Delayed Speech - Salt Lake City,UT

My daughetr was the same way. She didn't walk until 18 months and didn't talk until 2 1/2. She didn't need to, her sister did everything for her.
I took her to speech therapists and was told she can follow directions, she can point to colors, animals, letters so she was fine. We also took her to an OT therapist but nothing was wrong.
Take him in to get an assessment.
When you go they will let you know what you are dealing with.
I agonised over it too but now she's 12 and won't shut up. :o)

Hi Mandy -

Every state has a version of a program called "Child Find" that helps kids, from birth to 3 yrs old with speech and other developmental delays and provides testing and therapies at no cost.

"The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all states to have a comprehensive Child Find system to ensure that all children who are in need of early intervention or special education services are located, identified, and referred" (From the Child Find website)

I identified a concern with my son's speech as early as 15 months but allowed my doctor and others to convince me he would just come around and that there are different levels of "normal". My son was smart, interactive and resourceful but he had a hard time expressing himself with words. I'm not saying that your son won't spontaneously start talking, he just might. I just encourage you to follow your doctor's advice on this one. The testing through Child Find is free so there isnt much to lose by pursuing it. They also test for autism and other developmental delays besides speech. My son had a complete hearing evaluation for free as well.

I finally got my son tested just before his 2nd birthday. They identified a significant cognitive delay and an expressive speech delay. A speech therapist did a 1 hour home visit once a week until he turned 3. He was tested again at 3 and is now attending preschool at our local elementary school that is being paid for by the Child Find program. We also have him in private speech therapy 1x a week and the combination is working wonders.

Here is a link for resources in Utah - it looks like the program is called "Baby Watch"

http://www.utahparentcenter.org/resources_intervention.htm

http://www.utahbabywatch.org/

My girls didn't start talking till they were over the age of 2. At our 18 month apt the doctor said that they were really going to start talking now but it took quite awhile after that. They understood a lot but kind of had their own language. But after the age of two they did really just take off with their vocabulary. It doesn't hurt to get a speech therapist involved but I just wanted to let you know that some kids just take longer than others. My kids are doing great and know more letters and numbers than others their age in our neighborhood. So, try not to worry too much. Good luck.

My son also had a speech delay. He was eventually diagnosed at the time with developmental speech apraxia. He's in 5th grade now and has been getting speech therapy since he was three. Speech therapy has done nothing but help him, so don't be concerned if he has to go. He still has trouble finding the right word for things sometimes, but his receptive language is great. In the last 6 months, his school has had some specialists look at him and have decided that he's an Asperger's kid.

Anyway, do try not to be worried! A speech therapist doesn't even hurt like a trip to a doctor's office does and they really do have great strategies to help your son begin expressing himself. Also, even though he seems to hear you fine, don't be at all surprised if an audiologist visit is recommended. They just want to rule out other things.

Hi M.,

I know you have received a lot of the same... but just wanted to let you know our son (who is now 2 1/2) didn't start talking until he was just over 2. Now I can't stop him! I wouldn't worry. :)

Have you had your son's hearing checked, and/or has he had a lot of colds and ear infections? Our son was considered a "late talker" and we were told to take him for speech therapy. I figured out that he wasn't hearing well because I developed an ear infection in one ear after having a cold. It took WEEKS for that ear not to sound as though I was under water and also not to feel pain in that ear from certain pitches and tones of sound. Our son had had many colds close together and at least 2 ear infections. Sure enough, as soon as summer hit and he was cold and ear infection free, he started talking like a jabber box and hasn't quit.

Good luck! I hope it's that simple.

.

M.,

You said your youngest... how old are his sibs and do they do a lot of "talking" for him? My daughter is 18 mos and she is only at the bare minimum of 7 words- but like you son she can follow commands and point to things if you ask her where they are (body parts and other objects) I would totally go ahead with the evaluation- it can't hurt! but don't get too far ahead of yourself- lots of kids with older sibs are later talkers- simply because they don't have to talk- everyone does it for them. BTW- whatever is going on (if anything)- does not look like autism to me based on our description.

Best of luck!
M.

I have an almost 3 year old and it sounds like the same story. We have LOVED speech therapy. And here is a tip. Call your school district and ask for the phone number to the Early Intervention Program. They charge on a sliding scale. We get three visits IN OUR HOME for ten dollars a month. Well, and they actually haven't even charged us yet. It's a national program, and I'm so grateful for it. My insurance didn't cover speech therapy and it's expensive. Early intervention comes to our home three times a month. A developmentalist and a speech therapist. And they are incredible. He has progressed with leaps and bounds. He LOVES the appointments cause they bring all these fun things to play with. The other great thing is that they have a free preschool when they turn 3. Anyway, if you can't tell, I love it and I'm so glad we called them!

Hi,]
My daughter did not start "talking" until she was 2 1/2 years old. Sppech therapy was the best thing I could have ever done for her! Not sure if you are looking into provate speech or what. Because of his age and delay he qualifies for EI (early intervention services). depending on the county you are in, they will help you out. Jefferson county is DDRC (developmental disability resource center) and denver is Denver Options. You can contact either of them and they will direct you to the right place. I think VERY highly of them as they worked with my daughter for 2 years. I have freinds who also worked with Denver options..same thing! Do not be afraid, they are there to help your child, not hinder him! Best of luck.
C.

Do not worry.
Speech Therapy is not a scary thing.
My son, from 19 months old, had speech therapy. It was free via our local regional center, the zero-to-three type program.

Anyway, in my son's case, they do an ENTIRE overall developmental assessment to fully assess a child. Then they recommend something. It is entirely voluntary. NO pressure. My son, was like yours... but he was assessed as being above par and even advanced in several areas. He just was not speaking... a whole lot, per his age. No biggie. He was not "delayed" in a clinical sense... but just needed more help with pronouncing words and he was shy about talking. No biggie. My son LOVED his sessions and his Speech Therapy. He knew darn well it was to help him 'talk' and he really enjoyed it. AND they give you lots of helpful tips about it all.... things that the lay-person would not know, and they will debunk 'myths' for you or answer any question you have.

ALSO, speaking is often gender related with "boys" being later. My son's Speech Therapist said that 80% of her clients were "boys."

REMEMBER... that a speech delay has NOTHING to do with "intelligence." Einstein... did not talk until 3 years old, as well as Mozart, i think. THEY are all geniuses.

Don't worry. And certainly do not get self-conscious about it. I "PROUDLY" told other Moms that my son is getting speech therapy... because believe it or not other MOMS would tell me point blank "is something wrong with him? He doesn't talk like a big boy..." Or, they would talk 'down' to him as though he was retarded. (how disgustingly rude). My Son though, is VERY bright and mature and I knew it. Even the assessments proved it and his speech therapist was constantly amazed at how ahead he was... despite not talking.. she said he was still very very well rounded and able for his age....even compared to older kids.

I got my son speech therapy because it was "free" and they came to our home for the sessions. AND... I always believe that extra knowledge about helping my son, is only positive. My son is now 3 years old and no longer has speech therapy. He was SO SO SO proud of himself... of his talking, and really got a lot out of it. He is in fact, the MOST talkative one in our family!

All the best,
Susan

To tell you the truth, I am kind of surprised that your doc thinks he needs to see a therapist. This does not seem unusual at all. My first son was incredible with speaking well before his first birthday so when my second son came, he was barely saying two words by the time he was 20 months. I brought it up to my doctor and his comment was that all kids develop differently, he is understanding everyone just fine, and he is communicating just not with words. He then said that typically speech therapy comes into play around 3 or so and we would be sure to keep an eye on him.

Ultimately, my son, out of the blue, began to speak in sentences a little after his second birthday. No problems.

If I were you, I would consider getting a second opinion just to ease your mind. If you get the same response from both docs then maybe take it more seriously.

If you want you can try the office we go to, they are fantastic! It is called Crown Point Pediatrics, ###-###-####, on Parker and Lincoln, right next to Parker Adventist Hospital. The doc I use is Dr. Roos and his partner is Dr. Kaylan. They also have 4 or so PAs you can see.

Good luck to you and don't worry too much. Remember your baby has a great mom who won't let anything get out of control. You are making sure he is cared for and the professionals will make sure he develops to his full potential.

I, too, am very surprised that your pediatrician would refer you this early on. My third child (2 1/2 now) was just like that. He didn't say anything at 18 mo. But he understood everything. He just took his own sweet time actually talking. Some of his first words (around 2 yrs.) were full sentences. And now, he's ahead of the curve for talking. I wouldn't worry! And I would get a second opinion. I really think it's too early to worry about going to a speech therapist!

The best thing at this age is to be aware- if she is a little behind, it is best to have it checked out becuase as they hit 2+ their launguae skills should explode or they fall behind so fast.
It is amazing seeing what a few months of ST can do for kids.
My Little one is 18 months old and says 'hi' and 'Yeah" I have been doing sign lauguage with her (and the older kids) but she would not sign just point and scream.
I just had her evalu- four days before the appointment she used a sign- "ball" then the next day she signed "up", then "all done" so at the appoinment they said to give her more time if she does not gain 6 words or signs in the next 3 months for me to bring her back. It's been a month and she signs a ton of words, and connects them more food please. She still is not saying words. She does make sounds, kinda under her breath that sound like you might have heard a word (Ank U) but her lips did not move. She has started to mummble Mommmamamam

I'd either go there - or start at a child developmental center in your area - which will also have on staff a speech therapist. I'd look into it the sooner the better. Our doctors wouldn't believe us & kept telling us our 2nd son would come around... when we moved he was 3 & he still only had a vocab of about 20 "Survival words"... Fits started happening, tantrums, you name it - I was beside myself... I took the advice of many friends & after CDC's initial tests they referred us to genetic testing which gave us the answers we needed to start services & know how to help our son. He started then with sign language to start basic communication while in speech therapy & took off with it & started doing really well - by 5 he was speaking small sentences & almost no more signing... he is now in 6th grade & about 1.5 grades behind w/special services - but we can't keep him quiet!! (He has an extra male chromosome - 47XYY Syndrome) & it is so nice to know "What" it is & then we have been able to do plenty of studying & experimenting of how to help him!!! There is always help available... there are usually others who have experienced what you are going through too! I love the internet & the networking that is possible due to it!! Good luck! ~ J. in WY

I agree that you may want a second opinion. Does your son comprehend everyday requests like, "Go put in in the trash?" "Do you need a new diaper?" "Do you want a drink" "Do you want to go bye-bye?" My son is not 21 months and really didn't say much at 18 months, but could understand everything said to him. I didn't worry, as he was my 3rd boy and the first two were SO different in development that I knew every kid comes around in their own time.

At 21 months, my son now says "mom, daddy, drink, bye-bye, night-night, yes, Kiki" (his brother's nickname) and is adding new words daily.

My middle son, I recall wasn't saying even this much at TWO. At two he was still screaming when he needed something. When he turned three, he had an amazing vocabulary and was speaking in adult sentences.

I knew in my heart of hearts that my middle son wasn't developmentally delayed. The doctor tried to tell me that he may need a therapist, but the "Mommy" in me knew he was just on his own schedule. He'll be 4 in April and he's writing letters, sight reading words, getting his own cereal....

So when my 3rd son came along (all this after my 1st son was counting to 10 at 1 1/2 years old) I was patient and let him tell ME when he was ready.

And yes, you also have to consider the older siblings. My older two were always saying, "Baby wants this" "Baby wants to do that." and the baby would nod in agreement. He would "communicate" to his older brothers what he wanted and they would relay the message. Finally, before a doctor could tell me something was wrong with him, I started telling the older boys, "Let baby tell Mommy what he wants."

I was told when my sister in law was little she didn't start talking until she was 3. When she did start, it was full sentences instead of just one or two words. They did take her to a doctor at age 2, but it didn't do any good.
It can't hurt to take him to the doctor, but don't get too worried if nothing changes. He will do it all in good time. Good luck!!

Well, it looks like you have gotten a lot of responses already, but I just wanted to write to tell you this: Try not to get too worked up before the appointment. You are doing exactly what you should do in taking your little boy to have a speech evaluation. Any amount of worry won't change anything, and things are just as they were, before you were told to have him evaluated. This is a good thing, because your little one will get what he needs, and good for you for taking action. The speech therapist will tell you more, and remember that no matter what you read, you know your son, and each situation is different. I also see that someone recommended "Child Find"...they are great. Definitely give them a try. Just some history, my son wasn't talking at 18 months either. Child Find provided in-home speech therapy, and he has speech therapy with Children's Hospital. His speech is now booming, and it has been very exciting! :)

You've already gotten many good responses, but I felt compelled to write as it could have been a note I wrote as well. My son (2) is my fourth child. He hardly had any words at all at 18 months....maybe Mom and ruff ruff. By the time he turned two, he had maybe 10 words. My pediatrician wasn't that concerned although he said the average two year old had more words and was using two word phrases. But he said that is just an average and he was doing everything else as you mentioned...pointing out body parts, objects in books, followed instructions, communicated in other ways (grabbing my hand to take me somewhere or point things out). He didn't care to mimic sounds or words at all. And, yes, his brother and sister did all the talking for him. However, it was driving my husband and in-laws crazy that he wasn't talking so we went ahead and contacted Child Find after his 2nd birthday. We had his hearing checked and had an evaluation done. He scored lots of points in everything, except speech. I knew in my heart he was fine...just didn't want to talk yet. Because it was all free, we went ahead and scheduled a couple sessions with a therapist in our home. By the time the appointment came he was already saying many more words and using a couple simple phrases. The therapy sessions (we've had two) are very low key and they do many of the same things I already was doing. I think he is just going to do it on his own time and I don't want to pressure him or make him feel as if there is something wrong with him. We play some games that encourage him to mimic us....sometimes he still chooses not to and that is fine with me. I think 18 months is early, especially for a boy and a younger sibling. However, if you go through with the evaluation, think of it as an opportunity to gain information and reinforce what you know in your heart....that your son is fine....he just doesn't want to talk yet. He will when he wants to.

Hi M.,
You have already gotten lots of great input from other moms, but I didn't see anyone mention sign language. Our son, who will be three in March, had only a couple of words at 18 months. His pediatrician suggested that we use very basic sign language to help him communicate. We got the cheapest, simplest book of baby signs and started teaching them to him. He really brightened when he learned a new word. Your boy obviously understands language, and "GRR" IS a word. Our boy used to pant every time he saw a picture or a live dog. Anyway, you might try the sign language approach. And LOTS of reading, which I am sure you do. When our boy hit two, he was speaking 10- 12 word sentences. I know folks might not believe that, but I remember friends, teachers at school, and family sitting with us and literally counting words in his sentences. Good luck. Please let us know how things go.

I have a 21mos old son and have been dealing with similar situation. My pediatrician was concerned at 15mos so we called up ECI. During the initial assessment, there were no major cause for concern because he was developing fine in other areas (motor, emotional, etc.) During his 18mos check up he was still only saying less than 10 words so the Dr recommended we call ECI again. This time I waited a little bit before calling for an appt. I talked to other moms (I didn't do much research online) and 85% of the moms I talked to told me there son didn't say much at all until he turned 2. Well, as my son is approaching 2, and still not saying a lot, I called ECI back and they came out for another assessment. They suggested 45min sessions every other week. And with them, they are very affordable. If insurance doesn't cover, then they just bill you on a sliding scale based on household income.
Basically, I'm saying it doesn't hurt to call and there could be no 'major problems' maybe just a slight speech delay. I do have to say that even recently (since our last assessment session which was 1 week ago) I see him improving. It seems like it just clicked and he's really trying to mimic sounds now. And he's never done this before! Hope this helps a little.

M.,

I see you've already had lots of responses, but I wanted to encourage you. Our kids have all had speech issues. At 19 months, our daughter only said Mama until this last week when Mama went out of town. She now says Papa and Gama and Uh-Oh. Dada also got added as a useful word. When we had her evaluated, they agreed she is behind, but they can't do a lot before the 2nd birthday, so asked us to come back then. That is what we were told with our boys, as well. You should still get the evaluation, because they will give you lots of things to do in the meantime to help. Your son sounds a lot like our kids. Way above average in understanding. I think part of our kids "problem" is that they are learning so many other things that there just isn't time to work on speech. I wouldn't worry too much. Some kids are just behind in that. Our oldest didn't really talk well until he was reading. Our 3yo is now reading, and his speech has suddenly cleaned up dramatically. Both our boys really loved the help they got from therapy, though, as it's frustrating for a 2 or 3 yo to not be understood. I'd go to the evaluation looking for things to do at home for now, and worry about speech in another 6-12 months if it's still not happening. In the meantime, sign language will help cut down on frustration for everyone. BTW, "Grrr" counts as a word, so you can count that he has 3 words. :) GL!

That's great that he's pointing at pictures and is able to follow 1-step directions. The whole speech development guidelines are really just guidelines. Some kids are earlier talkers and others, especially boys, end up talking later. If he is looking at a person that is talking to him most of the time, turns his head to look at something that is being pointed out to him, and holds up things to show you (like a toy) from across the room, then I really would be too concerned about autism.

I'm not really sure that your child has a delay but it's always good to have him checked out by a speech therapist. Sometimes children have trouble with issues involving oral motor planning, hearing, or recurrent ear infections during the first 12 months, that may cause some speech delays. And sometimes too, what I see a lot, is mom's tend to talk for their children a lot of the time and never give their children to answer their questions or tell mom what they want. An example of this would be a Mom asking her son if he wants more juice and before the boy has a chance to say "juice" or "yes," the mom is immediately telling him that he wants more juice and rushing off to get the juice for him. If this sounds familiar, just stand back and give him a chance to try to talk and, if it seems like he is struggling with him, give him the word that he can say and then wait for a bit and encourgage him to try to say it or make a sound that is like the word that you had just said.

In any event, it sounds like you son has some strong communication skills in place already but not necessarily the ones that you would like to see at this time. If he truly does have a communication delay, it'll be good to have it checked out earlier because early intervention really is important. And, if the speech therapist determines that you have nothing to worry about, then at least a cloud has been lifted from over your head.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you and your son.

Hi M., I know how frustrating this can be. My youngest is a speech delayed child. At 18 months the ped referred us to the Early Intervention Program where he was evaluated. They had us get a hearing screening and someone came to our house to complete an overall evaluation. Based on this evaluation he was referred for speech and occupational therapies. He has now been receiving speech therapy for over 2 1/2 years. He has been making improvements but we still have a ways to go.

I did not have a chance to read all of your responses but I wanted to share my thoughts with you. If you are concerned, which it sounds like you are, then you have definitely done the right thing by getting his speech evaluated. I am a pediatric speech therapist and am always impressed by the parents and doctors who refer their children when they are young. All evaluations and therapy for children his age will be done in a play based scenario; for many parents it does not even look like therapy. It is meant to be fun and beneficial at the same time. You will get ideas and suggestions of things to do at home. Waiting is always the hardest part, but I would just continue all the wonderful things you are doing and wait to ask the speech therapist all of your great questions. Good luck!