Help with 2yo Speech Delay

[Merryoldgoat]

Hi, I have a 2yo who has delayed speech and I don’t know how to help him at home.

He’s been referred for an ASD assessment (my 7yo has HFA) but it will obviously be a very very long time before any referral for SALT etc comes through.

My 7yo spoke very early so this is very different and I just was hoping I could have some ideas about how I can help him whilst we wait?

Bumping for you!

I was due to hear back from SALT but that’s not going to happen for a while now which is frustrating. I’d already been knocked back as he was too young so the nursery put the forms back in, SALT confirmed I’d hear back within 8 weeks with an appointment but that time has now lapsed.

He had his 2 yr review in Jan which the hv referred us to the community pead with suspected autism, again going to have to wait longer. Also hv wants to redo his review in april but I can’t see that happening.

He’s been on the list since October for a hearing test which I was told there was at least an 8 month wait.

I’m feeling the same as you, id love some ideas to help with his speech. We attended and completed a chatterbox course (we actually did the full 6 week course twice). That encouraging lots of repetition, getting down to little ones level and copying the way he plays, turn taking games too but ds doesn’t understand the concept of taking turns.

Gosh I’ve re read that I’m coming across as negative! I don’t mean to, I’m just pointing out that I’m the same as you so I understand your frustration and eagerness to help your little one

Have you seen this pyramid before? The child starts at the bottom and works up, the top level being actual speech. In the early communication/chatterbox course I attended this was referred to often.

Can I ask what your DC were like by 20-21 months? I'm starting to be concerned about DD's speech. She says words, probably around 30 words along the lines of yeah, no, nice, down, ball, jump, kick, dada, duck but there's very little 'putting together' of sentences and she's still talking a lot in a way that no one can understand, bless her. It's hard when I see others her age speaking in full sentences though.

In terms of her motor skills she's exceptional so part of me thinks that she's just chosen to concentrate on that instead of speaking. Nursery say she's 'getting there slowly'. I'm guessing her 2 year review will be cancelled or delayed given that it's in July.

Will follow thread for tips on encouraging her speaking. We do a lot of reading and songs.

@breakingbetter.

My DS is 2 and has zero words. He can repeat some sounds and words:

Mumma
Dadda
Bye
Baby
Ball

But doesn’t say them with any meaning.

My older DS had extremely advanced speech and was speaking in full sentences by 18 months and knew his alphabet (by sight and not in order) before 2.

30 words is good before 2 - sentences done generally come until 2 judging by my friends’ kids.

@PinkDaydreams

That pyramid isn’t very helpful for my DS - he does some stuff out of sequence and doesn’t do some at all.

My now 14 year old is NT and yet didn’t say a word until he was nearly 3. He was late sitting and walking too. By contrast his sister was talking in full sentences before she was 2 (also NT).

2 is still v early to be worrying, when will they be 3?

My ds was 2 in January. He used to say a few words but they’ve now completely gone, that’s why hv thinks autism, because of the regression. There’s also a few other autism pointers he’s doing but I’ll leave them off this thread as I don’t want to steer it away from what you want help with.
I keep being told “stop comparing him to others” but it’s difficult not to compare.
I read so much to him every day, before the lock down we were at the library at least 3 times a week too. The hv was asking him to point to things in his books but he just doesn’t understand, for example where’s the ball/cat/dog, he has no idea.
Have you tried or been recommended any books @Merryoldgoat?

@LefttoherownDevizes

He’s only just 2. He’s got a few other markers for ASD but who knows? I just want to ensure it’s not missed so he can get the support he needs.

My son sounds very similar to yours @pinkdaydreams

No recommended books.

He’s an absolute love though - he’s the softest happiest little ray of sunshine.

He's very young still, just try & focus on playing & reading to him. When he's playing say things like "car zoom zoom" or "car go fast" instead of asking questions.

Another thing the nursery have said and the course was to describe what we play with, so start with car, then red car, fast car etc. Keep instructions clear as well, for example, “coat on, let’s go” instead of a big long winded sentence. Sounds obvious I know, but I found myself in the habit of “come on let’s get our coats and shoes on, then into the pram and off to the shops to get some shopping” once scaled back I now understand that little ones only take in the first and last bit so keep it simple.

He definitely understands lots.

Get down (terrible climber)
Upstairs now
Time for a change
Come here

He adores being read to and gets excited at bits he knows are coming.

He babbles lots so I’m sure it will come eventually.

Thank you for the tips for playing. I’ll try those.

Hi all, SLT here. It's impossible for us to give any specific advice for a child without seeing them to assess and taking a history but there is lots of simple general advice to help.
Try to just focus on what YOU are doing to input as much quality language as possible, and less on "making" your child say more words. (As mentioned, compehension comes before production of words!) The first thing to do is make sure you have some quality time, i.e time where you are actually able to focus on the child even for a few minutes at a time, preferably with an activity of their choice!
Then try one of these things:

• Cut down your own sentences - try to provide a model of what your child could try to say. So for instance instead of "Look the dog is running so fast!"'say "Dog running" or even just "Dog!"
• Build on what your child is saying. When they say one word, respond back and add a word to show them the next step in talking. E.g. they say "baby", you say "baby sleeping" or "happy baby". If they say two words, respond with three (e.g. they say "baby sleeping" you can say "quiet! baby sleeping)
• Try not to ask questions where you know the answer, especially "what's that?", "what colour?". (We adults are REALLY good at asking these kinds of questions because we really want our children to speak!!) It's not all that fun for a child if they are being asked to name things and you often don't get a response. Try just to say the word for the child, even if you know they know it! (So "that's blue!", "It's a dog!" etc)

If you do ask a question, just go on to answer it yourself :)

Give your local SLT service a call and ask for some informal advice. Our service has a helpline every week, maybe there is something similar where you are?
Look on their website or social media page for ideas.

Lastly, my nearly 2-year old had been stuck at about 40 words since he was 18 months with almost no progress and then suddenly he has started gaining new words daily and linking two words very occasionally. He's not as fast as some but I'm not worried :)
"Two words together by age 2" (ish!)

And yes if you are worried of course ask about a referral or self-refer to SLT. You don't need a HV or GP to do it for you (and it won't be faster if they do it either, I've seen some people say that but it goes by date order).

Just read all the replies and there are some great ideas on here

Thank you Happy

I’ll definitely try those suggestions