Severe speech delay, 4 yr old. Any postive stories of catching up?

[PoshCat]

Hi, my DD has jut turned 4 and has severe delays with expressive language. Her understanding is good but it is obviously impacting negatively on her learning and social skills.
She is in Reception and has Action+ support, is under a Paed (ASD ruled out) and has SALT which seems to be helping her improve if rather slowly.
Anyone had a child with these issues who eventually caught up and if so, what age was it?
Thanks. I wish I had a crystal ball as I am a MASSIVE worrier. I also have an 8 yr old son (no problems with speech) and a 18 month old who is also showing no early signs of problems.
My DD (4) has very unclear speech and will not initiate conversations but will ask for things she wants and shows us things. She is happy with other children but plays alongside them rather than with them unless it's a physica game she can easily join in with.
Any postitive stories to aspire to greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.

[TheLightPassenger]

my child was similar (severe lang delay at 3, moderate lang delay at 4, but receptive delayed as well as expressive). ASD supposedly ruled out but hmmm. my child had a language spurt between 4 and 4.5, then another one around 6 - was discharged from salt just before he was 6 as testing within normal range. my child is still quirky, and may end up with some sort of AS dx at some point, but language wise has pretty much caught up to where it's social skills rather than language that is my worry.

[TheLightPassenger]

oh just need to add the one thing my child didn't have problems with was pronunciation so can't help out re:dyspraxia.

[maxybrown]

Hi my DS was 5 in September. He was starting to say little things at 8/10 months - trying to say all gone, quack, woof - I thought, wow brilliant, he'll be chatting away in no time! By 2 he couldn't say anything at all - at all! he made a funny nasal sound from the back of the throat, but spoke in full sentences with proper intonation - I have some videos of him if anyone would like to see.

He's had every test going, been under SALT for 3 years. Had absolutely no issues at all with understanding. He had some group sessons which were uselss for himnd many days I felt like crying - fed up of people talking to him and having to keep explaining that he can't speak - they all thought he just won't speak etc, it was really awful and you have my sympathy. He couldn't say Mummy or dadday - in fact no names at all. He had examinations from dentists, cleft lip specialists to check his mouth, even a special test for a certain type of epilepsy. He had loads part sts done for his understanding and we took part in a trial to do with speech and personalities - when she last assessed him at about 3 years 8 months, his expressive speech was just about at 12 months and his understanding at about age 6, so the gap between the 2 was huge.

After being really unhappy with the group sessions, he got a one to one SALT for one day a week, she has been brilliant - so so nice and he started to be able to to s - she had to teach him how to form his mouth to say the words.

Fast forward to now, he is in mainstream and his peech is so amazing there is no way you would know - I still know that he has way more in his head than he can get out in the time he has to say things and he has a en stresin that he prolongs words sometimes and when stressed/upset/tired he has to take quick short breaths before speaking - I notice he is nowhere near as fluent as bright children in his class though - although his vocabulary of words is way way above theirs, always used in the correct context too. He is always asking the meaning of words.

He is under a paed who isn't always very helpful and we have no diagnosis as yet, but he is most probably Aspergers - though I know the paed wants to say not becuase of the no speech thing - though his vocab is such now, that it fits (obv we now have other issues with him socially, that is very hard) He has some oddities, and he still gets frustrated with words but his word bank in his head is amazing - also look up cued it wiulation, this can be very useful and we used it with DS sometimes.

There are loads of instances where I still see his speech problems, where I know he can't get things out quick enough, where he just doesn't bother saying what he was going to say sometimes, or starts then says "oh it doesn't matter" so still times when I am sad for him.

I can look back at videos of him and cry - but like I said, happy for anyone to see some vids of him if I can sort it as I know these things often helped me - or if anyone has any questions I know that if you just heard him now there is no way you would believe what things were like for us

[Journey]

My ds has verbal dyspraxia. He is a confident, mature little boy who is doing well at school and has friends. I sometimes wonder where he gets his confidence from because you wouldn't think this went hand in hand with a speech disorder.

We have never told him he has a speech disorder. The reason being is I thought it might make him self conscious when talking so I never mention it in front of him. When he attends speech therapy sessions we just tell him daddy had to do the same when he was little and he has accepted this. We will tell him one day (which could be any time now) because his speech is much better now so I don't think it would make him self conscious.

I never tell a stranger that my ds has a speech problem if they don't understand him. I'll just repeat what he said in a matter of fact way, or turn to him and say you said x didn't you and he'll say yes and that's that. Again I didn't want to give my ds a complex by keep mentioning he has a speech problem.

The other thing I've learnt is when anything goes wrong you think it must be down to the speech problem. If your little girl finds it hard making friends it may just be her personality. She may just be shy for instance. Try and separate her personality from her speech disorder. It makes it less emotionally draining.

My ds has joined a club not knowing anyone. Of course as a mother I was worried in case the other kids didn't understand him. He wasn't bothered at all and loves the club. My other ds, with no speech problems, would never have joined a club not knowing anyone. Difference being was their personalities. The speech disorder was an irrelevant fact. Viewing things from this angle helps you to see your child's personality much better and stops this heavy black cloud of anything that goes wrong is down to the speech disorder.

I hope your little girl will be okay op.

[PopMusicShoobyDoobyDoA]

Lightpassenger, I too worry about my DS social skills more than his language now but our SALT and pre-school did a lot of social language development with him. His new school are also very good about trying to bring on his social side. Does your DS have an IEP at school? Ours does and one of areas of the plan is to do with social interaction. He belongs to a social group where they play games, talk about stuff. It's all very relaxed and quite discreet because it includes children with and without speech issues.

journey your DS sounds amazing :)

[TheLightPassenger]

pop - it's a bit of an unusual set up at his school, it's a small caring school that's not v academic (state school) and he has never actually had an IEP! at foundation level, they basically were teaching all the kids language anyway, and they have taught social skills to him during circle time, like about not interrupting etc.

[Journey]

Thank you popmusicshoobydoobydoa. I hope everything works out for your ds.

[bellabelly]

If anybody feels like giving an update, I would be really interested. My twin girls have been under SALT for just over a year and today were formally assessed - one moderate and one "severe" and am just feeling terribly sad that DD2 might never have normal speech.

[ROARmeow]

What age are your twins? Bella

[Imann]

I am happy that I have found people talking about this topic as I my self have a 4 year old daughter who has just Been told she has extreme explicit speach delay. I have been waiting a good 2 years before we got this appoitment to see the speclist doctor. she is in reception, she was born in July so she one of the young ones , as some are 5 year olds. I did ask if they could hold her back for one year but the school said the do not hold any one back. I feel ready up set and angry as people say don't understand her. Such a beautiful girl. Who loves every one and trays to talk to every one. She is a besutiful little sister she also has a little brother as well. This is a new school for her as she went to a different nursery. Children in her class have said a few things about her. As the first week she went in hugging other little
Kids. The TA keep shoutting at her to stop as it was annoying other kids. After I explain to her not to hug any body only mummy and daddy and big sister and baby brother she started to cry thinking she had done some thing wrong. It broke my heart. I cried as people don't understand she was only trying to make friends as she has delayed speach and can't express what she wants to say. I feel worried as I have see the other kids say a few comment about her. She has come home and cries that the girls not my friend. I feel she will struggle with making friends. I know she crys every day when I leave her. I pray to God that she will be fine. I did explain to the class room teacher that she has speach delay. I have spoken to the SENCO at the school about all my worries. They have said the will help to put things in place. But they can't promis thst dhe eill be 100%. All I want is to try our best. My daughter to try her best that is more that enough for me.

[Deepumol]

Hi lovely mums here ...
My 4.5 year old son is in reception and English is not his primary language ... Even primary language he is not fluent . He smacks us ,teachers sometimes other children . He has speech delay . We are located in Manchester . What may be the probable cause for smacking others ? How can we control that? Which is the best private speech therapist whom we can trust ? is he going to make any progress ? Any positive stories? Any suggestions ?please

[Jayjay03]

Hiya mums. After some advice please . Like all you mums I'm a stressed out mum really worried about my 4 year old son with severe speech delay. He is having speech and language support on session 2. But school is not offering my son alot support. How do I help him more? I feel like me and everyone is failing him. He is trying so hard but only got a few words. I don't know where to turn. Sorry to go on but I don't know what to do.

[Mummy0ftwo12]

@Jayjay03 your Paediatrician should be able to write to the LEA telling them that your son needs support with this - this will force the LEA to get involved and see what support the school is putting in place, the LEA should then monitor this.

You can request an ECHP assessment from the LEA yourself, (despite what school might tell you) you might have to fight/appeal for this - but if you get one then it will be a legal thing stating and funding what support the school have to put in place.

You could also see if there are any schools near you with a speech & language unit attached and talk to them about getting a place, again you would probably need an ECHP for this.

[Jayjay03]

Thank you mummyoftwo 12 for replying to my post. Thanks for your advice. Really appreciate.

[Yusrazaeem]

@Imann how is your daughter now?

[Aisha2018]

Hi Poshcat my daughter is very similar to yours based on your post, she is currently in preschool and is struggling a bit so I just wanted to ask how is your daughter doing now since it’s been a while since your post.

would really appreciate your response.

thanks

[Stssha]

Can u tell how is she doing now?