Delayed speech.

[Lilylulu]

Hi,
Does anyone have any good links for speech and milestones? Have mentioned it several times to the parent but they are really dragging their feet about getting a speech therapy assessment, health visitor also suggested it after 2 yr old check but several months have passed since. I would like some good information to pass on so they might realise just how delayed the speech development is falling. We have done lots of singing, one to one talking, stories etc, and child has fairly good understanding of speech but probably only about 10 words that are clear, another 10 at most that are similar sounds to words but not clear or full words that a stranger would understand.
We are almost at the point of thinking IEP for this child now, although other areas of development are more or less on track. Any ideas's or input welcomed.
Thanks

[sarah707]

The Eyfs development matters document is the only one we can really recommend although there are lots of developmental milestone websites out there.

Some children are just a bit slower than others while some really need early intervention and help.

A childminder friend flagged up a child's speech a while ago with speech therapists and health visitor - the child is nearly 3 - and was told that it had to come from the parents so I would work on them but if they are sticking their heads in the sand there's little you can do.

Hth

[JCrakers]

I looked after a little girl who was a late talker..she was nearly three by the time she could string a sentence together.
Once she started she didn't stop.

How old is the child now?
Do you think she/he is just a late developer in this area and it may come

[rosebud]

Could you contact your speech therapy team and ask them if they have any guidelines about what to expect at what age that they can let you have. An official referral may need to come from parents (although I think its different here and we can do it) but they might still be prepared to give a bit of unofficial support.

[Lilylulu]

We have offered to take child to a speech therapy drop in as she finds it difficult to take time off to attend but she has just said 'oh I will contact them and sort something out' but then nothing more happens. We have mentioned it a few times and written up in her daily diary but want to take it a bit further as progress with speech is really slow, child is now 29months.

[mummyMia]

Ds had delayed speech. I took him to a speech therapist to be assessed. At the time he was 2 and 4 months. I remember writing down all the words that he could say and there were barely 20 of them. That was including all the really simple ones like 'mama', 'dada', 'hi' and 'bye'. I was really worried by his progress. The speech therapist said that although he clearly was behind average he was still well within normal limits. I think she said at that age 10 or more words would be considered normal, especially if the child's understanding is fairly good. She said he didn't need any specialist help but to come and see her again in 6 months if he wasn't progressing. We never went back and I am pleased to say that he is now 4 and speaks very well

I tried to ask the speech therapist for some sort of reference/document/website/book/etc. on speech milestones so that I could follow ds's development myself but she said it is better for parents not to have anything like that as children are all so different and it can cause unnecessary upset.

I think the whole speech therapist can seem a little daunting. When ds had the assessment we saw a really lovely lady at the local children's centre and she made it all seem really relaxed. More of a friendly chat than anything else. So maybe if you stress to the parents that it would just be a really relaxed meeting somewhere local they might be more likely to go ahead.

[Lilylulu]

oh thanks mummymia, thats really quite similar level to where we are with this child atm so reassurring to think she may not be very delayed then. I will continue to encourage mum to consider the speech therapy assessment and reassure her that it's low key x

[boxtree7]

I have a little boy who doesnt have a lot to say - if he says 1 word its in whispery voice that you can't hear. He loves animals and makes all the sounds - he picks up books and turns pages loves you to read to him also. He lashes out a lot biting other children and throwing himself on the floor - he has recently started to bit himself if he doesn't get his own way. It diffcult to mention this to mum she passed comment that she was worried that he might have ADHA - I don't now how to approach the mum.

[JCrakers]

I have a little boy who doesnt have a lot to say - if he says 1 word its in whispery voice that you can't hear. He loves animals and makes all the sounds - he picks up books and turns pages loves you to read to him also. He lashes out a lot biting other children and throwing himself on the floor - he has recently started to bit himself if he doesn't get his own way. It diffcult to mention this to mum she passed comment that she was worried that he might have ADHA - I don't now how to approach the mum.

The biting and lashing out might be because he is frustrated with not being able to communicate. How old is he?
Not familiar with ADHA..did you mean ADHD? If so I would say he's a bit young to be diagnosing him with this...I could be wrong. Could be just normal toddler tantrums? Is he 2-3yrs?
My brother had it, he was diagnosed late at 9yrs.