Speech delay- should I panic?
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Speech delay- should I panic?
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The difficult bit about being a doctor and a parent is knowing what to do when you are worried about one of your children. So my nearly two year old is not speaking. Mama. Dada, Baba and that's it. An
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Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 10:08 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 597
First: 17/11/2008 Last: 18/5/2012 |
The difficult bit about being a doctor and a parent is knowing what to do when you are worried about one of your children. So my nearly two year old is not speaking. Mama. Dada, Baba and that's it. And although she has no other problems and happily points and tugs at us and gets her way - we are all of us now trying to get her to talk. So today there's a news story about how a toddler who doesn't speak at 2 is doomed to failure for the rest of his or her life and may well be responsible for the next set of riots as part of the underclass. A governement rep is saying children should be tested for speech routinely. So I rang my surgery for an appointment with our GP. Am I over reacting? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/9017099/Toddlers-should-be-tested-on-speech-government-advisor-claims.html |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 11:35 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2075
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 18/5/2012 |
Fear not, mother Luisad, I bring thee tidings of great joy. I did not speak until I was over two. My erudite father thought his DNA had spawned a retard. I then suddenly spouted grammatically correct sentences as if I had been storing it all up. The French, Latin and Greek came later. WInston Churchill was regarded as a slug, a retard, a dullard by his school masters and lousy at English. You know the rest. |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 12:23 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1177
First: 25/1/2009 Last: 18/5/2012 |
There are many reasons that childrn may not speak...Hearing difficulties, Shyness, Difficulty processing and planning words etc |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 1:58 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 851
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 20/5/2012 |
As Dr.S advises, check his hearing. |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 2:09 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 451
First: 17/6/2011 Last: 21/5/2012 |
Hi LuisaD, Agree with what the others say but what I would also ask is she your eldest? I've seen children who don't talk until 'late' because they have no need to - they get everything they want just fine! |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 4:16 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 288
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 18/5/2012 |
As a rule of thumb Luisa, by the end of the second year, your child should be able to speak in two- to three-word sentences. They should also be able to follow simple instructions and repeat words heard in conversation. If they are not speaking well but seem able to follow simple instructions that is less worrying than if they cannot do either. Delayed speech development can occur in isolation (any family history of this?) but can also occur in association with other developmental issues as well as hearing problems (both conductive and non-conductive). Worth getting you child assessed, in the first instance, by heal;th visitor +/- speech and language therapist and don't be concerned about being over-reacting - you are not. |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 16/1/2012 11:26 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 597
First: 17/11/2008 Last: 18/5/2012 |
Thanks for the advice I'd feel like an ioidt if I did nothing thinking I know best but at four she was still on two syllables. Comforted by Odysseus. Her hearing was tested and is fine but maybe a re check is worthwhile. She is the youngest but the former youngest spoke early. Have appointment in two weeks time with GP. |
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 22/1/2012 11:22 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1
First: 22/1/2012 Last: 22/1/2012 |
Hello Luisad, I really wouldn't panic. From personal and proffesional experience. My son was youngest of our brood and also one of over 15 cousins. As a result he never needed to speak, a look was often enough to know what he wanted. There was also a gap between him and the next baby in our wider family so he was considered the 'baby' for longer than he should have been. He was also looked after by family members until he was 2 when he went to nursery. They then pointed out his speech delay, he could only use a few words and his formation of those words was bad so only a few people could understand him We then took their advice and stopped getting things for him until he made an effort to ask for them and encouraged everyone else to do the same. That along with a few sessions in formal speech and language (purely to get his formation of letters better) has made him the little chatter box he is now. But I still think his words and not formed correctly and can come out 'baby' sounding, I'm hoping this will correct as he grows up. Hope that eases your worries if anything, my collegue also says her brother didn't speak a single word until he was 3, then suddenly he spouted full sentances?! I think they do it to makes us panic!  NatB
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Re: Speech delay- should I panic?
posted at 23/1/2012 9:21 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 597
First: 17/11/2008 Last: 18/5/2012 |
Thanks NatB - I see this was your first post so thanks for telling me aboiut your son. I really appreciate it.I have heard the advice you give and I am trying it. She gets frustrated and being nearly a terrible two it is hard not to give in, Also she will do quite elaborate roll playing and gestures to indicate what she wants and who should be doing what.Did you son have these sessions when he was two and a half which is when they usually do them I think. I felt terribly jealous when you said he was a chatterbox. Flora makes brrmm noises and other noises but so few words. I do hear of stories of how people didn;t speak until they were three etc but I am not thqt brave to wait. You say your son still has some baby sounds to his words which sounds really sweet and I am sure he will grow out of it but when kids do speak later it probably does matter at least sometimes. |
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