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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

3 year old speech impediment?

14 replies

makemineaginandtonic · 15/09/2008 18:36

My parents in law greatly surprised me recently by telling me that they think my daughter has a serious speech impediment. That being that she can't pronounce s or f. I have noticed that she doesn't pronounce these sounds right but was not in the slightest bit worried as she has an excellent vocabluary and is an enthusiastic speaker. Parents in law claimed they can't understand what she says but I can understand her 95% of the time and no-one else has ever mentioned that they can't understand her, including the playgroup that she attends 4 mornings a week. Should I follow my gut instinct to ignore them, or should I take it more seriously? Don't want to hinder her development. She sucks her thumb and wondered if that might make a difference?

OP posts:

wb · 15/09/2008 19:50

Oh ignore them. By 4 they should be reasonably intelligible to most people but even then may have probs with some sounds. Maybe your in-laws don't hear so well in the higher register.

Original poster

makemineaginandtonic · 15/09/2008 20:19

Thanks wb, that was my reaction, in fact, judging by how loud they have the tv they probably don't hear that well at all!

OP posts:

AnotherFineMess · 15/09/2008 20:23

Almost every child I know at that sg has difficulty pronouncing those sorts of sounds - my DD can't say her L's but I don't worry at all, I'm sure it will come in time.

How often do PILs see her? Have they also got an older grandchild who they might be unfairly comparing her to?

Original poster

makemineaginandtonic · 15/09/2008 20:43

They have another grandchild who is a similar age, also they see children in their jobs but I never saw it as a problem myself.

OP posts:

NellyTheElephant · 15/09/2008 20:51

I'd ignore them for now. My DD (3 and a half) has a bit of a problem with s and f too (like a bit of a lisp), but it doesn't interfere with her non stop chatting or with anyone understanding her. I had exactly the same problem as a child but grew out of it as I got older. I did some speach and drama lessons from aged about 6 which really helped sort it out. If my DD still has this in a couple of years I'll look into something similar for her then. My best friend from when I was a kid has a bit of a chuckle every time she sees DD as she says it takes her straight back to the two of us at primary school when I spoke in exactly the same way.

Don't know if the thumb suking is part of it. I sucked mine avidly and so does DD - although she never talks with the thumb in.

GivePeasAChance · 15/09/2008 21:06

I have a 3.4 year old who can't pronounce c and g. I was not worried at all also because he chats away to the point of erm...annoyance (??)....that was until a 'friend' pointed it out.

I have another friend who is a speech therapist and she gave me a few exercises to do discreetly (I mean so he doesn't realise and lose his confidence in talking) with him and it has helped......but I wasn't bothered until someone pointed it out. Strange.

Original poster

makemineaginandtonic · 15/09/2008 21:26

Nelly, DD does sometimes talk with thumb in, but of course I am trying to knock that on head! Trying to limit thumb sucking to bedtime but she also does it when she is reading a book, sitting down etc. Glad to hear it was something you got over.

Agree with you Givepeasachance, I didn't care until someone pointed it out! It doesn't stop DD talking either, I need some ear defenders!

OP posts:

LooMoo · 18/09/2008 09:50

Have just skimmed this and hope am not butting in - have just turned 5 dd who had simliar issues but not as chatty, had speech assessed when 3.6 and told that saying 'Keen' for queen and "lello" for yellow is perfectly normal. We were worried about the s and f thing when she was younger and worked on it with her but when she finally mastered f, everything started to begin with f - we went to the fops not shops, and one of her friends Hugh is known as Few to this day by lots of children their age. Please don't worry sounds like she's a brilliant little girl and your parents in law need to either clear their ears out or spend more time paying attention. Poss both. My dd sucks her thumb at night time and am trying to discourage this as younger dd doesn't and has had no trouble with her speech. No idea if its related however.

LadyPenelope · 18/09/2008 10:05

My DS is 3.5 and he also has a number of sounds he can't say clearly yet. He can hiss like a snake ... "SSSSSSS" but can't say "s" at the beginning of a word - 'nake, 'nail etc.
He also finds "L" difficult, "W" and lots of other sounds. He only started speaking a year ago and he's a confident chatty speaker, so I'm going to leave it another 6 months. I remember my dd still had a few sounds causing difficulty at this age and it sorted itself out. It's good to be gently aware to keep your eye on it but think it's far too early to do anything like speech therapy.

Ginni · 20/09/2008 17:35

My speech was terrible when I was a toddler, very unclear with a strong lisp. Fortunately for me my Aunty was a speech and language therapist and realised I could do with some help, so my mum managed to get me referred to S&L therapy. Even though I must have been about 4 or 5 at the time, I can still remember the exercises they used to get me to do using honey on various places of my tongue to practise pronouncing words differently.

My speech is fine now, well, once i'd learnt how to pronounce words correctly my lisp had gone in a year or so. I don't see any harm in you getting an NHS referral for a speech and language assessment for your daughter, there is nothing to lose, and if the experts spot something they should be able to give her the help she needs to iron it out.

suepoopats · 11/10/2010 18:24

Hi
I am new to Mumsnet so apologies if i dont get the lingo or protocol right.
I need some advice which relates to the above thread.
my 3 year old son is a very good chatter and says most things right but he has a very distinct lisp. We have tried to teach him to put his tongue behind his teeth when he says s's but its not working. I noticed this lisp ages ago but thought we would let his speech develop a lot more before acting. I now think he would really benefit from someone who knows what they are doing helping him to nail the s's but am not sure where to start, who to ask or what age is the most appropriate time to work on these things.
any advice would be appreciated.
thanks

FlyingInTheCLouds · 11/10/2010 18:41

sue - welcome

if you have a surestart xcentre near they sometimes have a speech therapist

we got our three year old speech therapy iun 2 weeks from them, he's improved no end.

suepoopats · 13/10/2010 13:27

Many thanks, I will certainly have a look for one and see if they can help. Thanks again.

mine24 · 13/10/2010 14:30

So glad i came across this thread as my 3.6 year old dd has problems pronouncing some sounds too and i think is behind many of her peers when it comes to speaking. She has been an avid thumb sucker since she was six weeks old as was my mum, who didn't even talk 'til she was 3 (you can't stop her now though!).

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