how can I help my daughter with her speach?

[mummyloveslucy]

I have a 32 month old daughter who can only say about 20 words clearly. She is very enthusiastic and expressive when trying to communicate but it is still mostly babble. She tries so hard to coppy words and sing along to songs but it is only sounds rather than words. She gets so frustrated when she can't make herself understood. She is such a loving, happy little girl but I can tell that this is realy starting to affect her. I've tried the health visitor who basicaly said come back when she's 3 so I went to the G.P who said go back to health visitor. I don't want to just wait as I want to help her NOW. Her nursery have picked up on it and have said that they would try hard to improve her vocab. A mum from the juniour school has asked to do an assesment on Lucy for her childminding course. So hopfully we can hear what she has observed and maybe the nursery might refer her to speach therapy. If any one has any advice on how to help her or what groups may be available. I wouldn't mind paying for something that may help, please let me know. Thanks.

Righto.

You can get private speech therapy assessments, but to be honest there isn't a great deal they will tell you at this age that you don't already know.

She is still only 2.8. It's young.

the reason (which I have only understood recently) they ask you to come back at three is that she won't be able to sit through a lot of the groups and stuff for speech therapy, she won't understand the games they play. They will struggle to assess her speech and understanding because her concentration is still toddler level. HOWEVER THAT SAID an appointment can take a long time to come through, and I think for things like that you can INSIST that your child is referred, which I did.

They will make you feel like you have Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy for going against their 'advice' but I followed my instincts - ds1 still has speech therapy now, at 4.5, so they don't know everything.

On the bright side, there are LOTS of things you can do.

Do lots and lots of labelling with her, bubble blowing, drinking with straws, lots of taking turns games, and a good idea would be to get hold of some jolly phonics of the internet, and teach her the sounds and actions (don't bother with the letters, she's too young) as the sounds are all speech sounds, and will help her to clarify.

NHS provision isn't greaT. But it sounds like she is making headway, and in a way, frustration is good in that it will drive her to really try.

for her right now though./

PHONE UP YOUR LOCAL SPEECH THERAPY SERVICE AND ASK IF YOU CAN REFER YOURSELF. MANY AREAS DON'T REQUIRE HV/GP PERMISSION TO REFER.

Sorry for the shouting!

As you are in a position to pay, I would consider getting a private SALT (speech and language therapist appointment). best place to look for one is through ASLTIP, on the website www.helpwithtalking.org.

Other groups/websites relevant to speech problems are:-

www.speechteach.co.uk/p_resource/speech/speech_intro.htm
www.ican.org
www.afasic.o rg
www.hanen.org

You might also want to look at the information on www.afasic.org on dyspraxia of speech to see if that seems to fit your DD (dyspraxia of speech is I think where it's physical problems with speech production that are causing the problems).

Also get your DD to have a hearing test - it's a bogstandard precaution for kids with speech problems to rule out that it's hearing that's causing them.

www.amazon.com/Parents-Guide-Speech-Language-Problems/dp/0071482458/ref=sr_1_1/104-7925659-44 39929?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193694412&sr=1-1

(I would also recommend the above book, it covers the emotional aspect as well as the practical and information aspect of speech delays). My local library had a copy, even though it's a US book, so you might be able to find it in yours.

Agree with all of Colditz's tips.

btw do you feel that she understands everything OK?

Thanks so much everyone for your advice. I have made a note of all tips and websites. I came back from the docs today feeling quite deflated. It seems as though your just one of many and they just want to get you out the door asap or add you to a long list. She is very bright in other areas, she knows her colours can count to 10 and knows the alphabet up to S although it's not clear. I'll get on to those web sights, Thanks.

I'm sure you've had this checked already, but I just wanted to ask if her hearing has been tested. Children often get ear infections which can cause fluid build-up and reduced hearing, which in turn makes their pronunciation poor because they can't hear detailed sounds properly.

Your HV can organise a hearing test any time, it just involves them filling in a form.

Like Rachel, I'd also check her hearing first, e.g. can she hear soft sounds when spoken from behind (no lipreading or other clues)? Hearing tests can take ages to organise but worth it to rule out any hearing problems.