Toddler Speech Delay.

Hi @viki123

I am facing similar issues with my DS who is 2 years and 2 months old. My DS is also speech delayed. However, his physical and cognitive development is up to his age. He is very smart and can understand age approriate instructions.

Like you, I am too not sure what to do. My own nephew did not speak a single word till he was 27 months old. It was about 3 years when he actually started saying 2 word sentences. However, he was/is very smart and did reach all the other milestones on time. He is 7 years old now and is non stop talking. He is doing great in studies too. So, speech delay really seem insignificant now. Going by this, I like to think that it will be like this for my DS too. But still, you know, we always worry about something or the other all the time and the speech delay is a slight concern for me. For now, I have decided to wait till he is 2.5 years old and then see.

Coming to your son, it is good that you are going for a second test. From what you wrote, it does not seem to me that he has any hearing loss and your DS is progressing well on the right track. Sorry that I do not have any suggestion for your situation. I am too in the same situation. Good luck and please keep me posted. I would like to think it eventually will all be good for our kids.

 

One more thing that I want to ask you.

How does your DS communicate? Just by actions or does he try to talk and babbles a lot? Mine does both. Mine in fact talks a lot in his language.

 

Vikki,
if physical skills are good , please take ur son to india, and make him spend time with kids, as i had same issue with my sons, they were perfect in motor skills but they did not open their mouth until they went to india, they were so much attracted to ipads, phones. i was so worried for 1 yr and took my son to evaluation and they told me he has some speech delay, but my husband convinced me and sent out kids to inida, just after 9 months of stay he spoke to us lot of stuff.

Thanks
anu

 

Thank you @viki123 for updating me on this. Somehow I just cannot understand how they can tell that a child under 3 is 9 months delayed in speech and cognitive development. I think kids grow at different pace and not all kids reach the same milestone at the same time. I really think that this will resolve on its own as your DS will eventually reach there for sure.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not saying that developmental services are not required at all. It is very essential for certain kids; but, just for your DS I think he will be fine even otherwise. Having said that, if I were in your place, I would definitely go for the services (it is not going to harm in any way) but would not be concerned at all about the so called delay.

Good luck!!

 

vikki , ask you inlaws to take care of ur kid, its their responsibility to take care of their grandson. i have seen many kids who went to india and speech got better and better

 

@viki123 - It is a concern if kids cannot speak clearly even at 4. So, being proactive is definitely the way to go.

I have a few more questions as I think I too will have to take the same route for my DS.

1. Who does the evaluation? Is it early intervention services that are free or a speech therapist with whom you have to fix an appointment? In either case, does the pediatrician refer you to them?

2. Did you do only speech or overall developmental evaluation? Are those services free for you? And till what age is a child eligible for free services?

3. My DS does not go to daycare/preschool. We have a nanny for him. We only speak in Tamil to him. How would they be able to evaluate him since they speak in English only?

I really appreciate you sharing your situation with me. Thanks a lot!