DS's speech

[HHH3]

I started a thread on chat last night about DS2's speech and some people directed me over here. I can't link to the thread as I'm on the app but if anyone can then please feel free.

DS2 is 23 months and barely speaks. He has 3 words that other people understand and another 3 words that only I understand. That's it. He signs so is mostly able to make himself understood but the speech just isn't happening.

Every time I've raised a concern I've been told they don't start worrying until children are 2. That's fine but he's approaching 2 now and I'm still really worried (in fact I'm increasingly worried). If he were progressing, even if it was really slowly, I'd be happy with that. But nothing is changing at all. He babbles, follows instructions etc but speech just isn't happening.

I've made an appointment to see out very good GP next week who I know will listen and take me seriously. I've also made an appointment for a private speech therapy assessment for a couple of weeks time. I'm hoping that GP will refer him and that while we wait for that the private therapist can give me some pointers and things to work on. I've also (finally) managed to get hold of my HV and have arranged his 2 year check for the week after next.

I guess I'm just looking for a) some experiences and b) some reassurance that whatever the problem is, it's something that can be worked on and resolved.

[HHH3]

I'm not sure how loose/tight it is tbh. Can clean his teeth though. I've also heard about posterior tongue tie with lip tie. Apart from the first couple of weeks bf has been fine - he's still bf now. My mum and nephew have a gap between their front teeth and so did my grandad - presumably lip tie.

He shows absolutely no interest in trying to say words - have tried books, puzzles, just saying the word. He either completely ignores me or just looks at me.

Have been trying to get hold of the HV all day to get a copy of his 1 year check. If he fails on his 2 year check next week then I'm going to push for some sort of referral.

[HHH3]

Reflux - don't think so. How would I tell?

[naty1]

Lot of crying, wont lie flat.

[HHH3]

Definitely doesn't have reflux then

[HHH3]

Just need to get this down as I think it because I'm frustrated after more 'he's just slow talking' and 'but his understanding is good' comments yesterday. And because I'm getting more and more concerned about him.

I've been reading up on speech and, apart from the few words he has, I'd say he's in the 6-12 month range with where he speech is at. And the more I read and think about it the more I realise that it's always been behind where it should have been. He was also pointing and gesturing later than he should've been.

I actually think almost everything physically with him has been slow to develop. He didn't sit without support til 8 months, he commando crawled at 9 months and crawled properly at 10/11 months, walked at 17 (very nearly 18) months.

Maybe he's just going to keep being at the later end of 'normal' with everything. But whereas with everything else he has developed, all be it slowly, speech just isn't happening.

Before he had his tonsils and adenoids out at 21 months he had 2 words. He now has a few more (but not many at all and not all of these are recognisable) that developed a few weeks after his op. But since then there's been nothing new at all.

And things are getting frustrating for both of us. Recently he's been signing 'more' a lot. Sometimes he's able to let me know what he wants more of (eg he'll get his cup if he wants more water). But more and more frequently he's not able to tell me (I guess as his needs/wants get more complex). And I'm not able to teach him the sign for whatever it is because I just don't know what he wants.

Sorry for the long post - I'm just worried and frustrated. And I'm fed up with feeling like this is being dismissed.

[sammythemummy]

Sorry you're going through this :(

I would suggest you look into VB therapy. There's lots you can do through that.

[HHH3]

I know I guess I'm just fed up of feeling like it's being dismissed at the moment. People might be right and he's just going to be a late talker but they don't know that. And I don't know whether there's a problem or not either until he's had the assessment done.

Are there any apps you would recommend? He loves my phone and iPad!

I'll look into vb therapy too - thank-you.

[naty1]

I think tonsil and adenoid issue go with hearing probs so as you said worth re-checking his hearing

[HHH3]

Definitely worth checking. Will see how the assessment goes next week. Then I can either take that to the GP, ask the paed when we see him. Or I also have the option of asking ENT as he has a follow up appt in jan.

[HHH3]

Thank-you Poltergoose. That's really helpful. I've had a quick read through and I'll have a more in depth look over the weekend.

[Housesoftheholy]

Hi HHH3 I don't have a huge amount to add you've had some fantastic support and advice on this thread.

My ds was the same age for meeting all those early milestones such as crawling, walking. They don't do 2 year checks in my area so he wasn't checked until I requested a developmental assessment at 2.5 He only had 1 (incorrect!) word then actually was overall delayed.

I used to get so frustrated people would say if I didn't attend to his needs I would force him to speak Seriously ds would have just starved or never had a drink had I not got them for him! He would never ask for anything.

My approach was to learn makaton and I used the word and the sign whenever I spoke to him and ds attempted far more words once he knew the sign first for some reason.

He received 2 year funding and went to nursery. I would just suggest to you it could go either way. For some children it may help them advance. For ds it really highlighted his difficulties yet he didn't receive extra support at that time as we were so early in the process. It had a very negative impact on his behaviour and didn't bring on his speech.

Ds doesn't learn in that way, if he did he probably would have learned to speak spontaneously. Look to see the environment is right and they can support him fully if you do decide for him to go.

We were so lucky and for various reasons recieved SALT from a private SALT through funding. She reccomended a couple of apps one was 'Splingo' which will help you how good his receptive language is. Ds stayed on the easiest level for ages and it helped him enourmously.

Also matching games, a good one is 'match the same'.

Wishing you the best of luck

[HHH3]

Thank-you House. You're right - I've had some great support and advice here and I really appreciate it.

My DS is the same - if I didn't attend to his needs he'd get nothing. He simply can't say the words.

We sign anyway which does help. Although sometimes I still don't know what he wants - he doesn't have the sign and I either don't either or just can't work out what he wants to teach him.

I'm really on the fence about nursery. I'm inclined to give it a try but to watch really, really closely and if it's making things worse ill have no hesitation in pulling him out. I've explained that he doesn't really talk. They do makaton but we use BSL so I may need to teach them his signs before he starts. I think I need a more in depth discussion with the, before he starts.

Thanks for the recommendations for apps. I've had a quick look and will try them out with him tomorrow.

[BUTU]

@HHH3

Completely understand you! We are in a similar situation. My boy is 20 month. He only has one word, "naaa" for "no", we think. He doesn't understand any word. Nor does he point or understand pointing or follow gaze. All the people saying oh he has two language to learn, oh he is a happy boy, oh every child is different. We don't think he is normal from 11month. We contacted GP again and again. Finally we saw a pediatrician for development. She think he has speech delay. We are seeing speech therapist next week. We are still going to see a private child psychologist for a second opinion. We want to know whether it's just speech or social communication delay in general.

I'd suggest definitely ask GP for a referral, you probably have done that. Don't accept wait and see. You are right to go private to speed things up.

Good luck and carry on!

p.s. from the research papers I have read, your boy is following instruction, that's a very positive sign.

here is an article about later talker you may be interested in www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/How-to-Tell-if-Your-Child-is-a-Late-Talker-%E2%80%93-and-W.aspx

[Bilberry]

Any sound repeated consistently to mean something counts as a word. It doesn't need to be a 'correct' word. My ds early words were 'oo' (cow), 'aa' (sheep), 'a' (cat), 'o' (no), 'um' (mummy). These all count. I remember telling people how good it was when he finally had a sound for no. Unfortunately, most people didn't understand and said I'd be sick of it before long; they just say no all the time. I never became sick of it as I was just pleased to hear him communicate verbally.

Also I little warning; you may well find he has more tantrums and these last to an older age than kids without communication difficulties. See these as attempts to communicate and put on blinkers as you will get judgey stares.

[HHH3]

Thank-you for all the recent replies. They're really helpful and I'm taking it all on board.

The questionnaire for his 2 year check arrived yesterday. Went through it yesterday evening and scored it all. I haven't been able to score problem solving yet as there's a few things I need to do with him. He 'passes' fine motor skills with flying colours. But everything else he 'fails' on significantly. (Don't like 'passes' and 'fails' but can't think of better words right now).

All those areas (communication being the worst) he falls into the area of 'further assessment with a professional may be needed'.

I'm gutted. And feel really guilty. My gut has said for ages that something isn't right. But every time I've tried bringing it up I've been told 'he's fine' and 'he'll get there in his own time'. I should've been pushier

[HHH3]

You're right. I can't change it now anyway. What I can do is get a lot more pushy and put my foot down now.

And trust my instincts

[Bilberry]

If you had pushed for more assessment earlier what you would probably have got was 'yes there are a few areas we are concerned about so we will call him back in 4/6/12 months and see how he is getting on' and that would be the extent of it! With the exception of portage, you are unlikely to be offered anything much before this age anyway. Everything you could do to help you will be doing anyway. You might not get offered much even now but now is a good time to start pushing so you can get the support he may need in nursery/school.

[HHH3]

True Bilberry. He's got his 2 year check on Wednesday and the private SALT assessment on Thursday. Once they're out of the way I can decide where to go from there.

[2boysnamedR]

It can be worth getting early help - however cr@p it might seem.

The diiference it's making between my seven year and two year old is worth it. Seven year old has a severe language disorder which no one (nhs, family or school) will acknowledge. Two year old gets 1.1 funding and a speech unit place. He he gets in to ms school I won't be fobbed off with him.

[Ahhhcantthinkofagoodname]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned verbal dysprxia yet. This could be a possibility if your son's understanding is ok, but he has problems with communicating verbally.

It may be oversimplifying it, but for me things made a lot more sense when I understood this for my son...

His "receptive language" (ie understanding, vocabulary) is just about age appropriate

His "expressive language" (ability to retrieve the right words) is a bit delayed

His "speech production" (ability to form the right sounds with his mouth and tongue) is severely delayed.

verbal dyspraxia typically shows up the above pattern. These could be areas to discuss with your private SALT...

[Ahhhcantthinkofagoodname]

Ps although some kids "just" have verbal dyspraxia often it presents with other things, maybe general dyspraxia (which can result in delays with fine or gross motor skills), hypermobility or ASD or ADHD. All gets very complicated as often symptoms overlap.

As others have said it's great you are onto it and I would support getting that referral to speech and language. we got the referral at just after 2 (after chasing for at least 6 months).. Saw a speech therapist at 2 and a half and started on/off blocks of therapy at 2 and 9 months. The major development for us was starting private therapy at 3.5 with an ex Nuffield therapist. Google Nuffield centre for dyspraxia if you're interested...