Speech problems due to hearing problems

[Sunshine78]

My 2.4 dd has very little speech it has been put down to hearing problems linked to glue ear and possible damage done when ill (being looked into). I am getting really upset by this as others have started to comment(she just babbles away to herslef) other children her age are now starting to make friends as can talk to each other - she tries but obviously she makes no sense to them.

Speech therapist has given us makaton sheets but I'm finding it hard to learn/remebmer to do and my dh and mother are refusing to learn it as they feel she is sudenly going to hear fine and everything will be fine.

I just dont know what to do for the best has anyone else got any ideas?

You poor thing, this is so tough. Ring the speech therapist again and ask for another appointment, and try to tell your dh and mil that you want them to go too (or your dh, at least). Then you can grill the SLT together and try and get a prognosis from him/her (to be fair, it is hard to make any kind of predictions with these things, but she could at least explain to your dh and MIL why Makaton is a good idea and might help your dd . Have you got an appointment with Ear Nose and Throat or similar about the hearing problems? If not, get on that phone and get your GP on your side to press for an early appointment - perhaps with a hearing therapist?

Has the SLT given you any other suggestions other than Makaton? Is there any other support they are offering? Sometimes you have to stir a whole lot of sh*t before someone actually comes up with something. Not that it should be like that. Poor, poor you (and your dd).

Your dd might be a candidate for hearing aids at this stage? Hence the need for ENT or something like that? I'm no expert, but I'm a second year speech and language therapy student - I probably should know more than I do, sorry.

Ask your SALT if there are any support groups in your area for Makaton users.

My 2 year old DS is non-verbal and just babbles away, so I know exactly where you are coming from with regards to other peples comments, as they can be so upsetting.

I would speak to you HV and ask her what she can do. Try and remember that this is something that can be fixed (possibly Gromits etc). but you need to get the root cause solved before it all comes on. Try and explain this to DH, and explain that until the rpoblem is fixed, the Makaton will help her communicate.