HV has referred my dd1 for speech therapy.. can you reassure?

[chloebe]

My dd1 is 2 years old on the dot practically and she had her 2 year check this week. Firstly my heart sank when I saw which health visitor was seeing her as she is so flaky and has no room presence with children. Anyway my dd was sat down and given a book and told to tell her what that was following her pointing at a picture.

Obviously my dd just refused. I have been worried in the past as one of my dd's friends speaks better than most adults and you can't help but compare eventho there is a 5 month age gap.

My daughter can say quite a bit now and does string 3 words together. She communicates very well and I do think maybe I have hondered her somehat tho. I am a sahm and therefore I ma with her 24hrs a day so I have picked up way of communicating which sometimes means she doesn't have to try very hard to speak if you know what I mean. I am trying to rectify this.

But I just feel like I have failed her in a way because I am here all the time for her to learn off and now she is being referred...

Tbh although I am not a salt I can see no reason why she was refered.

Can she follow a point usually? That's more important than any number of words. HV are meant to refer children who can't follow a point (which is nothing to do with anything parents do or don't do) so it's good she has been referred.

What usually happens us that you wait for a year to be seen by which time the child's speech has caught up anyway.

Try not to worry but if you are then sally ward's book babytalk is very good with lots of ideas.

Oh hang on did your dd point? I thought you meant the HV.

I wouldn't worry. You will wait ages for an appointment and if they are happy when they see her you will be discharged after one visit anyway.

thank you- the hv was pointing at pictures and wanting my dd to respond with the name the object.

My dd does know what things are for example if I open one of those picture books and say show mommy where... etc... she will point to the right object and then say the words.

She's coming out with so much at the moment but just not when she is instructed to. She is not a shy child but doesn't particularly like strangers so I can imagine she probably felt a bit intimidated by the situation.

She also follows very complex demands and has done for some time so I know the understanding is there. Also I know her hearing is fine too.

Thanks again x

I would go - they are useful IME and the SALY will know more about it than a flaky HV.

Try not to feel bad - it's nothing you've done. My 3-this-week DS was referred and I've found the course very helpful. His little buddy who is 5 months younger has been chatting away for ages but it doesn't mean there's anything wrong long term.

DS1 was referred too at this age. He is 8 now and never stops talking

I remember a child who was 2 who was taken to a drop in with SALTs and the mum was worriedhe wasn't saying much. The salt said that at this age they are learning a language and as with everything this varies massively as to how quickly they learn it. A SALT would actually put your mind at rest I think as your dd sounds normal. My son had therapy for a stammer and to be honest the lady we had helped us so much I couldn't thank her enough. You have not failed your dd, you have done the best for her by staying at home. Xx

My son was referred (from myself really) at his 2 year check list (we don't have check ups anymore)

If he had been asked what things were she would have got silence as he can't speak!!! Though if she had asked him to point at things, he could point at almost anything!

We start a week on Tuesday, not over enthusiastic about it, but the woman we've been seeing up until now has been lovely, though she isn't running the groups.

They get sent for an initial assessment anyway where they should ask you questions about how much she can say etc, so if they think that she doesn't need it from that then they will just discharge her!

She is miles ahead of my son in terms of speech though that's for sure

My ds is 2 and has started to see a SALT recently as he has no clear language at all and I thought that there may be a problem. The GP wouldn't refer him for SLT but did send him for a hearing test which showed fluid in his ear, so we've paid for a SALT in the meantime to see if we can help him. It turns out that he does have intermittent glue ear and the SALT is helping us a lot with methods of communicating with him so that he starts to see the benefit of speaking. It is working, allbeit slowly and I'm glad that we've gone down this route rather than waiting. However if your dd speaks at home then I wouldn't imagine that she has a problem - perfectly normal for her to clam up when put on the spot by a HV. Maybe go to one session and see how you get on? OUr SALT just plays with DS and watches to see how he responds to questions, toys etc... so he doesn't realise that anything is different to a normal days play.

HTH.

The wait for SALT can be ages so perhaps no harm in it. You can always decline when appt. comes up.
My almost-2-on-the-dot child is also barely talking. I am holding my breath to see what will happen.

Gosh - sounds a little over cautious!!
At 2 years they are usually putting 2 words together so 3 words sounds advanced to me!

My dd is 2.8 and has seen a SALT as a precaution as she has fine motor problems which often link to speech. My dd says 3/4 word sentences and we were told by the SALT to go away (for the time being anyway!).

Unless there are other reasons for a referral which sounds unlikely, I would see no reason to go other than for reassurance..

I've just asked for a referral for my ds2 who is just 2 as he says very little.

HV was happy to refer him and its up to a 12 week wait in my area.

Am not worried about anything else - he does eye contact etc etc just slow to talk as was my DH. Apparently its quite often a family thing and its not a reflection on your parenting.

I'm happy to see a SALT as am confident in how I parent and just want some extra help. I also am hoping that by asking for a referral by the time we see a SALT his speech will have improved a lot.

If I were you I'd go along for the assesment and just see what they say. But your DD's speech sounds a lot clearer than my ds's.