Speech therapy

[Sunshine78]

My dd of 2.1 has just been referred for therapy - both hv and her nursery have commented on her lack of speech. She understands everything but just has baby babble for her speech. The problem is there is a 6 month waiting list. Has any one any suggestions on any thing I can do in the mean time to help her. She was very ill this time last year and spent a long time in hospital and didn't eat for about a month so I am wandering if she has some sort of muscle weakness (her tongue seems to always be out)

It's great that she understands everything -I wish mine did at 3.2! - and that she is better now.

Awful about the 6 month waiting list.

But if there is some problem with the muscles then I'd hassle your GP for an opinion. You probably need a paediatrician but you might get another waiting list for that.

One positive step would be a to buy a book called "It Takes two to Talk" by the Hanen Foundation. It's the best book ever, completely non-scary, user-friendly and no scary milestone charts. Even if there is some physical problem preventing her from speaking, this book will help you and her to have "conversations" where she takes her turn in a different way, depending on how ready she is.

The other thing you should definitely do is re-post your message in the "special needs" section where loads of regulars have a lot of experience.

good luck and enjoy her.

the book lingle recommends is very good, but doesn't really address physical problems with speech. might be worth trying some baby signing to fill the gap (sing and sign dvds are good, or something special on cbeebies). or if you've got spare cash getting a private salt assessment (initial report costs IME in the region of £100-1£150, including scheme of work).

You could always try contacting your speech therapist/the therapist for your area direct and asking for her to send any helpsheets through that might be helpful for you to work on, explaining that your daughter's tongue does tend to hang out a bit. My son has slightly low muscle tone, including in his mouth, and things like getting him to drink from a straw, lick ice lollies, blow a recorder, blow through a straw to move cotton wool balls along the table, and doing "Mr Tongue" exercises (from a photocopied set of worksheets given by the speech therapist) all helped a bit. He was more of a dribbler than a tongue lolling out boy, but both are often caused by low muscle tone (or poor body awareness/slightly impaired co-ordination). And none of these things are going to do any harm, whether your daughter has low tone or not.

Just a thought but it could be worth checking the SureStart scheme in your area. We're in Bucks and they constantly run sing/play speech therapy workshops and they're fab May help to tide you over while you're waiting.

DD has limited speech and low muscle tone.

It might be worth trying some Makaton signing

(Google "Makaton" for site)

Cbeebies "Something Special" very good.

I also took her to "Sing and Sign"classes when 2,was aimed at younger babies but she really enjoyed it.

Thanks for messages feel better now I have some things to try while we wait.

Bumping for you to hope someone more useful comes along, and judt to share my exprience. I hope it is only a six month wait, we were told that as well, but it was 15 months before she was offered sessions bt which time we had given up and scrimped and saved to go private. Your dd sounds similar to mine at that age and at our initial NHS assessment we were told we should be playing simple games like animal dominoes with her and reading and talking to her.... as if we hadn't been doing that for ages anyway! Can't offer much help really, especially if you think it might be muscle weakness, I just hope you don't have to wait too long. If you do decide to go private then initial assessment which is around 2 hours costs about £100. Further sessions are in the £50 region, often with mileage charges added on top if they are coming to your house.

Best of luck