20 month old doesnt say a word..

[Kaybeaa]

I look after a little boy whose 20 months old who I've had since he was 6 months. He started crawling at 1 and walking at 18 months and generally is reaching all expected targets for the 8 to 20 month range. Except his speech. He grunts and points when he wants something, and he will follow basic commands (ie pass me the ball) but he still can't say basic words such as dada or mama. He's never babbled, he's very quiet, except when he's crying. Infact, he cries a lot which I put down to frustration at not being able to express himself any other way. I talk to him constantly, everything I do in the day, i narrate so he can hear me. I point to things and sound the words out but he just looks at me and wanders off. Hes also around children who have good vocabulary and talk to him but he doesn't say a thing. I've had various chats with mum, who in the end asked the HV for advice. The HV told her that if he still wasn't speaking by the time the 2 year check is here they would look into it.

My question is, is there anything more I can be doing to help this child along? Or any advice to give to mum? I know she's worried too. I feel a bit out of my depth and can't help feeling to blame, but then my own DS was talking at 1 and saying full sentences by 16 months so I don't think it's anything I've done/not done?

[AliceK]

It could be that he is taking it all in and one day it will start to come out. I have had 2 LO's at separate times who at 24 mths were both very behind expected level with their speech. Both times I was beginning to become concerned when literally, suddenly over approx. 2 week period they suddenly started to talk and put words together. In fact someone who hadn't seen one of these children for about 3 weeks saw him a few days ago and couldn't believe how well his speech was coming on.
I would say be patient, if you haven't done so already give mum a copy of the ECAT sheet and see where this child is in 3 / 4 months time when he is 2.

xxx

[hectors house]

Maybe try to get this child to sit in front of you and watch your mouth shapes while you make different noises, everything you can manage - blowing raspberries, making brrrr noises, making popping sounds and try to get the child to copy you - maybe do it as a game as part of "show me where your eyes are" then "can you copy me and make this noise". At least the HV is involved now, there is a very good American Speech therapist who has a website with lots of good advice - have a look at this Ultimate Resource Guide for Speech Therapists and Parents and see if you can find any useful tips - I have a child with a speech pronunciation problem and the ideas on the website have helped with that.

[Mouse]

I've always found the Ican website very helpful.

This is one part of their Talking Point website

18-24 Months | Talking Point

If you want further advice you can actually have a phone appointment with them to discuss a child. They won't give you specific advice on that child, but they will tell you if what you describe is part of normal development or not. I spoke to them a while back and they sent me a lovely pack of resources.

[hectors house]

I've always found the Ican website very helpful.

This is one part of their Talking Point website

18-24 Months | Talking Point

If you want further advice you can actually have a phone appointment with them to discuss a child. They won't give you specific advice on that child, but they will tell you if what you describe is part of normal development or not. I spoke to them a while back and they sent me a lovely pack of resources.

I just did the Progress Checker Progress Checker | Talking Point on a 22 month old child I look after who does speak but not much - here is his result

"You have answered “no” to some important questions about your child’s communication skills. It is important to talk to someone about your child’s communication.

Contact your local speech and language therapist, GP or health visitor particularly if:

Your child is not babbling by 12 to 15 months
Your child is not saying their first words by the time they are eighteen months old or they use pointing more than words
Your child is not saying twenty-five recognisable words by the age of two
Your child doesn’t follow simple instructions by the time they are two years old
The speech and language therapist may reassure you that things are still developing at this stage, or they may give you advice about ways to help.

You can try some of our ideas for developing communication skills to help your child. Carry on using the progress checker and ages and stages information to keep an eye on your child’s communication skills."

With the parents permission you are allowed to contact your local Speech & Language Therapy Department direct, I don't think I would wait for 2 year check - especially as in some areas they are really behind in calling children in for the check, if at all! I don't think it is normal to have no speech or sounds or babble at all at this age. I am doing a "Supporting Children with Speech, Lang & Comm course at the moment and I know that my tutor would tell me that this is a child with a "Speech and Language delay" and he needs specialist help.

[Zoomie]

I had a child like this .... 6 months on from grommit bring out in, he is talking in sentences.

Worth suggesting a hearing test ?

[Kaybeaa]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Parent had the ECAT sheet last week. She knows all about it as is a deputy head of primary school so is best placed in terms of what she knows anyway. I will do the progress checker tonight too and see what it says. I might suggest hearing test too although his understanding and listening is roughly 8-20 months, some aspects emerging into the 16-26, it's just his speech that's lagging behind.
I'm hoping that he will suddenly just start talking like he did with walking (never thought he'd even get there at one point!)

[Kiddleywinks]

I would definitely suggest getting it checked out

My DS didn't talk, and it wasn't through a lack of trying or encouragement. He always failed his first hearing tests - HV put it down to him being too engrossed in the toys at the time, and just about scraped through the second one so assumed all was well with his hearing, and that he was just a lazy talker
He didn't start talking till the week before he was due to attend a speech and language assessment at nearly 3, and granted, once he started we couldn't shut him up lol

However, he was 12 when we realised he needed grommets

The first set worked for a short period, and he's recently had a second, longer lasting, set put in. If these don't work he's looking at either hearing aids or a T bar operation in about 2 years time.