Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

salt referal at 8 months

13 replies

hercules · 06/06/2004 19:11

DD has just had her 8 month check. We havent been to hv for ages but wanted this check as we were slightly concerned. I did a thread ages ago as she was very quiet but she picked up and I decided not to worry.

She makes lots of noises but they are monotonous ie not babbling with no maas or baas etc.
The hv listened to her and said what she does isnt babbling and wanted to refer her for speech and hearing.

Her hearing seems fine.

We had a 4 month old round today who made more noise than dd and on a similiar level.

Has my hv over reacted do you think?

All others with 8 month olds what noises do your dd/ds make please?

OP posts:

coppertop · 06/06/2004 19:21

Crikey! That's early for a referral!

I know that when ds2 wasn't babbling at his 8-month check the HV said it was far too early to be concerned, even though she knew ds1 is autistic (didn't talk until 3yrs old). We're having some other concerns about ds2 at the moment (now 16mths old) and are hoping to get him on the SALT list now rather than waiting until his 2yr check-up. 16 months is still considered as early for a SALT referral.

There's usually a long waiting list for a SALT assessment so you may find that when you get your appointment you may no longer need it. Ds1 waited 6 months for his.

AussieSim · 06/06/2004 19:29

My DS wasn't babbling at 8mths but you can't shut him up now. I wouldn't be too concerned. My DS has been pretty slow to reach all the milestones but he gets there in the end and no one seems too concerned. I am so glad my paed is laid back as I have seen other mums have to jump through hoops with their kids, only to have their kids achieve the milestone within a reasonable range of time.

Original poster

hercules · 06/06/2004 19:29

I did nearly fall off my chair when she said it although she did say could be 18 month waiting list so i guess that maybe why.

How much to go private - do you know?

OP posts:

Original poster

hercules · 06/06/2004 19:31

tbh my concern is the hearing although she seems fine.

OP posts:

coppertop · 06/06/2004 19:41

Jimjams is probably the best person to ask about private SALT assessments. 18 months does seem an awfully long time to wait. I suppose the HV's refer early because of the waiting list, and then the waiting list gets longer because of all the early referrals.

Thinking back to ds1's assessment and the types of things we were asked about and the things he was asked to do, it probably wouldn't be worth having a private assessment for at least a few more months. A younger child wouldn't be able to do the things the SALT was interested in anyway, eg being able to use a straw, lick their lips (the kind of things they look for when assessing for physical problems like dyspraxia) or pointing at things of interest (useful for assessing for autism or even basic understanding of language).

coppertop · 06/06/2004 19:45

Has she had her hearing tested at all? I know that here all newborns are now tested within a day or two of being born. Ds2 was one of the guinea pigs used in the trials of the equipment when he was about 8 weeks old. My boys both had at least 2 tests done at the audiology department because we have a history of deafness in the family.

Original poster

hercules · 06/06/2004 19:54

She had her hearing tested in the hospital and was fine. There is some speech problems in dhs family although I dont know the details except two of his cousins kids had to see speech therapists.
She also does not blow raspberries although she has tried to in the past.

OP posts:

Original poster

hercules · 08/06/2004 20:16

bump

OP posts:

elliott · 08/06/2004 21:04

I am surprised your hv reacted in this way. Ds1 wasn't making any babbling (i.e. consonants) at 10 months - I was worried as they are supposed to do this by 9 months - but HV said give it a little more time and hey presto he uttered his first consonant as she walked down the garden path...he's now (at 2.5) well ahead with his talking.
Mind you ds2 is very quiet so no doubt I'll be posting about HIS lack of babbling in a couple of months...
Maybe she referred because she thought that's what you wanted??
But also, what is the point of referring now if there's an 18 month wait? If there's no problem it will be apparant pretty soon, if there is, than that's far too long to wait!

strangerthanfiction · 08/06/2004 21:07

I'm as amazed as everyone else that you've been referred so early. Dd is 20 months now but I remember her 8 month check very clearly because we had the same thing about her not babbling 'properly' and I got terrified about it! At that age dd hadn't started doing the 'da-da-da / ba-ba-ba' stuff at all. She'd make a sort of 'huurrrr' noise and some other indiscriminate sounds, very difficult to translate them into words! Anyway, the good thing is that she babbled a tiny bit around 10 months but sort of then bypassed it and started saying 'almost' words by around 11-12 months. She's now a total chatterbox and amazes people with her vocabulary and pronounciation.

Bornworrier · 08/06/2004 21:39

hercules, elliot et al, I posted on SN board about my 9 month old, who is nearly 10 months now. He has not made a single babbling sound and just ooos and ahhs occasionally ("Mmmmm" while eating, but that probably doesn't count!)
I am very worried about it. HV said I was expecting too much, doctor said that her own daughter did not start babbling until 10 months, ENT specilaist said I was putting too much emphasis on speech at such an early age - but he has refered me on for a hearing test.
Doesn't matter how many people tell my things will be ok, I just can't help but worry - I just want everything to be ok for my little lad, and until he starts talking, I keep thinking the worst . SAY SOMETHING LITTLE MAN!

elliott · 09/06/2004 13:04

BW, sorry you are worried about your ds. I think a hearing test is a constructive thing to do (HV said that would be the first thing to do with ds1 if there were still concerns). But the vast majority of babies who don't do things by the 'right' time are perfectly fine, they just haven't read the textbooks!
ds1 didn't have any words until he was about 14 months. Started to make real progress probably towards his second birthday.

Jimjams · 09/06/2004 16:56

If everything else is fine (reposnding socially- beginning to show shared attention so keeping an eye on where you are looking etc) and no signs of any other delays then referring for not babbling at 8 months, is imo absolutely ridiculous! The most sensible course would be for a HV to review again in 8 weeks or so!

Had ds2's 2 year check this week. Had to laugh as HV asked if I had any concerns. Said not really but that I was fairly certain that ds2 has verbal dyspraxia and explained reasons why. She did the usual HV thing of "lots of children have imaature speech etc" then heard him speak said "ahh yes I see what you mean well spotted". So is chasing up his SALT referral. Told her not to worry too much as I am working on it myself, but she is reveiwing him again in 3 months as well (fairly sensible approach- he's 2 years and 5 months btw).

DS2 didn't babble with consonants until 10 months + . I do think he has a speech problem (the previously mentioned verbal dyspraxia) but I'm not wrried about it- everything else is in full working order. LAter babbling is a common sign in the history of children with verbal dyspraxia but plenty of children babble later without having it. (and in fact ds1 who also has it babbled well and truly on time).

Flip