Discovery Home & Health

hi i dont know if any can offer some advice, my son will be 2 at the end of may and im concerned about his talking, basically he can say some words probably 10-15 he says them perfectly clear and learns a new one every so often, but he doesnt talk very much and isnt learning words or speaking like ive read he should be, hes my first and only child so im oblivious to whats "normal" ive tried reading ,saying words to him etc and he gets really angry when we try to teach him new words, i phoned the health visitor a couple of months back and the lady said that hes too young for me to be worrying about it yet but that they would put his 18-24 month review forward to the beginning of may, i havent had the appoitment through and have constantly been trying to phoen the health visitor for days to talk about the review appoitment and his peech concerns and i cant get through to anyone the line just keeps ringing and its driving me crazy.

so i would like to know the general view on weather i should be concerned about his speech or not?

and what can i do about contacting the health visitor when theres no answer?

thanks in advance
xxx

Hi, my daughter at the age of 2 couldn't say many words compared to my niece who's about the same age and I was worried too. She started going to nursey at the age of 2, just a couple of mornings a week and since then she has improved loads with her speaking, infact she never shuts up. She'll be 3 in June and I would say she's now at the same level as my niece. I really wouldn't worry too much at the moment, 2 is still quite young and every child is so different.
Sarah

thankyou for replying sarah, i just worry so much about things like this , would you say that it was being around other children that helped your daughters speech or just a coincidence that she started to talk more after starting nursery? im thinking of taking him to a parent a tots group a day a week to get him used to other children and my parents keep banging on at me that he'll magically start talking if hes with other children, i personally don think it will be quite like that but i was thinking it may give his speech a nudge in the right direction.

hi i am going through the same thing my son will be 2 this monday and compared to his older brother is nowere near as talkative as he was.
i brought it up with my health viz a few months ago and she said to leave it until he was 2(he has already had his 18-24mths cheak)and if he still wasnt talking she would put him forward for speak therapy,i thought he was maybe a little to young for that but she said it is a very long waiting list and would take a while to get an appointment so better to get his name on the list asap.ciaran should be getting recalled for the 18-24mth check after monday to check on his speach.he does say a few thing but it is still very babyish but i am told this is normal as he understands everything we say to him,[]

kellyxx

I think it definately helps beind around other children, Ella my daughter has never said butterfly, she always called them bees! but then on saturday my 3 year old niece came round and said it and Ella coppied off her, now she says it no problem. Being around other children also helped with Ella's confidence, she was always really quiet and I couldn't leave her with anyone, sometimes not even her dad, but now she's so confident and never stops talking! I should take him to a mother and toddler group and see how it goes.
Sarah

yes sas i do agree ciaran goes to playgroup 3 times per week so is around a lot of children,it has helped in a way but i do still have concerns with his speech,[]

Does your son understand the things you say to him? Can he follow simple commands (ie, bring me the cup, put the toy on the table, would you like more, where is the thing)

Does he get his needs met without the need for speech, ie you reading him really well

Does he get angry and frustrated or is he a contented little boy with no need to speak too much?

At 2 |I wouldn't worry too much but it is something you should keep an eye on, keep doing the encouraging things with him (the reading, talking to him lots) And if he isn't understanding commands then I would push the HV to look a little deeper an give you advice in the best way to move forward for him

yes ciaran understands everything we say to him,i have started to ask what he wants rather than to just get it as i use to[:I](it was easier),but this week he has started to say alot more...
more-for another drink,
bob-for his bob the builder toy,
bubbles-at bath time...i'm not too worried at the moment,it just throw's you when your 1st child was so talkative...

quote:

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Originally posted by Ashlyl
[br]Does your son understand the things you say to him? Can he follow simple commands (ie, bring me the cup, put the toy on the table, would you like more, where is the thing)

Does he get his needs met without the need for speech, ie you reading him really well

Does he get angry and frustrated or is he a contented little boy with no need to speak too much?

At 2 |I wouldn't worry too much but it is something you should keep an eye on, keep doing the encouraging things with him (the reading, talking to him lots) And if he isn't understanding commands then I would push the HV to look a little deeper an give you advice in the best way to move forward for him

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my son deffintly understand things we say to him and he knows what words mean (eg the other day my partner came back from work and my little boy gave him a kiss then said kisses) he randomly says new words like that out of the blue and then doesnt use them again much.

he can get what he wants without talking we are really connected and he can express what he wants with no effort without talking, so i still do things like getting him milk but i say what im doing while im doing it.

he does get angry sometimes overall hes an amazingly happy and funny child but he gets a bit of a temper if you dont meet his demands as quickly as he wants and if we try and teach him a word he gets annoyed.

i dont think theres anything "wrong" as such with him hes got a great personality, physically is quite advanced with what he can do , hes got a brilliant memory and co-ordination etc the one area he seems to be lacking a little bit is his speech and its just strange to me because he can talk when he learns a new word he says it almost perfect first time but its almost like he chooses not to speak.

will try the HV again today thanks everyone for the advice youve all been very helpfull

xxx

HI MY NEPHEW IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING, UNDERSTANDS YOU COMPLETELY, KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS BUT CAN TELL YOU, HIS 2 1/2, THE HEALTH VISITOR HAS REFERED HIM TO SPEECH THEOPY. MY SISTER IS ALSO HAVING HIS EARS AND ANNOIDS CHECKED, THIS TO COULD BE A SIGN OF LATE SPEECH.
GOOD LUCK, IM SURE EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

hope your nephew goes on ok with his speach therapy,hopefully my son will be recalled to see our hv as he has now turned 2,he now says a few more bits but isnt putting 2 words 2getha,[|)]