If you have both a NT DC and one with SN can you help?

[HHH3]

I'm not sure if this is related to any SN or whether it's just 'normal' (for want of a better word)...

DS2 (2.1) has delayed speech and possibly other issues. At the moment I'm just keeping an eye on things to see how they go. But yesterday he had his first session at pre school (3 hours). He cried when I left but apparently settled quickly and had a good time. He was all smiles when I picked him up. So far, so good.

Today he's incredibly clingy - won't let me out of his sight and a lot of the time just wants to be carried around. And earlier he had his first proper tantrum (at least, I'm assuming that's what it was).

I guess my question is, is that normal? I'm thinking it may well be as I left him yesterday. But I'm a bit unsure of myself at the moment and doubting myself so I don't know if this is something you would expect or not.

Could be perfectly normal I think. Ds1 was talking at one and using sentences by 1.5. However ds 2 wasn't talking at 2. It was more than just his speech. I knew something was up at 18 months. By 2 I was more sure. By 2.5 it it was undinable. Ds has Dcd, sensory issues and a language disorder.

I just knew. If you have alarm bells, listen to that. If not then I would chase for speech therapy. There is normally a long waiting list. By three they should have 500 words

Thanks all. I think it probably is normal. He's been very tired today as well and I hadn't thought that it might be because of yesterday.

I also hadn't thought of the speech delay as a SN in itself tbh.

He's been referred for speech therapy and am just waiting to hear about that. The pre school also do a lot of speech therapy and I'm meeting with the speech therapist there tomorrow.

It's just so frustrating - for both of us. He has loads of signs but sometimes he doesn't have a sign for what he wants and I have no idea what he's trying to tell me. I just wish I knew exactly why his speech is so delayed (a diagnosis or something) so I could get my head around it and help him more.

Speech I think. He has about 5 recognisable (but not accurate) words and a couple more that only I can understand. That's it. Lots of signs though and very good understanding as far as I can tell.

It's taking a little while to get my head around SN stuff!

Doesn't join any words together although he sometimes joins signs together.

No family history afaik.

He can understand and follow instructions with several steps in them and understands when I explain things to him. He's very vocal but it's almost all babble and I'd say 90% of the sounds he uses are vowels.

Can you remember what his speech was like at 2? And what's it like now? (If you don't mind me asking)

Thanks for that.

DS doesn't know colours/numbers/anything like that. He does pick up new signs very quickly though.

I just wish I understood what's going on more. I do have other concerns about him but am just keeping an eye on things for now. At the moment his speech is definitely the priority. Hopefully when I speak to the SALT at pre school tomorrow she'll be able to help.

Thanks zzzzz

Will see what happens tomorrow and update.

Had a quick chat with the SALT at pre school this morning. She was clearly surprised when I told her how few words he has. She's going to work individually with him once a week and is going to make up some picture cards for us to use to help him ask for things.

He has a hearing test in a couple of weeks. I actually don't think there's a problem there but he had a follow up ENT appt recently after having his tonsils and adenoids out and when I mentioned his speech they ordered an urgent hearing test. Can't hurt to have it done and rule that out if nothing else. Haven't noticed any problems with his sight.

When he had his 2 year check he flew through the fine motor skills bit but was significantly behind with everything else. A second, more in depth, test was done by the HV. He just scraped through it so they won't refer. Although it really all depends on the questions doesn't it? If they'd been questions about other things he may well have got a referral.

GP had already refused to refer him too.

He was also assessed on gross motor skills,communication (was obviously going to be behind on that), problem solving and emotional/social.

Compared to peers I can see he's not the same as them. And whilst he is developing it's so slow that he's falling further and further behind. My mum wouldn't say anything even if she saw a problem.

I think I'm going to grab the SALT at pre school in a few weeks, once she's had a chance to spend some time with him, and see what she says. Then take it from there. I think the most urgent thing for now is his speech as that's having the most significant impact. But I've always got an eye on other stuff and if I start to get really worried I'll start pushing harder. I do think there's something going on though

Good point.

We're off to a birthday party tomorrow for a very good friend's 1yo. My friend's mum used to work with children with SN. I've just asked her if her mum will watch him for a bit and tell me what she thinks. I'm not asking for any sort of diagnosis - more for reassurance that I'm not going mad I think I've started to doubt myself because no-one else seems to see what I do.