Toddler speech delay

[Alezia]

I do believe that children find ways to express themselves differently whether it be art, physically with sports etc..., communication (theatrics, writing etc..), logic (math etc..). Some will be better in some aspects than others, but I find it fairly important for a child to be well-rounded as well. He will obviously have strengths and weaknesses, but I found it helped me get ahead in life by being at least average or up at every subject in school/life. I am just wishing the same for my son, but I don't know if I simply lucked out or if it's a fair wish?

[EQD]

i just responded to what i thought you meant about speech delay.

 

most is controlled in the temporal lobe region..

[Alezia]

Yeah, well I'm not sure if he does have a full-out speech delay or is just more of a late bloomer. I'm hoping to bring up the topic with my cousin at Christmas. I don't see her very often, but she has a masters in that stuff and works in that area too. Had forgotten about it.

[rocio]

This doesn't sound like speech delay at all! I have a friend with a kid who is almost 4 and having trouble saying complete words. Apparently Einstein didn't talk until he was 3.

 

L isn't even 2 yet. Completely normal.

[Alezia]

Well that's reassuring. Maybe I'm too paranoid.

 

I've been talking to forgiveand4get who was here on ENotAlone before. Her daughter and my son share the same bday. She says her daughter talks a lot and to quote her "won't sh*t up".

She had said she wasn't reading many books with her or practicing her language.

 

He's picking up words faster and faster as it goes. My worries are dying down to say the least. He's not a great conservationist, nor does he string words together... but I think he's just a bit of a late bloomer speech wise compared to other kids his age. I guess that's why you shouldn't compare... *eugh*.

[sophie274]

Well that's reassuring. Maybe I'm too paranoid.

 

I've been talking to forgiveand4get who was here on ENotAlone before. Her daughter and my son share the same bday. She says her daughter talks a lot and to quote her "won't sh*t up".

She had said she wasn't reading many books with her or practicing her language.

 

He's picking up words faster and faster as it goes. My worries are dying down to say the least. He's not a great conservationist, nor does he string words together... but I think he's just a bit of a late bloomer speech wise compared to other kids his age. I guess that's why you shouldn't compare... *eugh*.

 

Mousty, I've been babysitting for the same family for a few years now, started when the youngest was about 16 months I think. The first I remember being able to understand her very well was when she was well past the 2 year mark, 2.5-3. Before two she would 'speak', but it was hard for anyone, including her mother, to understand what she said.

 

As someone else mentioned, bilingual children do develop language slower at first. One thing I would suggest is either only speaking French at home, or you always speaking one language and your husband always speaking the other. Associating one parent with one language makes it a lot easier for a child to keep the languages separate. Obviously for you it will be a lot less trouble to just speak French at home - this is assuming he'll eventually go to school/daycare where he will learn English.

 

I was brought up bilingual French/English, and my mother always spoke English to me and my father always French. (Mother was stay at home so I obviously spoke more English at first!) School was in French. They did such a good job I only realized my father spoke English when I was about 5/6 years old - somehow I never connected that with the fact that he could understand my mother when she spoke English, just because he'd never spoken it in front of me. I knew my mother spoke French because we would go to school/shops/etc together.

[Alezia]

New/Improved words

 

- Gruau (oatmeal)

- Pain (Bread)

- Ca as in Camion (Truck)

- Balle

-

 

He's been starting to string words a bit more (very occasionally still) and is more willing to repeat words. He wants to keep learning which is good even though he doesn't talk a lot.

I've seen some youtube videos of little children this ages singing songs and saying all their abc's up to z. Scary.

[thejigsup]

My son didn't do much talking until he was about 28 months. But he read at 22 months (and I do mean books, like Dr. Seuss!) My pediatrician told me that very intelligent kids often have speech delays because their minds are somewhere else. They understand very well, their minds are just too busy to really care about communication. When he did start talking, there was no stopping him. He's very bright, he made Dean's List last semester at school without too much effort. He's a Business/Economics major, so he is not exactly taking all easy classes, either. Your son will be fine.

[Alezia]

Wooohhoo, my son finally says yes!

I know it sounds ridiculous - but he used to just stand there and say nothing for it to mean yes. If he didn't say no it would mean yes lol.

[BellaDonna]

I recently had similar concerns about my own son. In fact, he said far less than your son. I took him for an assessment with a speech and language pathologist a couple of months ago. She said that his comprehension was right on target but his speech production was behind and stated that he might have "apraxia" She recommended using the book "It Takes Two To Talk" from the Hanen Center.

 

I love that book. It really helped me encourage my son to talk. I would highly recommend it.

 

He also got the program "Your Baby Can Read" as a gift and I was highly skeptical. I swear that thing works miracles. He went from saying almost nothing to speaking sentences, counting to 10 (forward and backwards), knowing all of his shapes and colors, and and reading written words in a matter of 2 months.

 

He is ahead now at 28 months, and I no longer take him to speech therapy. He HATED it anyways. He'd hide in my hair, cry, and try to hit the woman.

 

He was one of those kids that held back and took it all in, until he felt he was ready and then he just had a language explosion and went straight to sentences. He is so happy and proud that he is talking. He barely tantrums since he figured it out.

[Alezia]

I ordered the book from the library as well as the volumes of DVDs.

 

I'm sure most of the things like colors and counting would be mostly memorization at this point (under 2 years) rather than grasping concepts but if he can throw them back up, I'll be happy with that. He is really starting to improve. I've read that although most kids do learn language and speak clearly at 18 months, they really start off and improve right under 24 months. That's where he is at, and I feel it. He's catching up!!

 

He was counting stairs at 12 months... one two three were one of his few words, but I don't know if he actually "got" it. I'm thinking it was probably mostly rather routine cause he still counts them today!

[BellaDonna]

It sounds like your little one is doing very well. My son wasn't even saying half of what yours is at his age.

[Alezia]

I'm probably worrying a lot for nothing.

Lots of my family keep making comments about how slow he is and how his other cousins talk a lot more and put pressure on me to get him talking more.

 

I admit he is not as skilled in the language department as with his physical skills (he's a future football player just with his build and skills, I can tell and I hate football).

At least he's getting there and continuously improving though!

[metrogirl]

As long as he is making progress, I don't think you need to worry. Some kids are just not as eager to do things or speak as quickly as we might like or as other parents think they should.

[Alezia]

He seems to love the Your Baby Can Read Program... the only problem is that you can't switch the language!! I've put the program on mute and I do my own voice over with french words... he won't get to read the english words but at this point the "reading" is not my primary concern. He is taking interest in kid songs which he wasn't at all before. He always loved music, just not kid songs.

[BellaDonna]

I could see how that would be a barrier. They really should make it in other languages.

 

There is definitely something about that program that really peaks their interest though. My son loves the songs too. He is a totally different child after that program. He will not stop speaking now. lol