Toddler not talking

specsappeal

just thought i'd put my two pence worth in. My son (now 15) didnt talk at all until 5. i knew from age 12 months something wasn't quite right (mothers intuition etc). turns out he had dyspraxia which can affect people in different ways including verbal dyspraxia. my boy had 2 years of speech therapy from 18 months onwards and not a peep did we get out of him! we had to learn makaton sign language to be able to communicate with him. he then went to a school that specialised in speech problems (it was here at age 5 he was finally diagnosed) and within 3 months he started saying his first words. his co ordination is also affected (he didnt crawl at all but started walking at 9 months! finds fine motor control difficult). maybe you could ask for a dyspraxia test??
ps - my son still has problems with language but he talks non stop!!

PurpleK8

The common link between these children is not how much socialising they're doing etc but the fact that they are boys! haven't seen too much mentioned about girls not speaking, pattern for later in life me thinks!!!;)

jellyhead

Your boy will be one of the oldest in his school year too, which gives him extra time to 'catch up' before starting school. Mine has to start school straight after turning 4 (summer hols birthday) which is why I tend to worry if he is slower at something.

I had a cousin who still couldn't walk when she had her 2 year check. She didn't talk either. She got referred for extra assessments but she caught up eventually and it turned out that there wasn't any real reason for her to be 'behind'. Because she was one of the older children in her year it meant that by the time she started school she didn't seem any different to the others.

It's natural to worry when your child seems different but most children catch up. If a child is dyspraxic, autistic etc. then early help makes a MASSIVE difference. My boy got help before starting nursery, and had one to one help at nursery and for the first few years of primary. It really helped, and I'm glad he was helped early on.

wannabe_sybil

Thank you for all your replies.

Little bear has been referred to a speech therapist though the Health Visitors were happy that he was co-ordinated, that he understood matters, that he could move fine, and that the speech was the only problem. He made eye contact, smiled etc. He loves cuddles and tickles from me and dear heart, he runs, climbs and draws (well, scribbles).

The Health Visitors seemed to think that the session he currently has at playgroup once a week with me present was sufficient but I will see if I can manage to try and get a bit more adventurous about going out, especially now that the cold snap has ended.

Thank you again for all your replies and support.