Anyone fancy a speech therapy thread?

[mamapants]

Have read some older support threads but couldn't find anything recent.

My DD is 2.2 and has just had her second speech therapy session.
She's had an inconclusive ear test and we're waiting for another more comprehensive ear test.
She basically only has four consistent words.

I've been given some really useful tips from the speech therapist today and will share them later on if anyone thinks they'd find them useful.

Anyone else in the same boat.
Any tips to share or just want to share your worries concerns.

Thank you

[Jennywallpaper]

He got on well mamapants, the SALT said she had no major concerns at the minute and is happy to leave him until the new year for another review. I think myself and DH just need to keep using the tools they gave us and try and encourage him to use words more, hopefully by his next appointment we will see an improvement.
I hope you get some answers for your DD soon. Has she been diagnosed with autism? That's good that she's getting 1-1 for pre-school! I hope that when DS starts nursery it will help improve his speech.
It's horrible feeling like there's nothing you can do to help them. I suppose it will just come in time,!

[Purplebluebird]

We're going to our first SALT appt next week, my son is 2,5 now. Had a hearing test which was fine. He says half words, and throughout his life he has had quite a few - but they sort of come and go?! He said "see that?" as his first words, in context, but after a few months he stopped saying it, and has never said it again. Same with many many words. His understand has been poor, but really improved the last few weeks, though he still needs a lot of pointing etc before he will follow some simple commands. Other things he can do fine - he will ask for his shoes on and go to the shoe cupboard if we're going out. He knows some body parts, but not many enough, though I'm unsure how I can help him learn. He hates singing songs and rhymes, absolutely hates it. I feel so guilty that I might not give him enough attention, don't speak to him enough, that I'm somehow doing this parenting stuff all wrong. He's bilingual, so it complicates things a bit more. I get frustrated that all the advice seems to be "read books, sing songs, play Simon Says" and so on. He likes reading books, but songs and Simon Says makes him angry. -.- I can never remember to do Makaton either, I try to sign a few things but then I just forget about it. And feel a bit like that's side stepping the issue anyway, he can ask for some foods (apple, banana, ricecake, cake, cereal, milk). And he can say "more", so he can make himself somewhat understood! I just don't know what to do...

[mamapants]

That's great news jenny seems like he might just need more time to consolidate his learning.
No DD doesn't have an autism diagnosis. She's being referred to various places now. Sometimes I think all the signs are that she has autism while other times I think her little idiosyncrasies are down to being behind in speech and hearing problems. But best to get everything checked out. I just wish our follow on hearing test would hurry up, feel like a lot hinges on that.

[mamapants]

Has tour son had his appt yet purple
I spoke to a lady from Afasic the other week and she says the saying a word once and then not saying it again is something she hears from. Parents a lot.
I have the same with DD, she'll say a word perfectly and then not again
Although from the sounds of it your son has a lot of words he uses consistently. That's a positive. Hope the salt session was useful.
And dont feel guilty we are all doing our best. It just seems we gave children who need more input than average, not that we are doing less.
I find it hard to play with my lo sometimes as a lot of the time shed prefer to be on her own or just climbing all over m, which gets pretty tiresome.

[Globalmum2]

Hi all,

its good to read what others say some messages make you happy and others more worried :(. my son turn 3 in june he is 3 years 3 months.

he has been a very good calm baby as a child, had delays in walking but was fine after that 12 months. he could climb the stairs and is very confident and very carefull,

at 2.5 I took him private nursery he was using very little words then, he did well in the nursery and developed a lot more speech, confidence and sitting and eating with other children, he is not very social he has great relationship with his siblings but not social with other kids he is confident around them takes what he like from them plays along side but not try to communicate with them,

he knows more the 300 words and songs but use of language is not that great you will understand him all the time like one day it was hot he said "take off" while pulling his jumper. he is potty trained and when he does number 2 he will say "wipe off" he also uses longer sentences like "I want to go to nursery now" he has great memory and will remember places we went months ago or a joke we made there about the ducks etc. his speech is very clear he starts nursery soon I think he will develop speech might take him time but am so worried about his social skills he loves older kids, adults, and any one with an ipad is his friend you will se him smile come to you and wants you to give him a turn, so that tells me he need more exposure to game and situation that helps him be more social, I don't know please advice me he is such a sweet boy all the nannies I leave him with and care givers say he is brilliant and listens to them. he loved his teacher in home visit and I am hopefull nursery will be a big milestone. I pray day and night for him.

thanks

[mamapants]

Hi global,
What are your concerns? He sounds like he's doing really well, might have missed something but he sounds like he's developing as you'd expect at that age.

[Globalmum2]

Hi mamapants,

Thanks for getting back to me, I am worried about his social skill, and more use of language. he plays well with his 6 year old sister and he interacts with his 2 year old brother he will tell him lets go and they will go jump in the bed, he links many of the house situations to songs from cebeebies, like if i say wash your hand he will go to the sink and sing "wash your hands from "I can cook" .do you think his social skills with other kids his age will develop when he learns more use of language? a he will not interact with kids his age at all like he does with older kids and adults I worry a lot always on the net and it does not help, that's why I came to mums net to meet real people with experience.

thanks a lot xx

[Purplebluebird]

Had a chat with the SALT lady yesterday, and she advised us to go to a language based play group once a week, additional toddler groups, and to go to "parent information group". I can't go to the last one, because I can't bring my son there. I don't have any childcare options, and can't afford to pay someone for it either, so it has to wait until he gets free hours in nursery. Not great.

She also said that we need to make a scrap book for him with pictures of people and places he knows and likes, and do games and songs. He doesn't like songs, but will occasionally join in games (other times he gets frustrated).

Just spoke to a friend who has a boy with speech delay as well, but he's grown a lot recently and has over 60 words now, where as my son has about 25, so he's way way behind. Feeling very guilty and sad about it tbh, as if I have gone very wrong somewhere, and am not "fit to be a mother". Nobody has said that, but that's how I feel!

SALT lady said to go back to basic and work on eye contact. It was a phone appointment, so I'm not sure where she got the idea he lacks eye contact from. It's something I've been very observant of (in terms of attachment), and he does have good eye contact!

[mamapants]

global mum playing alongside is still fairly normal at that age I think. But it's best to follow your instincts and if you're worried Talk to the staff at his nursery and your health visitor, they will know what is in the normal range and what is more worrying, health visitor will be able to refer if required.

[mamapants]

Don't be so hard on yourself purple it honestly isn't something you've done or haven't done.
25while obviously not perfect, really isn't that bad. I know quite a few 2.5yo who only had 25eords and caught up no problems.
My DD only has 3words! But at the same age my older child was talking in sentences and had an impressive vocabulary. They do develop differently even in the same families so it's not all down to parents input.
Has your lo had a hearing test, can't remember if you mentioned they had or not

[Purplebluebird]

I really hope it's not because I don't spend enough time with him. i try my best - and he's my only child too. I don't work (childcare cost more than I would earn ). It might have been better for him to go to nursery, but then he wouldn't learn Norwegian that well, only English!

He has had a hearing test, and it came back all clear, no problems there.

[Inthehighcastle]

Just a quick update from us. We have been seeing a private speech therapist now for a few weeks. She is brilliant and had said I was right to trust my gut and bring him and in thinking something is amiss. She thinks he is struggling to make all the speech sounds and this is impacting on his talking. So he has pronunciation delay and speech delay. She has said it is going to be a long journey for us but he will get there in the end.

I'm very happy to finally be learning a bit more about what's wrong, though still a bit frustrated as she is very reluctant to give any idea of time frames, etc will he be understandable by the time he starts school but I suppose it's a bit of how long is a piece of string. She has also said she is not allowed to diagnose, I guess I have to wait for the NHS speech sessions for that.
It's all been really upsetting to have my fears confirmed that it won't suddenly just 'click' for him and it is going to take possibly years but I have to take the positives too. That he will get there in the end.
So my advice to people is if you have an inkling all is not as it should be, don't listen to people who are all too willing to reassure you that it will all fall into place on it's own and everybody seems to know someone who didn't speak until they were three and are fine now etc.