21 month old and not speaking

itsasecret

sorry that should read 21 month old ...

Hi, My little girl (second child) has no real interest in talking. She understands a lot. I talked to the health nurse but she said she will push back the speech assessment till she is two. I'm starting to worry. She has just started to say mammy, daddy, my sons name and banana, but other then that she just has no real interest in talking. My son would talk a lot and i fear he is doing all the talking for her. Any one got any hints to help get her talking

spurious

I'd say leave her be. My sister had a similar worry about her second child, complicated by the fact that they were a bilingual household, which can delay children speaking. The little one got going in the end though, once she wanted to speak for herself.

If there's no physical or mental impairment that might be delaying things, I'd leave her be.

Think - the Indian in 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest' - when she needs/wants to speak, she will.

Moonbeam

I would push to get her assessed the earlier intervention happens the better and if she does not need it then at least you have been reassured.
My 2nd was alot slower to talk then my 1st as well but quicker to walk!!

itsasecret

Yea I'm really confused as to why the health nurse said push back the assessment, then I was thinking maybe its just to give her more time.

NBO

I'd put her name down for assessment by speech and language therapy. There are waiting lists both for assessment and therapy. If she's fine by the time her appointment for assessment comes around you can cancel the appointment. You can self refer to speech and language therapy by contacting the speech and language therapy department and giving your details over the phone.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Yes get on the list and cancel your appointment if you don't need it.
However try not to worry, this is very common among second children. I know plenty of children who started talking after they were two and they are just fine.
Maybe try and talk to the older sibling about not answering for the toddler too.

itsasecret

hi, thanks everyone. I'm just a little confused, i know you said i can ring direct but who do i ring? i googled speech and language therapy department but its all hospital based..is that right

Mr. Muddle

Speech and Language is often in the same clinic that your public health nurse works out of, phone your local clinic and ask for the S & L unit they will direct you to the correct number for your area.

21 months is still very young so there probably is no reason to worry but as others said it really is worth getting onto the waiting lists just in case, also worth getting hearing checked I know of loads of kids who had a speech delay that eventually found out the problem was hearing and a very simple procedure fixed the problem (grommets).

I know of one child that the parents were convinced that the child had a learning disability but once the child got grommets he started to catch up with other kids his age.

Good luck

itsasecret

i don't think its hearing.. cause you can say to her.. go get your shoes and put them on and off she will go, get them and put them on.. so she understands..

Mr. Muddle

itsasecret wrote: »

i don't think its hearing.. cause you can say to her.. go get your shoes and put them on and off she will go, get them and put them on.. so she understands..

It may not be but always worth checking, my friends daughter's hearing problem was only found out when she was in senior infants, when she saw the specialist they found she had only 30% hearing they couldn't believe how well she got on in life with such little hearing. She never had her developmental with the PHN at 18-24 months, she was never called for one and her Mam didn't know she should have been, maybe her hearing problem would have been picked up then. She is 8 now and doing brilliantly.

Sometimes kids can only hear things in certain ranges so worth checking anyway.

aknitter

My 2 year old is in the same boat, only not saying half as much! I went to the PHN when he was 18 months and was to get an appointment - the incompetent woman never did it, I rang the clinic and they told me I could self refer which I did when he was 20 months and he is now 25 months and I won't have an appointment until july for an assessment. Google speech and language therapy and your area and it should come up (that how I found mine). I'm in Cork city I can give you the number if its applicable.

Someone I know told me to keep calling and pushing for an appointment as those who shout the loudest get seen fastest. I was also recommended to go private (€100 for an assessment), which I did and they think he has language delay. But recommended I wait for the public system as he'll be dealt with more holistically - whatever that means. To be honest, €100 is small money to put my mind at rest that there is nothing else going on.

itsasecret

Thanks so much, I spoke to the health nurse again and she said she will refer her for waiting list but it could be up to a year. but I thinking will ring up myself and make sure she is on the list .

augusta24

Just wondering how you're little one is getting on now?

wmpdd3

Me two, my son is the same age and hasn't really any words.

I think hearing may be an issue as he will answer to any name I say.

He doesn't understand a much add my daughter did at the same age.

I know of other kids that didn't speak till 2 but they understood more.

uck51js9zml2yt

If your in Dublin get your phn to give you a referral to Fiona McHugh in Mount Carmel for a hearing test. It costs about 60 Euro.
We went to her and it showed up a problem which in my sons case required surgery.

Gatling

My 18 month old is the same baby nurse reckoned its nothing to worry about yet ,
She understands a hell of a lot of words just can't say the words ,
Our eldest who's 4 needed a solid year of speech therapy to correct her speech ,
Luckily enough our eldest's school had a speech therapist so we weren't waiting to be seen and assesed and threated

augusta24

Gatling wrote: »

My 18 month old is the same baby nurse reckoned its nothing to worry about yet ,
She understands a hell of a lot of words just can't say the words ,
Our eldest who's 4 needed a solid year of speech therapy to correct her speech ,
Luckily enough our eldest's school had a speech therapist so we weren't waiting to be seen and assesed and threated

I would keep pushing for a speech therapy referral because once you're on the list you still have to wait ages (2 years is pretty typical around here) to actually get therapy. If your eldest has slt history then that's a big risk factor for your youngest especially if they are already showing evidence of a bit of a delay. Not something to panic or worry over or anything but the waiting can be so long you need to get into the system as early as possible.

aknitter

I made the mistake of thinking I needed a referral from someone in the medical field eg GP or PHN for speech therapy, I didn't. I rang the speech therapy place to make sure they got my 'referral' from the PHN (she never sent it in) and they told me I could self refer which I did. The person I spoke to was so nice and told me to put my concerns in a letter and it went from there. I put wrote the letter in early feb 2013 and he's had 3 assessments with them and he's to start therapy tomorrow, but its only a stop gap as he's being referred on to early intervention for Autism Assessment - that waiting list is 6-8 months so we won't be seen until mid next year at the earliest.

My boy was 21 months old last feb but he had no words. So my advise is to go about it now, better to be considered a worry wart.

Scarlet42

I was told that sitting down and reading with your child is great for them especially for their talking .. A friend of mine has a wee girl who was 3 or 4 and had problems with her speech .. they went to a specialist who told them to cut down on the TV .. they did that and it made a difference straight away.

I'm not implying that you don't do any of these things .. but its just an idea!

itsasecret

We had a meeting with our health nurse just after she turned two (after I rang 3 times begging for an appointment) and she conformed there was indeed a speech delay.. I was very upset and rushed to doc for hearing test (she was fine) and booked in to have a speech assesment. The lady came and two hours later (and €250 poorer) she said she had all her sounds and should be fine. Pretty much the next day my girl started repeating what I was saying.. It was amazing, (I don't think it had any thing to do with the assesment but just my daughter deciding to try) We also put her into three afternoons of playschool.


She is still behind but I think she will catch up .. Really has opened my eyes to how bad services are if u have a problem.. 2 year waiting list is shocking!

Any way to anyone else worried, if you can get them assessed, its a load of money but I sleep better...

Suucee

I've been a little concerned about my 18 month old lately. She also doesn't have many words. Mama (which she rarely says) Daddy (which is not very clear) Nana and also Noonoo (this is what all the grand kids call her granddad) (neither very clear).
She understands a lot and babbles a lot. But gets very frustrated when she wants something and just shouts and goes MMMMMM .
I was thinking maybe it was a little early to be getting worried but after reading this I decided to give my PHN a call (as per usual no answer so left a VM and will have to try again tomorrow)
She has had a few ear infections but her hearing seems perfect so no idea if this is the issue or if there even is an issue or if im just worrying unnecessarily .

augusta24

Suucee wrote: »

I've been a little concerned about my 18 month old lately. She also doesn't have many words. Mama (which she rarely says) Daddy (which is not very clear) Nana and also Noonoo (this is what all the grand kids call her granddad) (neither very clear).
She understands a lot and babbles a lot. But gets very frustrated when she wants something and just shouts and goes MMMMMM .
I was thinking maybe it was a little early to be getting worried but after reading this I decided to give my PHN a call (as per usual no answer so left a VM and will have to try again tomorrow)
She has had a few ear infections but her hearing seems perfect so no idea if this is the issue or if there even is an issue or if im just worrying unnecessarily .

I wouldn't worry too much because she does have a few words. Def get onto PHN but you should also call local SLT dept yourself and refer in. No harm if they see her and turn around and say she's fine.
In the meantime I would keep an eye on her hearing and note all ear infections. As another person said earlier try limiting the time she's watching tv and maybe increasing time spent playing with her and reading books with her and just monitor her words over the next few months.
I don't think there's a need to worry too much though, you're doing the right things.

Suucee

Yea we read to her every night and sometimes during the day. Im currently 22 weeks preg and suffering bad pelvic pain so she is watching more tv lately than she normally does.
But will deffinetly try reduce that more. She loves books and has a favorite picture book where she points to the picture while i tell her what it is .
Funny thing is she said mama at 5 months but hasnt said it in ages so i think i kind of thought by now she would be saying alot more.

augusta24

Suucee wrote: »

Yea we read to her every night and sometimes during the day. Im currently 22 weeks preg and suffering bad pelvic pain so she is watching more tv lately than she normally does.
But will deffinetly try reduce that more. She loves books and has a favorite picture book where she points to the picture while i tell her what it is .
Funny thing is she said mama at 5 months but hasnt said it in ages so i think i kind of thought by now she would be saying alot more.

Aw I really wouldn't worry too much. It sounds like you are doing the right things and she is still so little. Even if she saw a speech therapist at this age they'd probably just tell you to keep doing what you're doing and wait a few months anyway. Get her name in the system so you get called up whenever that is but don't worry too much other than that. She doesn't sound that delayed to me anyways and all children are so different. Take care of yourself while you're pregnant too, def no need for any extra worry.

uck51js9zml2yt

I had my son with the public speech therapist yesterday and she was happy with were he is. She's keeping his file open and I've to call her in 6 months to arrange another appraisal.

garion

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anncoates

We have a three year old with specific language impairment that won't be seen by the HSE for another 18 months so we've gone private. If you have any doubts whatsoever, just try and get into the system as quick as possible. With any luck by the time you are assessed, it will have righted itself.

I'd also recommend getting a full hearing test for your child to rule out any auditory issues such as glue ear can affect speech.

Suucee

So after bringing my 19 month old to PHN and GP both think it as an ear issue. So I am now on the ENT waiting list.
After having a good chat with my gp I have decided to get a private ENT consultation as apparently the public waiting list is at least 6 months. My GP is fantastic as also organised a kind of developmental check with a nurse where she went through a questionnaire with me about my daughters milestones etc (waiting to hear back about that as it was only today) It was a more thorough check than the standard PHN check. And they both gave me ideas on things to do to help bring on the words as not use different words for the same thing (juice / Milk just say drink. )
Also the face that high pitch noises seem to bother her was another indicator ( if my 7 month old niece screeches my daughter starts to cry, full on proper crying with tears and all).
This is worrying as i'm expecting and don't want 2 crying babies every time the newborn cries. Hopefully the ENT appointment wont take too long at least It will be a start to getting some answers.