Language Delay Diagnosis

Please make sure, when he gets older, you have him checked for the possibility of dyslexia. Public schools do not test for this particular learning difference. you can check out brightsolutions.us (website) for more information.

your son qualifies for free help until he's 3 so I would try & get it as soon as possible (hey, free is good right? [insert smiley here])

go to www.google.com
and type: early intervention ____ Fl (I don't know where you live)

HTH

Immediately get a speech pathologist working with him. You may want to do some internet searches reagrding the speech issue. I am disturbed that the Dr. hasn't given you the referrels you need. My daughter spoke well until her 12 month shots. Of 4 children that I raised from an infant she was the brightest and quickest talker, with the best language skills. It took me a year to figure out that the shots had done something to her. She was initially diagnosed with autism, but since I put her on Gluten and dairy free diet, she began to heal. She is now 6 and is excelling at school so much that she is ahead for her age. But believe me she has come a long way. What I relied on...prayer, prayer and more prayer, oh and the diet and speech therapy. Because I had nothing else, no fancy insurance. But even without insurance there are agencies that will help. In Florida there is Early Intervention services and they help all kids under age 5. They are awesome! Feel free to email if you want to talk ____@____.com

Hi L.,

I had the same issues with my now 4 year old. I would look into speech therapy or putting him in daycare if he is not already in daycare. My son was in speech therapy and that helped a lot. I just put him in daycare last August and now he talks up a storm, not perfectly but he is talking.

Just be patient and it will happen.

Good Luck!

S.
Mommy of 3 boys, 12, 4 and 20 months.

What I would do is get some learning flash cards. And everyday for a little while go over the pictures ask them what they are. You can tell him what they are first then have him repeat it after you. Once you've done this for a little while change it up. Ask him to tell you what they are first. You could also get books according to his age and read to him everyday. And ask him questions when you do things together or go places. If he doesn't say it right the first time its okay correct him. (not in a way that sounds like your scolding or degrading him) well hopefully some of these ideas help out.

~V.

Hello there L., Don't be discouraged! I am a new mom to a 15 month girl and a teacher for over 15 years specializing in communication disorders. If you don't mind , I would like to know how you learned your son is delayed and the steps given to you to change that.

I would like for now to suggest that you start talking aloud about anything and everything with your son. This can be done while you are doing chores around the house(let him model you), on your way somewhere in the car, feeding him, walking around and about in the grocery store, parks, play groups, and yes when he follows you into the bathroom! Explain the things that will be seen, what you are doing, what you are going to do, going to go and what will be happening.

If you are not a fulltime mom and he's being cared by someone or a provider service/program , I would strongly consider a change based of his lack of language development. This is ALWAYS a sign of an inadequate language enriched environment. (I cannot emphasis on this enough - even if its a family member that is caring for a child)

Once he hears language (don t use a television for a substitute PLEASE) more often its actually a model for him to follow. It will be weird but I promise 2 weeks of this you 'll see him change.

Good luck! Please keep me updated.

Hi L.... have your doctors run all the tests to rule out any kind of hearing problem and such? My stepson, too, has a language delay, and after many tests we could find nothing else wrong. He was aroung your sons age when diagnosed and today is 8 years old. He's still quite speech impaired, however, has made great improvements. He does receive daily speech therapy, and has since pre-k at 4 years old, but a lot of his improvement just seems to be because of his growing into speaking. Slowly, but surely. A recommendation I would make for you is, don't speak to him using one word to describe something. Talk to him as if he doesn't have the language delay. The challenge we faced as my stepson gets older is that we fell into the ease of one word descriptions and answers, and now my stepson is way behind in grammer. I understand your concerns, frustrations, and fears though. Please feel free to contact me any time you need someone to talk to.

Dear L.,
If I were in your shoes, I would start READING ALOUD to him every day - 7 days a week. And I don't mean just one or two stories, I mean 4 or 5 in the morning, 4 or 5 in the afternoon, and 4 or 5 at night. I would make sure he heard "words" so often, he would just be dying to "mimick" them. Little boys love to "repeat" what they hear. And
we learn through repetition. 15 stories a day ought to do it. Get the "Mr." to help. Get your mother, sister, girlfriend - anybody that knows how to read to help you.