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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Lack of speech in 2.5 year old

22 replies

HarrysMummy17 · 24/08/2015 10:16

Hi, I've posted before but just wanted further advice.

My ds is 2.5 and has very limited speech. He murmurs and makes noises and gestures a lot. Is vocabulary consists of

There is it / there he is
What's this
Oh no
Oh dear
Oh wow
No
Out
Help
Tractor

The words he does say and fine and understandable but he doesn't seem to try any others. Then I ask him to say words such as mummy/daddy he just smiles at me!

We are waiting for an appointment with the health visitor so I'll bring it up with her but I'm wondering if this is still normal or if there is anything I can do to help him?

OP posts:

icouldjusteatacroissant · 24/08/2015 10:52

has he had a recent hearing test?

CultureSucksDownWords · 24/08/2015 10:53

I don't know if it's within the range of normal or not, the HV will be able to tell you that I would hope.

There are lots of useful resources on the Internet if you search for something like "speech language parents resources", e.g. I found the TalkingPoint website which seems to have a lot of useful info:

www.talkingpoint.org.uk/ages-and-stages/2-3-years

There are also resources to download as well, hopefully there's something helpful there.

I wouldn't ask him to say words at all, I would concentrate on responding to what he does say and to the noises that he makes. So if he gestures towards an object e.g. a ball, and makes a noise, you could say "yes, a ball". Then he knows you have heard him, plus he hears the right word for the object. Also, when he's playing, sit with him and do a gentle running commentary on what he's doing. Keep the sentences quite short and simple and respond as before if he makes any attempt to say something. When you're out and about, again do the running commentary about what you are both doing.

insanityscatching · 24/08/2015 11:04

How does he communicate with you? There are a lot of phrases there but not many that could get his needs met. How does he let you know he wants a drink /food/ potty? How does he get your attention?
Some children communicate very effectively with few words and so it lessens their need to use words IYSWIM

Whatevva · 24/08/2015 11:06

My ds had fewer words than that at 2.5:

Oh no (this can be used for so much!)
and subtle variations of the word 'da'
Bye.........
Eh-o (hello)

We had hearing tests, speech therapy, etc at 3, when he started to suddenly see the point in speaking and was signed off normal for a 4 year old at 3.10.

Do all the above, it will help. I certainly did that and more. I found the book by David Cristal - Listen to your child, of some use, but that still blames parents for using dummies. This muddies the waters and makes you doubt yourself as a parent when you should be addressing your child's development.

However, if you have any other little niggles or odd behaviours, keep careful note of these and push for referrals for help whilst he is young. There may be some reason why he is not picking up words in the usual way and if you are being a good parent, these problems will get masked and you will not get any help.

My DS probably has ADD and pathogical demand avoidance problems. It is nothing scary but you can do so much more to help them when they are young.

Original poster

HarrysMummy17 · 24/08/2015 11:13

Thanks for the replies. I'll have a better read later on when I have more time.

Ds was 8 weeks premature so had many hearing tests but had been signed off now with perfect hearing.

He communicates with pointing and taking my hand and leading me to things. If he wants a drink he'll either bring me his cup saying oh no or take me to the kitchen and points at the cup cupboard or takes the squash out of the cupboard.

He generally just takes my hand and take me to where he wants to be.

Yesterday he walked me down to the farm to show me the tractor was missing from where it's usually parked. Just pointing at the space saying oh no and oh dear.

OP posts:

blaeberry · 24/08/2015 11:48

You say his hearing was signed off - was this a while ago? If so, or even if only six months ago, I would still ask to get it checked again. My ds developed glue ear at that age though his hearing generally seemed ok. Glue ear is very common in children and comes and goes in most but can cause problems with speech if constant.

You can often self refer to speech and language therapy or there might be a drop in service. Either way, contact them now as there is sometimes a wait.

insanityscatching · 24/08/2015 12:42

I think you should ask your GP to refer you to a developmental paediatrician as well as speech and language therapy tbh. Lots of your toddlers first words aren't typical first words and many of them sound like they could be phrases that he's picked up from echoing your speech.
It's a bit unusual for a toddler to use "What's this?" which is pretty abstract but not use juice/cup/drink/more which are solid and useful words. Likewise with the tractor you would expect him to alert you to the tractor being missing by saying "Tractor?" with a lilt at the end as he has that word. Taking you by the hand is a long winded way of getting your attention when he has the word already and is sometimes indicative of developmental difficulties.
It would be useful to discover as soon as possible whether your son's difficulties are a speech delay or disorder or whether he has a communication disorder and getting early input targeted to his difficulties as soon as possible.

Whatevva · 24/08/2015 12:43

The cup thing is exactly what my son was like. Oh no was used for everything for a while.

Amongst other things, he had huge problems with writing anything down (miles ahead with reading and capable of writing amazing things when a teacher had the patience to see it through).

The problem is he does not want to do what others want him to do, or even what he desperately wants to do himself! It causes him huge anxiety and he does nothing. I wish I had understood this when he was younger. It is and ASD condition. We now realise we have a lot of ASD problems in our wider family. Your son will probably be nothing like this, but it is worth bearing in mind.

Also, ignore platitudes such as these delays being common in very intelligent children. If they have a problem with communication, they have it no matter how intelligent they are. It just makes it more complicated to spot.

choc4ddict · 26/08/2015 10:01

Agree with insanity. I would get him referred to Salt and developmental paed. the vocabulary is unusual, phrases are there and the use of your hand as a tool. These can be red flags for autism.

Ifiwasabadger · 26/08/2015 20:55

My two year Old doesn't speak. Seen a paed and two speech therapists. Has anyone mentioned dyspraxia to you?

Original poster

HarrysMummy17 · 26/08/2015 21:53

Thank you for all of the comments. We haven't spoken to anyone yet apart from the health visitor when DS was just 2. As we are just to see here again in the next couple of week I'm waiting to see what she suggests and hopefully if needed she can refer me to the right people.

I've read up on autistic tendencies and I'm not sure, however he is only young so I guess it's hard to diagnose just yet.

OP posts:

insanityscatching · 26/08/2015 22:08

Can I just tell you that health visitors have no specialist knowledge of child development and so all concerns should be discussed with a GP at the very least. I would hate to think that you would delay getting proper assessment for your child on the say so of someone who doesn't have the knowledge to reassure you.
As for assessment for ASD and being too young at 2.5 well my dd was diagnosed at just 2 and ds at the same age as your ds so it can and does happen but usually by raising concerns with those best qualified to help.

choc4ddict · 26/08/2015 22:16

agree, had only dreadful experiences with HV when I approached them with concerns about my DC. all was brushed off. GP referred us and within 10 month we got a dx of severe ASD (including severe LD).

I would make a list of concerns and go straight to GP and not involve the HV. they are good with weaning advice but have very little understanding of untypical development in toddlers.

choc4ddict · 26/08/2015 22:21

have you looked at the M-chat so see if it flags anything up?

m-chat.org/mchat.php

insanityscatching · 26/08/2015 22:31

choc the reason ds wasn't diagnosed until 2.5 was because the HV refused to refer him Mind you at the multi disciplinary meeting following assessment the paed tore a strip off of her and asked her to leave on the grounds that he didn't feel she had anything of value to add and I wouldn't be needing support from her as the CDC would be supporting ds.

choc4ddict · 26/08/2015 22:40

I complained about our useless HV and she had to attend extra training. she refused a referral for almost a year. stupid me that I did not go to the GP earlier. wish I had known MN back then. but scary how little they actually know but so many parents rely/trust them

Original poster

HarrysMummy17 · 26/08/2015 23:32

Thanks for the advice. Will call and make an appointment with the gp. Hopefully I'll get a helpful one rather than the guy that didn't seem to care last time we were at the surgery

OP posts:

Original poster

HarrysMummy17 · 26/08/2015 23:37

I've just been on mchat and filled it out, it says low risk for autism. I'll see what the gp has to say

OP posts:

Bulbasaur · 26/08/2015 23:55

My child isn't a big talker for her age, she seems to be catching up. But the doctor said that as long as she is communicating her needs with gestures, not to worry about developmental delays. He also said that we wouldn't be able to test until 3 unless it was severe.

insanityscatching · 27/08/2015 00:02

Yes our HV got sent for more training when I complained and soon after was dismissed when a baby nearly died as she blocked the parents getting to a GP by diagnosing colic when in fact the baby had a twisted bowel and severe dehydration. Dd was diagnosed quickly because I refused to have a HV and so GP referred her at 13 months when I expressed concerns (her first words were where, hair and square).

Kampeki · 27/08/2015 00:08

No advice for you, OP, but I just wanted to say that your ds sounds incredibly cute! :)

blaeberry · 27/08/2015 10:21

Ahh yes my HV at DS two year check...
Me: I am worried as my ds only has about seven words
HV: at this age he should be joining up words into sentences, does he join up words?
Me: no and those seven words don't really join up anyway
HV: what about his colours, can he tell me what colour this is?
Me: no his seven words aren't colours.....

My ds doesn't have ASD but does have speech and language delay and disorder and dyspraxia. He started being seen by SALT at 2 despite, not because of, my HV.

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