DS is 7. He's always been weak on speech/language. He started talking nearly 2 and didn't form a full sentence until after 3. He got better after we paid privately for SLT in nursery before he started reception year. He then caught up slightly in the school as he's very active and loves socialising.
However, he struggles to find words expressing himself. He forget some very basic day to day words absolutely impossible to forget.
I myself was diagnosed for ADHD. And I'm certain he has it too.
The lockdown has affected his speech massively. Being alone at home with us didn't prompt good conversation (partly because of I'm not good at having good small chats due to ADHD). The lack of stimulation from school environment put his speech/verbal expression backwards. When we happened to bump into his friends in the park, it's obvious that he's way behind others in terms of expressing clearly. It also make his speech much more childish than his peers, as he could only use simple words not matching his age. (He reads lots, but just can't take in the language.).
I feel awful the other day hearing him struggled to tell his best friend what he's been doing during the lockdown. I wondered how his friend could bear with the speed of his speech and the messy structure/vocabulary which made the sentences nearly non-understandable. It would take lots of patience for the audience!
We were thinking to get him assessed for ADHD. He's very hyperactive and can't stop fidgeting and his concentration is all over the place. But he's kind on the borderline for other symptoms - he has a mild personality and has never been rude to others. So we fear nhs wouldn't bother with his case at all.
At the meantime, I really have little clue if his struggle in self expression is to do with ADHD or something more than that. I also suspected if he has auditory processing disorder, but never got a chance to check it.
Just feel awful seeing him gives up expressing himself at all sometimes, as he knows he wouldn't be able to find the right words and it takes too much effort to structure everything to make himself understood.
Is there anyone heard/know of similar situation? (We don't think he has ASD or aspergers.)