrow or buy?
I can get one on abebooks, same title but different author so not sure its the same one

Mosschops if I can find my copy you can borrow it. I'll see if I can dig it out. n find my copy you can borrow it. I'll see if I can dig it out.

Mosschops, you could ask the library to get a copy for you, if they don't already have it.