How Do I Know If My 22 Month Old Has a Speech Delay?

Here's some info that might help

http://www.babycenter.com/0_speech-problems_64153.bc

2 of my 4 children had speech delays- EI was wonderful

Like the previous moms mentioned, by 2, she should have a mininum of 50 words and start putting 2 words together. She should also be pointing, showing you things she is interested in, and interested in things you show her. Her friends may be advanced so its best to ask your pediatrician and read up on the milestones. It took a whole month to get a team out and then another month to start services for my son. Services vary by state but know they start your child off conservatively, like 1 time a week. If you ask though, they will increase your services. I am glad you are getting a hearing test because we didn't get one for my son until EI suggested it and they found really bad wax impactions. 3 ear infections is really not a lot in almost 2 years but there may be other factors like fluid or wax. Good luck!

If she does have a speech delay it sounds like you are doing what you need to do to get it fixed.

The folks at EI will explain this to you in much more detail, but essentially they will be looking at a "percent delay"... so if she's 22 months old and her language skills are more typical of a 15-18 month old child, she has a 32% delay in her skills. Just an example, but the assessments are developmental in nature and they will ask you a series of questions to help determine your child's needs.

EI services (and preschool services) tend to be very liberal in approving therapies b/c if they can remediate delays before starting school, your child is much less likely to need support once entering Kindergarten.

Martha is right! Do what you can through your insurance company b/c EI and IDEA is about achieving benchmark standards, not about making it happen faster!

They do work on a percentage as mentioned and they also base it on receptive language too. So if your daughter can understand what she is being told to do or directed towards she will score higher and therefore it will affect your overall percentage, making it more difficult to receive the services. I own a preschool and we have kids from 19months to almost 2 in our 2 yr old class and it runs the whole spectrum on speech. If she is talking at all she isn't as likely to get services. The last child I sent to EI was 26 months and making unintelligible sounds and not really very receptive and that child got services.
The ENT should be able to tell you about the hearing. My daughter spoke later than my son...about 9 months old she said baba, dada. Then mama and nothing more for a while. She had so many ear infections I couldn't count them, we took her to the ENT, she had lower level hearing loss. We did the tubes and she literally started speaking tons within a week. Now they have a machine that looks almost like a ear thermometer and they can tell by the waves on it how her hearing has been affected. It's as easy and 1-2-3
I hope it gets resolved.

You have done what you need to at this point. By age two, she should have between 50 and 100 words and be putting two together into a simple sentance. Her speech will not be without errors and subtitutions, as these are not yet issues.

An ENT is a good move, if there is fluid in her ears, get the tubes if the ENT suggests them. Stick your fingers in your ears and try to listen...little ones need to hear well to develop speech and lagnague skills. Don't wait, that is my advice based on having a child with whom we waited, and one when we did not wait...hearing is essential to lagnague development.

If you think that she has a delay, and the ENT and ECI confirm this, take her to a private speech therapist as well and get as much therapy as you can afford. ECI is not ever going to be everything she needs and is only designed to make her functional in her enviornment such that she will be functional when she gets to school. It is funded througth IDEA, and is administered through the states...all the state budget cuts will be influencing how the ECI therapists interpret "need" though it shouldn't, it will, and fewer and fewer children will qualify for services. So, if ECI says she is fine, and the ENT says there is a hearing issue...get the private evaluation which is almost always covered by insurance. Find out for sure and get her as much early intervention as you can. It pays off in huge rewards, and you will never have a chance to help her as much as you can right now. Spend money if you have to, it is worth every penny.

M.

hat ha sthe pediatrician said?
I took mine in three times for speech evals because my older daughter said M. at 7-8 months and made her first sentence before one. SO when the next one came around I thought she would too. HA ~ She screeched at me for 2 1/2 years, bloodcurdling EEEEEEE.
Then at about 30-32 months she started talking. She said M. for the first time at 28 months ish.
She is now 13 and has not had any speech difficulties since then.

I would have her checked out, cover all your bases, if they come back OK then just wait a bit and she will catch up.

Hi Kate---All kids are different and talk more or less than their peers. Our youngest, our third, didn't talk much. Mostly it was a matter of not being able to because everyone else in the family was talking so much. He does have a bit of a stutter, not much, but we've realized it is because his brain is working a lot faster than what his mouth can. So, even at 20, he really doesn't talk as much as some of his peer.

I am sure her ear infections may have a small part, but I'd be that she may be just a woman of fewer words. She could be just soaking in her experiences when around other kids. At 22 months she's awfully young yet. Just keep an eye on her. If she seems able to express herself without frustration, I'd bet she's ok. So don't stress too much. You don't want her to pick up on your fears about this. They are very intuitive but not able to determine why you are worried about her. Don't make her worry too.

Good luck. D.

I'm no expert but I do have a son with autism so I picked up a little knowledge along the way. I think at this point, I'd really be concerned if her non-verbal communication skills have not yet started developing. These are skills such as point at an object to show it to you, shaking or nodding your head in response to a yes/no questions, holding up an object and showing it to you in response to a "Show me the teddy bear" type of question. These skills are pre-linguistic skills and all begin before your child develops actual communication.

Repeat ear infections can cause speech delays so it is good that you are having her checked out by and ENT and early intervention. I do want to say though that all children begin talking at various times. It's good that you are having her checked out -- you are a very proactive mama! -- but there's a good chance that she's going to be okay.

Hope this helps. Blessings to you and your daughter.

I had an evaluation done by ECI and was told that he would need to have at least a 33% delay to qualify. Another option is to have her evaluated by a speech therapist that works through your hospital, you'll be able to bring her to some speech therapy sessions if needed.

Sounds like you are doing everything right and here's a thought...maybe she's absolutely fine! My daughter just turned 2 and for a while I was hoping she'd talk more too. Technically she knew enough words but she seemed to not talk as much some other kids her age. And then right around 22 months she really started copying a bunch of words that we were saying and she surprised me with a bunch of other words. Now she's talking up a storm. Good luck.

you are going the right way doing the right things and they will answer your question. if you suspect it she probably has one but like you said the infection is probably the reason for it. Relax I have been through this twice my youngest being the worst. Don't panic till you talk to the ent

Hi Kate
I My daughter is 27 months old. She is speaking now in full sentences however she was also a very early talker and she was VERY clear. Her friend (a boy) who is 25 months old, does not talk very well. he will say Buh Bye and mamma, dadda. His voice is really deep so it sounds 'filtered' and hard to understand. They are having a therapist come and evaluate the child but he seems to be doing ALOT better since he came to a room where older kids were.
My nephew ended up having to get eartubes at 3 years old because he wasnt even talking....something was up with him. I say go with your gut. It never hurts. I think by now your LO should be able to say mommy and daddy, dog, bah bah, and simple words and then point to things. Its hard NOT to comapare your child to what other kids are doing.
Something that could help...sing the ABC's to your child. can she sing them back? Mine was not able to get the words (or letters) correct but she got the tune...so I knew she was OK.
And only 3 ear infections will not delay in speech for your child. My daughter had 10 ear infections within 7 months. she had ear tubes...they both fell out and since then she has had 6 more ear infections since THanksgiving. she is having her second surgury next week and that has not hurt her hearing. ..but it never hurts to check..when it comes to your kids...better to be OVER protective than just saying 'oh whatever it will pass" Koodos to your for raising your hand.