Advice on non talker please!!!!!

[lizzymoonshine]

Hi guys

Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year! not been on for a while, not a good 2011, but hoping for a fab 2012! :-)

Any way, I wondered if anyone could offer any advice. I look after a little boy who was two in November, he's a very bright little one, but he doesn't speak. He can say the odd word, mamma, baby, but that is about it. He knows exactly what your asking him, he can bring you or point to anything you want him too, but just won't speak.

We are singing, reading, keeping the words simple as to not overload him, but not made much progress and wondered if anyone had any ideas.

thanks

[sarah707]

I have cared for a couple of children over the years who have not spoken to me - but parents say they chatter away at home.

I just give them time and space and lots of modelled language and they talk when they are ready.

However if the child is not talking anywhere I would suggest a meeting with the health visitor for a check over.

Hth

[rickysmiths]

I have had two in the last year and in fact the 21 month old was taken to our local walk in clinic on Tuesday. The clinic does an initial assessment and will then refer to whichever specialists are needed. He will have his hearing checked which is standard even though mum and I have no worries on that score. He will then be refered to a Speech and Language Threapist. They were very impressed that mum had gone to them with such a young lo.

That is the key though to seek advise very fast and long before they go into school. Especially with boys if they don't get the help they need before they get into the school system it can seriously affect their who education. If nothing has been done the school are unlikely to do anything for at least a year because there will be no funding in place. If they have been assessed as needing additional help before starting school it means that help should be put in place from day one.

In our area you would need to speak to your GP or Health Visitor to find out about the walk in Clinic so that is what I would advise your parent to do as fast as possible.

[moogster1a]

I think a lot of people are far too quick to perceive late talkers as having a problem of some sort. Many many children are hardly talking by 2. My own boy hardly talked till he was way over 2 then he was talking almost fluently straight away.
i dislike the whole industry that has grown up around speech therapists preying on the fact the parents are told your child "should" be talking at this age.
FWIW, I know most guidelines say babies start talking at 1 year. I've never had a child saying a single discernible word at that age. Maybe it's cos all the little ones I've had have been boys, but it's certainly neer had a detrimental affect on their schooling and they are all very bright little chaps doing well.
Persoanlly, I'd tell the mum not to worry, especially as he understands all that's said to him.

[Bluebell]

My little boy had this problem and I have been reassured countless times that its nothing to worry about and so I have left it for ages.
He is extremely bright and understands everything but won't speak. part of it is he is shy because he talks at home however he has recently started to get more confidence at pre-school and speaks but he isn't understood - they have now flagged that it is a problem and I've had to fill in 3 forms over the last few months and am no nearer to seeing a speech therapist!
I am now thinking his self-conciousness is not shyness but the issue that nobody understands him when speaking.
I wish I had pursued it because there is a long waiting list to see a speech therapist, they may well be able to resolve the issue quickly but he is now 4 and due to start school in September.
Have a chat with the mum, be reassuring as it may well be nothing to worry about but if she has concerns it may be as well for her to have a chat with her HV or Dr.

[rickysmiths]

I disagree Moogster1a.

It is essential that the parent at least has her child checked out. Better that and find no problem than leave it and have a problem later. It is not panic at all just good sense. Nor is it speech therapists preying on anyone.

I have now had three children in my care over the 17yrs I have been minding who have had a speech delay of one sort or another who have all benefited from early intervention, indeed one at 23 mths some 14 years ago was diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum. Early 'intervention' was his saviour in terms of getting him in the him in the right place for his early education including going to a pre-school who had experience with Autistic children. It also meant his parents were able to acess the help and advise they needed to make choices for him.

One of my mums went to the drop in clinic on Tuesday this week with her 21 month old son who we have big concerns with and she was praised for taking him early. She has been booked for a hearing test which is standard and then will see a Speech Therapist but there will be up to a 6 month wait for this. This is why it is so important to go early.

[Pipsqueak]

I think a lot of people are far too quick to perceive late talkers as having a problem of some sort. Many many children are hardly talking by 2. My own boy hardly talked till he was way over 2 then he was talking almost fluently straight away.
i dislike the whole industry that has grown up around speech therapists preying on the fact the parents are told your child "should" be talking at this age.
FWIW, I know most guidelines say babies start talking at 1 year. I've never had a child saying a single discernible word at that age. Maybe it's cos all the little ones I've had have been boys, but it's certainly neer had a detrimental affect on their schooling and they are all very bright little chaps doing well.
Persoanlly, I'd tell the mum not to worry, especially as he understands all that's said to him.

Now I disagree - although not totally.
Boys are generally slower than girls at talking BUT my eldest child (who is now 14) and one of my mindees (both boys) were/are excellent talkers. My mindee yaps away with recognisable speech and you could hold a full conversation my my eldest - both by the age of 1.

Now both my younger two children had speech problems and I KNEW from an early age that there were problems.
I have cared for many many children who have speech difficulties - currently one 2.6yr old child is really struggling and he needs help.
There is a LOT of research to indicate that SLC is declining badly in the early years due to parents not realising that speech doesn't just happen. A lot of research is indicating that more and more children are starting SCHOOL with very poor SLC.

[JennyM]

I hope you don't mind me jumping into this thread but I have a question about speech too.

I look after a boy who is three and a half. He speaks alot and in full sentences but he doesn't pronounce words very well and is very hard to understand. For example he will say 'I wa at nut ree' for 'I was at nursery'.

Sometimes I really can't understand what he is saying and I feel bad for him. His Mum has mentioned his speech but doesn't seem concerned.

Should I do a few detailed observations and show his Mum and then suggest we get the speech and language person involved?

[Pipsqueak]

At 3 the childs speech should be mainly clear and understandable.

Have you spoken to parents and expressed your concerns? have nursery picked up on it?
Are there concerns about his hearing - I would strongly recommend that the parents get child's hearing checked - see the HV for a referral and get it ruled out - even if you (anyone else) hasn't noticed anything.


I would be making some detailed obs and see where you go from there

[JennyM]

With the detailed obs, do I write as I hear?

For example I know he is saying 'they not fall down' but what he says is 'sey no sall dow'?