speech delay help please!

[elliefant]

My baby is almost 13 months old she has microcephaly and gdd - she has physiotherapy and they have suggested she needs language therapy but it seems theres a long wait for referral. My baby only says a few sounds (b, p and m the only word is mumma) she also never cries and is only able to give a little chuckle. She gags and chokes on alot of food and from what I understand this is part of the speech delay.
Google wasn't much help so I was hoping some-one could offer me some ideas I could do at home to help? I sing, read and talk all day long lol to her - but I'm wondering if this isn't enough and I should be doing more specific exercises?

Have you looked at the website: ICAN, it is a communication/speech charity and they have loads of tips and you can book a call or email a speech therapist from their.

Also google Teach me to talk by a speech therapist called Laura; it's her website and she has looooooads of tips, videos regarding speech etc. She also has her own podcasts, which are free to download from ITunes. Which talks about the countless questions regarding communication/speech play etc.

Good luck

I would call your SALT service and emphasise the feeding issues. I did this with ds and we were seen the next week (originally had a long wait)

Does you dd have low muscle tone?

Thank you for replying - adriana22 I will def have a look at those websites thank you.
My baby has only recently been diagnosed and trying to get all the help in place is a waiting game and frustrating! She's seeing a neurologist in sept for a follow up appointment. All she's had so far is physio, my hv is meant to do referalls and said she will see my baby in a few months to catch up and see how things are! Maybe I shld pop to clinic and get her to chase things up.
Hazeyjane - they have said my baby has variable muscle tone. I think at her age she should manage to eat almost anything but she chokes on things like bread and bananas - I wouldn't even risk giving her pieces of apple or carrot sticks!
I think its a case of me chasing up people rather than waiting around for them to make contact!

ITA with the above posters - I'd ask for an emergency appointment with a speech therapist over the feeding problems. (I'm not sure what they can do with such a young child, but you have to explore every avenue - choking is no laughing matter)

I agree, you need an urgent appointment with a speech and language therapist specialising in paediatric swallowing (dysphagia).

I'm a speech and language therapist myself. This makes me really cross!

Please phone up on Monday and ask to be seen urgently re the swallowing.

With ds, he was referred for a videofluoroscopy (an X-ray taken whilst eating) which showed that he had an unsafe swallow. We had to thicken liquids, and give only bite and dissolve foods, and take care to slow down his eating and take sips between mouthfuls. We were also given excercises to do with oro motor skills - blowing, sucking through straws, tongue movement games etc.

We were seen within a week of being referred for feeding problems with our DS who has low muscle tone. they should prioritise you.

I like the book Small Talk. Is full of activities for you to do to promote language development. I got mine second hand off amazon for a few pounds.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0230766439/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1405278154&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165