What am I supposed to take out of this?

[WonderBundlesMommy]

I have posted before regarding DS (16m) babbling but having no words, and SALT assessment indicating an expressive language delay. Now about six weekslater, we have visited with her again and been told that we should "read up on" apraxia (think it is called dyspraxia in UK?). Apparently this would not be diagnosed officially until he is 2, but we are taken aback by the direction to read up on this as that must mean she thinks that's the situation.

DH and I still feel he is so young, but she is the pro and must have a reason for telling us that other than now being even more obsessed with worry.

We know we are a little sensitive about what seems like so much negativity around his not talking. On the way home from the meeting a little old lady in a parking lot was talking to DS as we were packing up and wanted him to reply...when I told her casually that he wasn't talking just yet, she gave me the most rude tirade about something obviously being really wrong as he should be saying SOMETHING. My jaw actually dropped that a stranger would be so mean!

So knowing that we are now a bit sensitized to this "no words" situation, really want to know what I am supposed to be taking out of the "read up on" apraxia direction. I can't imagine she'd say this unless she thought it was going to be the case - but really, isn't he soooo young to be thinking that already?

(His receptive language is within normal range, started pointing at 14m, hearing fine, responds to his name when he feels like it, very social, etc. - he just has no words).

Would appreciate other's perspectives?

You need Moondog but 16 months is not that late to have no words. Two out of my 4 dds did not talk until they were older than this, granted they both had hearing issues (one had glue ear, one had reduced hearing in certain frequencies) they both had mild-moderate speech delay but other issues and we didn't even get referred for hearing tests and salt until 2!!!

My understanding has always been that provided they are babbing and understand what is being said to them you are looking at 24 months before there are any concerns in the UK about their speech.

My DS had no (maybe some, I can't remember exactly) words at 16 months. He was barely speaking at 2. He is 34 months now and never stops talking and uses quite complex sentences. Nursery say he is doing well and is more able than some of the much older ones. I was very worried when my DS was 16 months ish, but we got there in the end.

16 months does seem to be very young to be diagnosing anything (but I'm a lay person, could well be wrong).

One of my DCs has Verbal Dyspraxia and wasn't diagnosed until he was pushing 4 - although he'd been having SALT intervention for some time before then. In his case though, he was "speaking", it was just that he missed almost all of the consonants and no-one could understand him. But he clearly knew what he thought he was saying.

The old lady in the car park was clearly nuts - ignore her. And yes, it won't do any harm to do some reading but bear in mind a) if it is Dyspraxia, there's a lot that can be done and b) the SALT may well be being a bit premature. So don't panic.

Hassled - so with intervention, can your DS speak in a way that others can understand him now? (not knowing how old he is now?)

My ds is 2.1 - can say 'shoe', 'mum', 'dad', 'poo', and that's about it. Very chatty, but you can't understand a word, long may it last!

Seriously though, he's just had his 2yr development check, and the HV was more than happy with him - I think the important thing was that he was babbling and responding. I wouldn't worry too much, they're all different and 16 months is very young for language acquisition.

Enjoy the relative peace for a few more months.

WonderBundles - yes! He's 7 now, and has had a Statement of SEN since he started school, which means he has 1-1 help 20 hours a week. He doesn't need anything like that now, but it means he's had the chance to do the speech therapy exercises daily. He's had to be taught every consonant sound, but he is intelligible most of the time now. When he's tired or cross or unwell it all slips, and his inflection is still quite odd/robotic, but otherwise he's fine. He's popular, doing well at school etc - I couldn't have dreamt when we got that diagnosis that it would all turn out so well.

His SALT has effectively said that there won't be much improvement from this point on - he will always have an odd inflection and there will be times when the clarity slips, which at the time really upset me - now I think his quality of life won't really be affected. I think the speech issues have made him what he is - a determined, feisty child - and that will serve him well.

Hassled - that is so great for your DS! And so much more positive than the limited reading I've done so far! Not even truly sure I really should be reading yet as it is hard not to panic when I do, but I guess like my original question - SALT is the pro and she must have good reason to suggest we educate ourselves on this or why would she stress us out otherwise?

Nice to hear of others who had no words at this stage and all turned out to be ok too....we definitely feel like we're being treated by both family and friends as though DS is the only child to ever be this age and not have any words. I agree that the woman in the parking lot was out of order (putting it mildly) but am amazed at how common those comments from strangers are coming at us too. Wonder if that happens to everyone with a "late talker"...or if he's really THAT late at all...

I honestly think that it is way toon early to make a diagnosis, my DN is 8 and only in the last year was a diagnosis of dyspraxia made, and his speech has always been very unclear.

DD1 was talking away by about 15 months but DD2 made no sense at all until about a month ago and now the words are starting to spill out. She will be 2 next week.
She made her intentions fairly clear by indicating and grunting/yelling/screeching so we weren't bothered by it.

Gosh, at 16 months my dd wasn't saying anything at all! At 21 months she could make animal noises, and eventually started talking at nearly 2.

I've never heard of a child having a diagnosis so young. What country are you in?

Gosh my twins are coming up for 21 months and neither of them have many recognisable words. Even the ones i recognise are not recognisable to others. Am really not worried about them though and am hoping i have no reason to worry!

My ds1 was also a late speaker and like suwoo's ds he is now a fab talker at 3.6 and his nursery have also told me he speaks really well with a huge vocabulary. Am hoping and presuming dt's will be the same.

From what you have said it does sound surprising that the SALT has any concerns. Esp at such a young age. I am pretty sure none of mine had any words at all at 16 months.

neither of my children were talking at 16 months? Both of them talk well now - seems to early to worry to me!

sophie

honetly 16 months is no age at al ,My ds has verbal and oral dyspraxia and was dx at 3 wih them both and that was considered young but was clear cut as he never ababy babbled

It does seem very young, DS didn't have any words at that age, maybe Dada, but can't remember tbh.

At 22mo he knows loads of words and is just starting to string them together. I think he's a little behind his peers, but I'm not worried about it.

I've got the feeling that once he gets the hang of it he won't shut up

Thank you so much to all for the responses. We are in Canada. Do you think I should be seeking another SALT opinion/assessment? (Don't even know if you can do that?)