Hello, would really appreciate some advice about DS who is almost 3.5yo. He has been seeing community SALTs for a few months but we have moved and he is not due to have an assessment in our new borough until May. All his SALT ever said was that he had a speech delay and his other 'issues' came from lack of confidence in communication.
But I really feel that he is getting more and more socially withdrawn with anyone who isn't immediate family. He acts petrified around other children and clings to me for dear life if a child approaches him.
He also has vocal 'tics' like humming or buzzing noises which he now does almost obsessively. We felt that his speech was coming on well, especially after a trip home to see my family,, but when I see him with other children his age and younger I can really see that he is very delayed and very anxious. He has also started to babble in the last week and is talking less.
He is a lovely funny little boy, and has had a really hectic six months with arrival of DD, moving house and area, so I want to give him every chance to feel happy and confident and have little mates to play with.
I would rather a speedy assessment of him so am willing to pay for a private consultant - can anyone recommend someone in London who could be definitive about whether he needs more than speech therapy?
Thanks so much, and sorry post ended up longer than I planned!