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Behaviour/development

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Unusual speech habits, almost 4 year old

3 replies

ByDreamyMintNewt · 15/06/2024 17:33

Hi,

I'm just writing for advice about my almost 4 year old daughter's speech. She has a good understanding and hit her milestones at expected times, but her speech still sounds very 'babyish'. A lot of words are still quite tricky for others to understand and she also has quite a nasal sounding voice. She also tends to speak quite slowly, in particular the last word in her sentence is almost always dragged out (for example dinnerrrrrr instead of just dinner). I don't want to make a big deal out of it and cause her anxiety but it does sound quite strange. She's not particularly sociable either, apart from with family, but I don't know if this is just a personality thing.

When I see/hear her with others of a similar age she comes across as younger now - more like a just turned 3 year old than a soon to be 4 year old (from my experience at least). She has a few other habits that are a bit 'odd' as well, and I'm not sure if they'd be classed as some kind of stimming or just toddler self soothing that she'll at some point grow out of.

Does it sound like something I should seek further advice with or like normal development/just personality based at her age? Or any strategies I can use to help her?

OP posts:
Username9898 · 15/06/2024 19:32

I would be inclined to speak to the health visiting service and try to get a referral to speech and language. My DS had a few fairly minor issues but the combination of them worried me. Speech and language where I live try to fast track children if they are in preschool year (to get things underway before they start school). Its worth getting checked out I think 🤷‍♀️

ByDreamyMintNewt · 15/06/2024 21:41

Thank you. I'm actually pregnant at the moment so when health visitor comes to visit the baby in a couple of months I might try to bring it up at the same time.

OP posts:
CadyEastman · 15/06/2024 23:32

I'd start by doing this simple SLT progress checker and seeing if that says if she needs any support Flowers

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