Any one have kids with speech delays?

Rhiannon - posted on 04/03/2013

Our 4 year old son was in early intervention for speech among other things since he was a year old until he aged out last year. It helped greatly for him to have therapy. I think the earlier the help begins the better. Good Luck!!!

Beth - posted on 04/03/2013

My son started speech therapy at 2 years old. I had him evaluated and signed up at 18 months but due to started a new job and a delay in relocating he didn't get to start right away. It has been a long rough road but we are seeing so much improvement. My son finnaly started calling me Mommy just before he turned 3. I will never get tired of hearing it! He is 3.5 now and we are still getting Speech Therapy 1x a week, Occupational Therapy 1x a week and Special Instruction 2x a week. They come to my son's daycare/ preschool and it is wonderful. My son hasn't been diagnosed with anything yet but we did have tubes put in his ears about a year ago and saw a huge improvement after that. It is still hard when I go to pick him up at school and his classmates are asking me questions and having conversations and my son still only says a few words here and there and no sentences. I am hoping he catches up in time for kindergarden. I am in Philly and they can't go to school if their birthday is after Sept 1 (my son's is Dec 9) so he has an extra year. Potty training has been pretty frustrating and we are still trying that. Right now we are working with him on learning some sign language hoping he will tell us when he needs to go. So good luck to all the moms out there being advocates for their kids and spend countless hours in meeting on the phone and emailing the school, service coordinators and therapist.

Aaisha - posted on 11/25/2012

hi,

my son does not speak a word, he is 30 months old.

his hearing seems to be fine , because when I switch on the baby tv he comes running from other room.

he does not respond to his name as yet.

he indicates to me that he needs water by giving me cup.

he sings in his own language, sometimes even screams happily.

but he has not spoken even one word till now.

do I need to worry?



aaisha

Sam - posted on 11/25/2012

Hi I'm in exactly the same position as you. My son has just been diagnosed with apraxia at 17mths. He has only had two speech therapy sessions so far but have now booked for twice a week.



I currently am feeling very unsure about the whole thing :(

He doesn't name any objects with recognisable words. I understand his gestures and some of his sounds. I feel like he doesn't even try and copy me when I try do any of the speech exercises, he's completely uninterested :( I feel hopeless!



At this point I really have no idea when my son will speak. I get very tearful when I hear or see other little toddlers talking. I feel like I have done something wrong. Why is my child not talking???

Samina - posted on 11/25/2012

I have a daughter of 2 years and 5 months old. she does not talk yet. she says baba, mama, ta ta and da da. but when i say her to repeat what i say, she says baba instead of repeating my word. I am also worried about her.

Kristi - posted on 11/24/2012

Stephanie, you need to make his doctor listen! He probably qualifies for free speech therapy!

Kristi - posted on 11/24/2012

Continue with the speech therapy. Do everything you can. Blow through straws with her, make her ask for what she wants. It's a hard road but totally worth it. My son is only 3 and still having issues but we started getting much more intense about it 9 months ago and it's really helping. for more of his story, you can view http://www.findingninee.com



Best of luck and remember there are SO MANY worse things out there that moms are dealing with :)

Zakia - posted on 11/21/2012

hay i have the same problem and 17 month is good age to start notice stuff about ur child my son was 18 month and just said baba and mama that's all but we didn't think its big deal he's my first no kids in the family he's the only one very spoiled ... then we start notice that he changed allot keep moving very active with no words improvement ... and stop saying mama only baba ... so his doctor said we should call early intervention as soon as we can .. we start when he was 24 month ,he got all the therapy he needs for one year and he did very good more words and understanding they are very good. we did all the test for him last doctor said he might have BDD-NOS but he's not sure cause u know he still young and have slight sign of it maybe it will change by time .. but he need to interact with other kids ,so he recommended put him in school so he can get more help.. the early intervention help us allot in this, they called the school get him in get all the services he needs the speech the occupational therapy ... he's there now for 2 month and u want believe how much he changed he become more talker sings dance like other children in his age still no full sentences ,,, but u don't believe how happy i am when he come back from school and say HI MAMA HOW R U ? a year ago i would dream to hear mama from him its like an angel call me :))) ... im so happy and thanked god every day that we catch him early... cause as the doctor said every thing is easy fixed before 5 years :))



i just want to share my story with u and with all ,,, just to tell u keep ur eye on her don't say its not big deal or she still 17 month always remember the sooner the better :))

Sophia - posted on 11/20/2012

my son talked up until he was 2 then stop..... yes speech therapy help .. also putting him in a daycare for kids with special needs worked wonder... he talk at 4 years old... dam can he talk.

Danielle - posted on 11/20/2012

@ Amanda - Your son sounds somewhat like my now 8 yr old son. My son started school at 2.5 & speech at 3. He would only speak to his sisters, me, my husband & a few other people. He had trouble learning to read (couldn't sound out words) and, while he would focus forever on something he wanted to do, following directions & paying attention in class wasn't really his strong point. Kindergarten was a little rough, but luckily he had a great teacher who was willing to work with him & give him some leeway. My son also has OCD and transitions have always been an issue for him. We lived right across the street from school, so I didn't have to worry about bussing. But he did go to a center-based early intervention program that bussed him to & from.



As far as Kindergarten, I would just suggest being very pro-active. Speak with the teacher about your concerns. Don't wait for him/her to have a problem, and then say you were concerned that might happen. Make sure the school knows he has an IEP & is getting speech now. Give them a copy of his IEP when you register him. Since my son went to a center-based EI program, our school district evaluated him and identified him for speech services before he started school. But I know that in Philly, that doesn't happen if the child is just receiving regular EI services.



As for the bus, I don't know what to tell you... Except to speak to other parents in your neighborhood & see what they think of the bus service. I wasn't concerned with my son taking the bus for early intervention, but they picked him up & dropped him off at our house & had aides on the bus to help the children on & off. That doesn't happen on a regular school bus.



Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 11/16/2012

My son will be 5 in March. He is getting ready to begin Kindergarden. He has been recieving speech therapy since he was 2. I have seen a lot of improvment in his talking. He still has a lot of troubel talking with me and making complete sentences or trying to explain his self. He has also been in preschool since he was 2.5 so he knows the school type routine. He has trouble following directions and writing. Will this be a major problem once he starts school? I know they will continue to offer him therapy once he starts school. Do you think its a good idea to let him ride the bus? The bus turns around in our yard. Someone please help.

Emily - posted on 11/13/2012

My 4 year old was like your daughter. By the age of two, my daughter could only say a few words and those were made up of mostly vowel sounds and their meaning was pure guess work. I managed to get her referred for a speech assessment not long after her second birthday. A speech delay was diagnosed and she has had speech therapy ever since. She has recently started full-time reception here in the UK (like Kindergarten, only all day) and she gets speech therapy in both one-on-one and group sessions. She also attends a social group which helps because it's a smaller group of children. She is confident and talkative and I thank the school for that (she attended the same school for pre-school last year). She still struggles with articulation. She replaces a lot of her initial consonent sounds with the "h" sound for some reason. She has improved though. She went from hardly saying any consonent sounds to saying quite a few, although rarely at the beginning of a word. She still needs help but we can see that she has improved. Her understanding is fine, it is just her articulation. At least at the moment it is not impacting on her schooling. She is even starting to learn to read. I hope this helps. Just stay positive and make sure your daughter gets all the help she can get. It can work.

JUDY - posted on 11/08/2012

I was always told kids do things in they own time. The sooner you start them in therapy the better. At 17 months its kinder hard to tell but if your first mind tells you your daughter need help go for it, and later on if she doesn't just take her out. The fact that she understands what your saying is a plus I would read and talk to her more and in time she will pick up on it.

Lauren - posted on 09/22/2012

Stephanie, you and I sound like we are in similar boats. Josh is now 2,5 and says no words at all. He started attending a day care 2 weeks ago and they are convinced they are hearing 1 or 2 words. Does he have interaction with other children etc? I also understand about the stress and blame game....it's a difficult time for all especially as you don't know if there is a problem or not. I would bypass the paeds and go straight to a specialist...are you able to do that? You have obviously had his ears tested and ruled that out? Anyway, keep us updated on how things go.

Jennifer - posted on 09/18/2012

hi tiffany I have a son who will be three soon he has a speech delay he has been in early intervention for a year now.I think it really helped hes saying more words now but he still is having problems with sentences and tell us what he wants stuff like that so stick with the therapy it will end up helping you in the long run

Stephanie - posted on 09/13/2012

Yes, I have a three and a half year old who still does not talk. Only says a few words when he wishes. Please help! It is really putting a serious strain on everything. My husband blames me and says I don't do enough when I read to him when I can and take him for walks talking with him. I don't know what else to do. I have begged the pediatrician on numerous occasions to help, may be get him tested, to be on the safe side, but no one listens. They all just say he grow out of it or he's just little.

Elizabeth - posted on 09/07/2012

My daughter is 18 months and does say a few words dada, recently saying ninite, moma, kitty, but thats it. Doctor said at 15 months that she wasn't saying she has a speech delay, but that some babies her age were saying lots of words. She only says about 5 words, but I've reading that if they've been working on other things in her case walking and climbing that they may not talk much till later and not to worry until she's at least two. She understands us and makes the baby talk that you can't understand really, but I'm sure she'll start saying more words before too long.

Sophia - posted on 09/06/2012

my son started to talk and stop --- we found a good daycare -- for children with delays. He talks too much now... however we are not finish with speech. we now get speech in school. like anything in life its hard ti fix when its old. So children need help we should jump when their are young.Your daughter will do well in a daycare that help children with delays.

Patricia - posted on 06/23/2012

It is good that you are being proactive. Receptive language is something young children develop first. When you interact with your child, he/she is learning about the world around them and is labeling them. Will speech help. You can bet on it. I work with young children and I see the improvement they make with speech services. It is not something that happens overnight. It takes time and patience. It will come.

Rosie - posted on 06/23/2012

speech therapy is the best thing you can do right now. My son had speech delay and speech therapy helped us tremendously

Heather - posted on 06/23/2012

She is ONLY 17 months old. I wouldn't pay for speech therapy services yet. I wouldn't even worry about her speech until she's 3 years old. That's when they told us to worry, and our son has speech issues. He didn't start falling behind until he was 2 1/2. She won't name objects yet, as I said, she is ONLY 17 months old. Read to her, sing to her, encourage her to dance. Let her watch some PBS shows, disney jr., and Nick jr. shows. She will start to talk on her own. But I would stop the speech therapy, unless it's free. My daughter didn't start talking till she was 22 months old. Now she is almost 3, and talking up a storm!

Denise - posted on 06/17/2012

I am very proud of you! I am a Reading Specialist. Speech delays soon become Reading Delays that soon become overall academic delays. You had some good advice to get her hearing checked and correct any hearing issues or issues caused from possible ear infections. Early intervention is the key to success. So many things are connected with expressive communication. Just be sure to do the "homework" (fun stuff) that the Speech Pathologist gives you. Encourage her and make suggestions. Teach sign language (baby sign) and make up some signs of your own. Soon you will see her sign the word(confidence improves). Next you will see and hear her sign and say the word. She will be very confident. Finally, she will drop the sign and just say the word. Keep going and know that you are doing a great job of acting as an advocate for your child. We did it all with my grandson, just like you, and he has excellent diction at 4 and a really great vocabulary. Go girl!

Chandra - posted on 06/12/2012

I am new to this. My son is 21 months and had his first session with his EarlySteps speech therapist. I am so frustrated I don't know what else to do.

Katrina - posted on 06/11/2012

both of my boys are they are getting services and improving all the time.ask your personfor ideas that you can do why they arent there they will help you with that.

Tali - posted on 06/11/2012

Hi,
Firstly I think its great that you're starting therapy young, giving her time to catch up.
I have to recommend that you check out Signing Time, a musical video series (+books, flashcards) that teach ASL, American Sign Language.
However, more than teaching sign language, it encourages communication both verbal and nonverbal.
My children did not have speech delays although they are bilingual and many of their friends did. I write a little bit about Signing Time and why I believe in it on my blog
http://mygoinggreenblog.blogspot.co.il/2...
On my blog there are also links to the signing time website and Rachel Coleman's blog, where there is a whole community of parents whose children suffer from different types of communication delays.
(My other advice, is to just encourage any communication. If she mumbles 'bah' or even 'mm' when pointing to a ball she wants, say "oh, you want the ball".
repeat everything she says, especially if it sounds like a real word, so that she can appreciate the value of being understood.
And another lesson I learnt, is don't demand her to say certain things, because if she can't, she might get frustrated and upset and just give up, rather encourage any of her attempts.)

Lauren - posted on 06/09/2012

Maegan, I have posted before on this thread ...but just feelso much in the same boat as you...Josh is also 2, says momma and dadda...but for the rest is pretty much non verbal...we have had his ears tested and all is fine... and he doesn't display typical autistic characteristics....however...still worried and stressed....just wish my little man would say something ...

Deb - posted on 06/09/2012

Maegan, you're right he could just be a late bloomer but if its something else you're getting a jump start on it. And when it comes to speech, early intervention works so much better when it comes to being prepared for school. And if its just delayed speech, he's none the worse for it! Check with the state and the school district you live in. It will be no cost that way.

Maegan - posted on 06/09/2012

My son is 2 and doesn't talk at all except momma and dadda.He also doesnt point at things or if you ask him whats that or really anything he doesnt respond verbally or hand motions.The dr is referring us to a developmental specialist so they can evaluate him.He does respond to his name but if you sit there and talk to him he rather just stare at the tv or continue playing with his toys.Im not going to worry since he is only two and theres tons of people telling me he could just not be ready.But I will start paying more attention because before I didnt think anything was wrong

Deb - posted on 06/08/2012

My grandson was the same way. He understood us but couldn't verbalize back. Just baby babble. He started therapy at 20 months, he is now 26 months. Its been great. Just this week he used a 3 word sentence! "I see momma" We were all very excited. But he has definitely needed the therapy sessions to accomplish this.

Gracevincent0175 - posted on 06/06/2012

my son is 30months old but not saying a word, though he is having therapy.need help please.

Alexandra - posted on 06/01/2012

I have 3 children and my two oldest which are only 13 months apart are currently receiving speech therapy. My oldest son is going to be 3 in June and my daughter will be 2 in July and I started my son with speech classes when he was 16 months. I've seen a huge improvement in his language and I will reccomend you keeping your child in therapy. I'm glad I was vigilant and didn't listen to anyone that would tell me "he's fine" or "don't put him in that". He's now transitioning to the school district and will continue his therapy through them. With my youngest being only days old I'm hoping she won't need services but will get her the earliest intervention if need be.

Katrina - posted on 05/31/2012

both my boys are in speech they are getting better. My older one is getting better. My younger one is starting to get more words.
It will happen just dont worry yourself. I had to go through it my first then now my second.
I have done little things the speech person told me,It helps by paying attention and doing things for them to help them with there speech everyday. Come up with games.
A fun one for mine is we have a tunnel they get inside we grab stuff animal you hold it up so they look at your lips then say the name of the animal dont worry about them saying back just upload words then you put it in the tunnel with them. or get cards with things on them and hold it up to your mouth ans say it then let them slide it down the slide.
Dont stress over it if your child loses interest move on. if you push them then they wont want to do it,

Mhairi - posted on 05/31/2012

My eldest boy didn't speak til 2 1/2 and he hasn't needed any therapy, my 19 month old son has only started speaking, tries hard but only with words he wants to say, and well..... They're not exactly useful lol. I really wouldn't worry about her speech until 2 1/2, but that's just me. Hope all goes well :)

Ann - posted on 05/31/2012

Samantha, it might just depend on where you are but the program here in Kansas( most states have similar ones) is the infants and toddlers program. They will only work with a child until age 3. And given their name, they work with children under the age of two. They specialize in a number of things including speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, behavior, etc. If you have a program like that (maybe try calling the school district, that's where our local program has their office) you don't need your child's doctor for it. They will come to your home and evaluate your daughter. If THEY feel she needs help, they will give it to her.

Samantha - posted on 05/31/2012

Hi,

Sorry i don't have answers just to say my daughter is 21 months and has no words yet but babbles a lot my doctor won't send her for therapy until she turns 2 I'm just curious to know what happens at speech therapy Sorry i wasn't much help..

Tiffany - posted on 05/30/2012

I know whats one more reply to your 80 already.... well my son started speech therapy at 18 months. he will be 4 in oct. and i see small improvements. i think its at their own time no matter what we throw at them. since turning 3 he transitioned into the school system and he goes 3 hrs a day 2 days a week to a special ed head start. and i hope that by the time kindergarten comes around which isnt for another 2 school years so fall 2014 he starts kindergarten i hope he is talking to where he is understandable.

Ann - posted on 05/29/2012

My son, who will be 3 in July, has speech apraxia. He has been in therapy for 7 months and was just diagnosed. He understands what is said and follows directions, but he cannot communicate expressively. What he has is a speech disorder, rather than a delay. So for him, it could take longer for speech therapy to work.

My oldest went in to speech therapy when he was almost 3, he had a speech delay. When he turned 3 he started preschool and by the time he was 4 I could have conversations with him! He is now 5 and going into Kindergarten and they have removed him from speech services :)

Really, it depends on why your child isn't talking (delay, disorder, something with her ears, etc) and how willing she is to cooperate with speech therapy and with you.

Gabrielle - posted on 05/25/2012

Has her hearing been checked? My daughter could hear me but I just didnt know it was so little and she sounded like she was under water they say. She had to get tubes. Her hearing test showed her ear drums weren't vibrating. It was from fluid in her ears I knew NOTHING about. I never even thought she had an infection and I saw no signs! She is in speech therapy and it helps her to get more familiar with more words and teaches me how to teach her. It is a good program. She has a couple words she can say now.

Jennifer - posted on 05/25/2012

All 3 of my kids have received speech services. Two, because of delays, and the 3rd because of a weird speech pattern. My 6 yr old, who was very premature at birth, was very delayed. He now had NO speech issues, and can actually read slightly above grade level. The only "issue" he has is an inability to STOP talking. I've literally begged him for 5 minutes of quiet before, because it's non-stop. My 2nd child with the weird speech pattern is also much better. My 3rd, is currently receiving services and has already improved drastically in less than a year. She has a great single-word vocabulary now, but should be stringing words together at this point (she'll be 2 in a couple weeks), and can't. She didn't have any words when she started. Another HUGE help with her was the Baby Signing Time program. I think the package I got was $150 (pricey for us), but was covered by the early intervention program where we live. Her therapist was shocked at how quickly she picked up the signed words from watching the DVD's 1 time. The package also comes with CD's to play in the car (or wherever) and practice (all 3 of my kids love the catchy music), and flash cards (which I never really used). I would highly recommend it, as it can greatly reduce the stress of not being able to communicate for both parent and child. It can also help with sibling communication, as my 4 year old also picked up on the signs quickly, and would help his little sister use them, and help me remember ones I'd forgotten.

Becky - posted on 05/25/2012

My son is 20 months now and started speech therapy a couple of months ago. He's in the same boat as you, not making much progress yet. But I know, with help, he will get there. My daughter talks nonstop now and at 20 months, all she was doing was "mmm" for everything. I'm sure your therapist has told you what you should do to have you child communicate with you if she wants something. For example, if she wants you to open something, have her look at your mouth while you show her the "O" for open and have her try. It won't be the "O" sound, but at least she is trying to tell you what she wants. Don't give in unless she says something, even if it's just an "uh". Also show her some simple sign language, like "More" and "Help". Once she starts talking more, she will probably shy away from them. Good Luck!

Christine - posted on 05/22/2012

Yes, my son is now 30 months and just starting to put words together in sentences and label objects. His ears a fine and developmentally he is on target.

Early intervention is key. Give it some time and she will be chewing your ear off!

Reneé - posted on 05/21/2012

My son did not talk or walk until he was 2 years old. Our pediatrician recomended Birth to Three, which is a program here in Connecticut that offers speech, physical, and occupational therapy for children ages "birth to three." They sent therapists to our home 3 times a week in the beginning, and then when my son reached the age of 3, because he still needed the help, (and still does) we were reffered to an intregrated preschool program. My son has just done his second year there, he will be 5 in august, and we cannot be more grateful to the program. He has come so far in his speech, his physical therapy, and his social interaction. I remember how frustrating it is not being able to get your child to express his needs. As hard as it is, be patient, children follow their own schedule. Ask your pediatrician if he can recomend a program for your family. And hang in there, it will get easier!

Kara - posted on 05/17/2012

Given time speech therapy should do wonders. The make it fun for the children, and in turn the little ones love going! Just give it time.

Lauren - posted on 04/26/2012

Our son is 23 months and not saying a word Tiffany! He understands exactly what we are saying but refuses to talk...we are obviously stressing... I wouldn't quite start worrying at 17 months though

Michele - posted on 04/24/2012

My daughter has been diagnosed with Developmental Speech Delay. I honestly did not think anything of it when she was young because my older two sons did not understandably speak until 2.5 years old. However, when she was that age, she was not saying words. She could understand us and follow directions, but she would not talk. Today, she is 5 years old and still does not speak. She says maybe 10 words max that people can understand. She has been in Speech Therapy since she was 4 years old. Because of this, cognitively she is on a 22 months old baby. On the other hand, I have a 2.3 year old son who is not saying a lot of words but he is babbling like he is trying to put sentences together. Naturally, I am going to watch him more closely. Grant it, she is 17 months and if she is the only child, it usually takes longer for kids to talk. On the other hand, my daughter has two older brothers (12 and 7) and she does not talk. It is good that you have her in Speech Therapy. Just continue to monitor her progress and stay encouraged.

Elizabeth - posted on 04/23/2012

My son is the same way. He is not 28 months and is still not speaking much, however he is trying. We started speech therapy and developmental therapy last September. Coulton has learned some sign language and that seems like it has helped tremendously. I have a post on here about my sons issues, it's titled "venting about toddler not talking". There have been a lot of helpful posts on there.

http://www.circleofmoms.com/expecting-no...

Jessica - posted on 04/20/2012

Just a follow up from my earlier comment - my daughter, 2 1/2, had a therapy appointment today. She told her therapist a whole sequenced story about how she slipped in the bathtub and cut her finger. She understood the whole thing! She actually called in another therapist who was no familiar with my daughter to listen. My girl retold the story, and the other therapist understood as well. MAJOR milestone for her to be understandable to others and not just those closest to her - I wouldn't have dreamed of this 6 months ago. Stick with it!! I am so proud of her, and the therapists are really working wonders!

Destinee - posted on 04/20/2012

Have you tried to teach her sign language? Our son, we found out, has an issue that was caused by his oxygen deprivation at birth in which he has a hard time connecting what he sees with what he hears, and this for some reason I don't quite understand was affecting his ability to learn to speak. His OT suggested sign language, and three months later not only can he sign, he can talk, and half the time you can't get him to stop! Even if she doesn't start speaking soon, sign language can be an effective tool for her to communicate her wants and needs with you, and, if you keep it up, will provide her with a second language when she grows up, a very useful tool in today's world!

Jessica - posted on 04/19/2012

My daughter is 22 months old and doesnt talk either. She has been in early intervention for 2 months now. I have noticed that she is playing better and starting to point at more things. I is getting very frustrating for her and myself because i cant always figure out what she wants and then the melt downs come. Originally when they came in to do her evaluation they were looking more towards her being on the autism spectrum but with the help of her OT we have figured out that she may have a motor planning dissorder known as Apraxia. This is when she knows what to say her mind knows what it is but the signal gets lost when she trys to use her mouth to say the words, We are now getting a speech therapist to come in and help her. I thank God everyday that i pushed for early intervention to come in and didnt just listen to everyone tell me kids develop different and she will talk when she wants to.

Michelle - posted on 04/18/2012

I am going to have my son checked for autism spectrum. Hopefully he is fine but rather rule out than not. I have seen a difference in his trying to talk lately even over the past week. I am going to continue speech but make sure there is nothing else going on in the meantime. I am hopeful he will improve and am actually feeling overall more relaxed than before that he will catch up and we are working with him to catch him up and to do whatever means needed to get him the help and correct influences of therapy that he needs. I know kids go at their own pace sometimes but when he should be saying 50 words at 2 and is at more like 10 with no sentences he needs someones help besides mine and his dads. Good luck to everyone with this and know with consistency and help they will catch up. Especially at this age when they are like sponges. Make the first 5 years count the most right.......