Son nearly 2 and still not talking

missm29

kelz85 wrote: »

I had similar problems with my eldest, who is now 4 and a half. I couldnt understand why he wasnt saying any words and initially thought it was to do with his hearing. It turned out that he was tongue-tied. I only discovered it after my gran made a passing comment about my uncle having tongue-tie when he was little. I had been to the doctors several times, seen the health visitor loads and had even been to a speech therapist and nobody had actually physically checked his mouth or tongue. He had an operation when he was 3 and a half and has had to have speech therapy since then but he is really coming on and talks all the time, although most people can only understand about 60% of what he says.

My second son was tongue tied too, we made the decision for him to have it snipped at a few days old because he struggled to feed and they said he could have speech problems in the future. And at 2.5 he still doesn't speak. I met with a nursery teacher who said they put jam on the childrens faces and get them to lick it off, exercise for the tongue and mouth, she said it helps with their speech, i thought she was quite odd and he never went to that nursery.

Katyag

I wouldnt worry just yet, my eldest son had speech therapy (for all the good it was) hes nearly 7.5 now and can talk the hind legs off anything!

His brother, nearly 21 months, seems to be following the same pattern. He says hiya and bus very clearly but nothing else. He is perfectly able to make himself understood and he understands what we are saying to him or asking him.

All kids develop at their own level and after years of worrying over DS1 Ive finally learned to chill out about it more.

Dustykitten

Hugs OP and whilst I know it is hard don't blame yourself. I'm sure you are a great Mum.

I can remember that DS1 could only say 4 words at age 23 months, he refused to wear a nappy anymore and this fifth word was weewee! He however had walked at 9 months. Like you yourself said all kids are different.

I think deep down mums are really good at knowing if there is something not quite right with their own children. If you think there is a problem then keep pushing until you get the answers you want. Good luck.

love2shopforbargains

Thanks again to everyone for their kind words and help and advice.
I will try to look into his mouth tomorrow and look at his tongue to see if it is tied or not.
The photo album idea is really good thanks.

Thanks again

cte1111

My son is 2.5, and previously I was similarly worried. At 2, like your son, he was not really saying any words, and although previously he had used a few words, he 'lost' them somehow. Everyone came out with the standard advice, or boys learn later, and other similar not very helpful advice. But my instincts said that there was something wrong so I asked my GP to refer him for a speech assessment, which he has just had (8 months later).

The good news is, in the last 6 months, his speech has come on leaps and bounds, and he is now within the expected range for a child of his age. His speech is still unclear, but is getting there.

I think that you should do all you can to push for him to be seen by a speech therapist, but also try and keep faith that he may well just spontaneously develop over the next few months. I found a US forum, which had other parents with similar concerns, and was told by a speech therapist on there that about 50% of children who show speech delay do resolve spontaneously, but for those who don't early treatment is key.

Good luck and fingers crossed for your little one. Please don't criticise yourself about this, you are a good parent because you are on here doing all you can to try and help your son.

cte1111

A technique that I tried with my son, that may have well helped was called the 'reverse pyramid'. It meant, rather than just saying the same word, you would use it in a sentence, then a short phrase, then the word, then just the first phonic, e.g.:
That's our car over there.
Our car
Car
CCCCCCC

Not sure if it helped with my son, but last summer we went on a boating trip, and getting my son to say BBB for boat felt like such a breakthrough, and was achieved using this approach, so helped him to start to join in with the rest of us in talking. I remember him smiling so much when he realised that he had said it 'right'.

love2shopforbargains

Thanks very much

Becles

My middle son hardly said anything until he was about 3. I was getting worried and wondering if he needed speech therapists or something. Then all of a sudden he got up one day and started talking in full sentences. Never did get to the bottom of it.

It's odd as when he was a toddler I was willing him to speak, and now he's a right chatterbox and sometimes I have to tell him to shut up. Like yesterday when he suddenly decided to ask me questions on puberty in a crowded shop

davidlizard

Albert Einstein by all accounts was unable/unwilling to talk until he was 4 so lack of speech is not always a bad sign.

There is something called "Einstein Syndrome" (recommend type into Google) which applies to children who are late in talking - and these children are consequently usually very bright. There have been a number of physicists and musicians who were also late talkers.

I know about this as we had someone at work whose son (its usually only boys that have this) was thought to have this and was a very late developer. He is now 13, already has a load of GCSEs and will attempting A level maths next summer (and don't we all know it!!), and plays a whole load of musical instruments.

Of course you are right to be concerned and nothing on here can replace proper professional advice, but just saying that there are not always negative outcomes.

GunnerGirl

I'm afraid I can't be any help, but I hope this makes you smile a little.

I didn't start talking as was expected and my Mum was worried enough to take me to the doctor. I was referred to a speech therapist, but after several sessions she told my Mum that she wasn't able to help because I wouldn't talk to her! We stopped going. :rotfl:

I started talking at 3, when my sister started school and wasn't around. We're not sure if I didn't speak because she spoke for me, or she spoke for me because I wouldn't speak. 30 odd years on not much has changed. I get the odd word in if she leaves the room!

Good luck and try not to worry too much. I'm sure it will work out and your little one will be fine. And please don't worry about your parents' attitude - you sound like a fantastic Mum to me! It's really no one else's business anyway.