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Reassurance regarding language delay/behaviour?

3 replies

StrawberryFields2023 · 01/04/2024 21:01

Hi all, just shouting into void as I know no one can predict the future... but quite worried about my little one. Reassurance please? He is almost 4- was recently assessed for language delay which was confirmed at a score of 73 (4th percentile, quite low obv..) Mostly listening (or understanding) appears the issue. He refused to do the assessment fully and the SLT said he appears more advanced than the score might suggest and said she isn't overly worried yet. Also because he is bilingual, an only child, full on Covid baby and had some health issues in the last few months (Kawasaki Syndrome and an unrelated surgery)- she will reassess in 8 months time to give him more catch up time and maybe allow him to mature a little more for proper assessment. Any thoughts? Should I go and seek private help in the meantime?

The SLT did point out a lot in her report that he very much follows his own agenda. A bit of reading suggests this may hint at ASD w the language delay? Is this a red flag at his age? I should say that he attends preschool, 5 days a week, 9 to 5. They haven't had any concerns but do point out his own agenda thing as well. (He hasn't been flagged for his development for anything else so far, makes good eye contact, but very shy at times, empathetic, no sensory issues or problems breaking routines or so)
Any feel good stories out there?

OP posts:
Theright1 · 01/04/2024 21:31

Tbh I'd be disappointed that she didn't offer more help/advice/therapy at this stage. I know there is the question of how accurate the assessment was as he refused to engage fully with it but still.

I'm currently waiting for a SLT assessment for my almost 3 Yr old. We got private SLT in the meantime and it has made a huge difference. If you can afford it I would do the same. An alternative would be to contact the SLT who saw your child and request it there because you shouldn't really have to pay for it. Say youre not happy with the plan of waiting longer. Speech and language therapy is not going to harm/hurt him. I see no risks/negatives for him getting help now. I would advocate early intervention

Theright1 · 01/04/2024 21:34

Sorry, you're post asked for reassurance rather than advice. My reassurance is that speech and language therapy really helped my son. And being able to communicate better also helped him is so many other ways. Has really come out of his shell now

StrawberryFields2023 · 01/04/2024 21:47

@Theright1 thank you! It's my feeling also there will be no harm at all. And if there IS more to it for him, we're helping early! I did ask the 'what's the harm' question to the SLT and she did say: sure, nothing. I feel they maybe just don't have any slots. OK. Not sure where to start (I'm in Ireland) but thanks for the advice.

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