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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

ANY ADVICE?? 22 month daughter's speech is awful!!!

33 replies

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 11:15

Good morning folks. I'm getting really concerned about my little munchkin. Her talking is not good. Her vocabulary so far is - Mum, dad, up, down, NO! That's about the extent of it. She's very clever otherwise, you can ask her to bring down a red and blue pair of socks from upstairs and she can do it, but she just won't talk. She won't even mimic! Me and her daddy talk to her all the time, and we always have, but still nothing.
When we go to toddler group, all the kids are yabbling away and Carrie's just standing in amongst them in silence!
Please, folks, any advice would be welcomely recieved xxx

OP posts:

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belgo · 09/11/2007 11:22

I wouldn't worry too much at this stage - my dd1 was also very slow with talking but now she seems to be catching up. 22months is still very young.

paulaplumpbottom · 09/11/2007 11:22

Talk to your health visitor, but I would say that they do these things in their own time. Einstein didn't speak until he was 5!

bluejelly · 09/11/2007 11:23

agree with belgo, they really do learn at different rates. My nearly two year old nephew can only say about 5 words. Try not to worry

Twitmonster · 09/11/2007 11:36

I agree, don't worry about it, my ds1 didn't really talk until he was 2 1/2 whereas ds2 spoke before he was 1. They are all different.

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 11:41

Thanks peeps! I work with Autistic kids and it just looks oh so familiar! It's hard when most children her age are babbling away! it's even harder not comparing!!!
xxx

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belgo · 09/11/2007 12:01

SmileyLinda - plenty of children are slow with talking and they don't have autism! My dd1 doesn't have autism - she was just slow with talking - she didn't say her first word until she was about 19 or 20 months. She's nearly 4 now and still a little behind average, but she's catching up.

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 12:08

Thanks Belgo! It's just when i'm working with them everyday i see similarities! I know all slow talkers don't have autism, but it's just something i'm very aware of. I'd just love her to speak to me more, i feel like a shit mummy and that i've maybe not encouraged her enough! x

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Journey · 09/11/2007 12:18

My DS has delayed speech. He also would stand amongst other children and say nothing.

When I compared my DS to a child of a similar age I found it quite upsetting mainly for two reasons:

Missing out on little chit chats with DS.
The nagging question is something "wrong".

It took me a little while to seek help because I think I needed to get my head around it in the first instance e.g. relatives would mention that DS wasn't saying much and I would get quite defensive because I didn't know why he wasn't saying much, never mind having to reply to them.

However, when I spoke to the HV and got a referal to the speech therapist what a difference it made. The old saying a problem shared is a problem halved was so true. I felt a weight had been taken off my shoulder.

Fortunately, my DS only has delayed speech. He is now nearly four and is making good progress. He is still way behind other children his age, but each week we are noticing changes.

I wouldn't get too worried about your DD because:

Your daughter is still very young. A lot could change over the next six months.
Her understanding is good which is a reassuring sign.
Children tend to play on their own at your DD age, so therefore don't need to talk to other kiddies when playing.

Hassled · 09/11/2007 12:20

My DS3 wasn't a slow talker, but his speech was unintelligible - he obviously knew what he thought he was saying, though. He turned out to have a severe phonological disorder and is still, at 5, having intensive speech therapy. What I'm trying to say is that having few words at 22 months doesn't necessarily indicate a speech problem if the words are reasonably distinct - but as it's obviously a source of concern for you, maybe talk to your HV for either reassurance or a referral to Speech and Language Therapy where they'll do an assessment.

tortoiseSHELL · 09/11/2007 12:23

My 18 month old has no words, possibly 1 which is duck, but as he says da to everything it is impossible to say. He also doesn't walk. Your little one sounds fine - they all develop at their own pace. Understanding is the main thing - if they understand then there is very likely nothing at all wrong.

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 12:23

Thanks so much Journey! I'm crying typing this just at the thought of other children playing away and talking and my wee angel is just standing there. It's just so heartbreaking.

Great news you're little champ is chatting away, they are just a constant worry!

xxx

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nimnom · 09/11/2007 12:29

My ds1 at 2.3 was just saying Mama & Dada. he had his 2 yr check around then and it was marked in his red book that it wasn't a problem but she would follow up. Almost the next day he started saying a lot more and complete words - it was almost like he'd been storing it up! He also caught up very quickly with early talkers too, so try not to worry.

Enid · 09/11/2007 12:31

torty dd2 didnt walk till she was 19 months (and was rubbish at it for a good frew months after that)

pagwatch · 09/11/2007 12:31

SmileyLinda
My son has ASD but not all kids with ASD have speech problems - and not all children with speech problems have ASD.

If you work with children like my son then you must know that children on the spectrum tend to have highly complicated and multiple impairments and if your child is not displaying these then why would you worry? From your decription she sounds fine in all other areas. Does /did she babble - does she communicate non verbally?

( slightly off the subject but FWIW a very severe speech impairment can be as debilitating as mild ASD - so I would think it would be sensible for you to concentrate on where you think her difficulties MAY lie rather than projecting into other things as in 'she is a little speech delayed but oh god could it be autism !! But it sounds as though she is able to talk but is just reluctant to start jabbering).

I am sure she is fine and i'm sure if you relax it will just develop when she is ready . Nothing is more likely to slow a little ones burgeoning speech than an anxious parent trying to encourage it.

pagwatch · 09/11/2007 12:34

God I hate that bloody einstein thing !!!! Firstly who wants their child to be Einstein and secondly who here is sure that he wasn't pretty far on the spectrum himself. I don't recall "Einstein, The Partying Years
Sorry - ranting. But when DS stopped speaking i must have had that frickin stat every day - and it was always a different age ... 5, 7 , 23 !!

Sorry rant over

tortoiseSHELL · 09/11/2007 12:36

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 12:36

Hey Pagwatch. There are a few things i'm concerned about - her obsessive behaviour - she's mad about jigsaws and tidying things away. She could sit and do the same jigsaw over and over and over again.

If she has ASD, that's fine with me, i'm just annoyed at myself that i can't seem to pinpoint it, i don't know, i'm rambling now! Just worried i guess x

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Enid · 09/11/2007 12:40

tortoiseSHELL · 09/11/2007 12:40

SmileyLinda - my dh didn't talk till he was 2 1/2 - no words at all, and then he started in sentences!!! He was just listening and learning, and didn't start off until he was ready to 'do it properly'!

tortoiseSHELL · 09/11/2007 12:42

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 12:45

Thanks Torty! It's so reassuring to hear that! Christ, no one prepares you for how much you will worry about your little angels. I was the most laid back person in the whole world, and now i'm just a big fat worrier! xxx xxx

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Niecie · 09/11/2007 12:47

Hi, You know as well as anybody that it could be ASD but to put your mind at rest, one way or another, why not get your HV to refer you DD to a SALT to see what they say. Your HV can also get the GP to refer you to a paed. if you really think it could be ASD but as everybody is saying, speech difficulties are not solely a result of ASD. She is still quite young but if you are worried it is worth saying something.

Another thing it could be is a problem with her hearing. I have a friend who has a son of 3 who isn't really talking and seemed to me to have ASD related behaviour but it turns out it is glue ear and since one of his ears has cleared slightly his speech as improved a little and his behaviour. It could be worth getting her hearing checked too.

SoupDragon · 09/11/2007 12:49

DS2 had a fairly similar vocabulary at that age (although his consisted mainly of the word "biscuit"). Then he started nursery at the age of 2 and with 2months or so he was speaking in sentences. Either he couldn't be ar$ed before and didn't need to or the constant babble around him spurred him on.

Original poster

SmileyLinda · 09/11/2007 12:55

Hey Niecie, my HV is the most unhelpful woman in the world, I've expressed my concerns about AHD and I was told the good old "Over protective mum" shite!!! I'm going to give her to her second birthday (January) and if nothing then, i'll be arranging a dr privately. Her hearing has been checked and everything there is hunkydory. If you say the word banana from another room, she's through by your side in an instant clapping her hands! xxx

OP posts:

Molecule · 09/11/2007 12:59

My dd3 didn't talk till she was over 3, I think going to pre-school did help at 2.5. Like your daughter there were no problems with understanding, nor with her communication, we always knew what she wanted, it just wasn't vocalised. As a baby she didn't babble much which can be an indication of something being not quite right (but with 4 children, 3 under 4 I didn't really notice).

One day we went to the zoo, and as we passed an enclosure she said "hello bongo" to the bongos, and never shut-up from then on always speaking in full sentences. At her 1st parent's evening I was told she was extraordinarily articulate and now at 8 she still is.

So I think you probably do not need to worry, but do mention it to your HV and get referred to a speech therapist; there's often a waiting list so you want to be on it ASAP.

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