Speech Therapy for 15 Month Old?!?

My 16 month old daughter is in speech therapy and has been since she was 8 months old because of some non verbal and verbal disabilities that she has due to a genetic condition.
My experience is that it is a wonderful learning opportunity for the whole family and a really positive way to reinforce good habits and strong self esteem for your child.
As a result of the therapy she received and the exercises that we do with her, she is now a speech role model for other students and full of confidence. Since she is able to clearly communicate her intentions to us and others around her, she no longer gets frustrated, she does not have tantrums and she does not act out.
It is NOT a failure on your part that your son is not talking. There are a number of anatomical, genetic and environmental factors that contribute to speech development, so don’t be offended or feel guilty.
In my opinion, the ability to communicate ties into so many other facets of learning, that it can only benefit you and your whole family to work with a qualified specialist.

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Does your state have First Steps? They will come out and give your child an evaluation and determine if any needs are there. They provide the service until age 3 and the cost is based on your income. We had this for our daughter and it was free. We then had speech therapy at school in the Early Childhood program.

k

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You should involve your child in therapy as soon as possible to assure the child is on target. The speech problem may be indicative of hearing loss, a cognitive delay, or some other issue. I suggest calling First Steps. They do in-home therapy services for children under 3. Call 211 First Call for Help to find the number. If First Steps does not cover your area, 211 can help you find a service that can help you. The school system will not address the issue until the child is 3.

The problem with waiting is that the child can develop behavior problems because the child cannot effectively communicate to daycare providers or other adults. The child will become frustrated and try to cope on their own. That may occur as acting out in tantrums or becoming very quiet and non-social.

I involved my child in services very early because of a speech delay and found out he has a cognitive delay, which is the cause of the problem. He needs to be approached in different ways to learn english and take direction... other than speaking.

Also, even if your child doesn't have any other delays, it's best to get your child caught up quickly to be on target with pre-school and kindergarden curriculum.

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Call your local First Steps program, they come to your home or appropriate meetin place and it is a free service.
Your child has to be under the age of three (he is)
Your pediatricians office should have contact info, just call and ask the front desk and if not then call the local health department or social service agency.
First steps is a wonderful program and they will do an eval on your son to determine what he needs or does not need.

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A friend of mine is the Lead Speech Therapist at ABC Pediatrics in West Chester, Ohio. You can look at their website: http://www.abcpediatrictherapy.com/ or call ###-###-####. I know it's not close to you, but you could ask questions or find someone in your area to answer the questions you have. By the way, my son's name is Luke, too.
Great name!

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I would start speech therapy and have an evaluation done...it can't hurt (unless you have no or poor insurance). If the Speech Therapist does not think that your child needs it, she/he will give you activities to encourage speech dev. and discharge you. That would give you peace of mind to know that you have the recommendation of a professional. Best wishes to you and keep reading-you are doing a great job. A.

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In Indiana, a child in need of speech therapy at that age is covered under First Steps. First Steps will come out and do an eval to see if he qualifies. IF he does, it is free or greatly reduced, if he doesn't qualify, he doesn't need services. iT can't hurt for him to be evaluated, and then you will have peace of mind later, wondering if you made a mistake not getting it for him.
R.

Well, it can't hurt, but personally, I think it's early to expect a 15mo old to be speaking. Not to say that 15mo olds can't have speech skills at this age, but all children progress at different rates, and I think it's early to assume he's behind in speech. None of mine talked prior to 2yrs, and from 2 thru 2 1/2 they developed quickly, and were up to par by 3. My ped also recommended speach for some of my children, and I chose to wait. When she saw them again, she commented on how well they were doing and that speech therapy was a good course of action - and I told her that I hadn't signed them up yet.
I would recommend working with your son. Pronounce each word and stress beginning and ending sounds. Also, nursury rhymes are very helpful. Lots of people think they are just songs, but they are actually useful tools for speech developement, assuming that you are pronouncing each word.
Good luck. :)

Every child is unique and develops at their own pace. No one child should be measured to another. I would hold off doing therapy and let nature take its course. The child's best teacher is his/her parents and grandparents anyway. Luke will learn before you know it and it will all seem like it was a laugh to even think he needed therapy.

My doctor thought that might be a good idea when I took my son back then too. I also though the same thing. My son is now 20months old and still not talking so maybe he called it right. Speech therapy wouldn't hurt, especially if you can get it low cost thru 1st steps. Thats what were doing. My son should be saying 15-20words and all he says is Dad. I kept doubting the doctors on my 1st son, saying that it will come at his own pace. He is now 5 and doesn't speak... so sometimes its best to listen to the doctors or at least consider their thoughts

I think speech therapy is too son. My son didn't say more than 3 words until after his 2nd birthday. he is 3 now and says more things than I ever imagined. My daughter just turned 1 and she doesn't say any words yet either. She has been walking since she was 10 months and is ahead in the development of just about every other category. As long as your son is babbling, can understand simple commands and appears to be able to hear, I would give it a little more time.

I'm with most of the other ladies that it never hurts to get him evaluated, but 15 months is still a little early to get too alarmed. Of course, if there is a problem, it is better to catch it early. :-)

Does he really not say any words at all? Not even mama or dada?

My 16-month-old doesn't say much, but he does say mama and dada (along with a couple other words and animal sounds), and it's clear that he's trying to say more, even though the words aren't clear and we don't always understand him. He also signs quite a few words (more, all done, please, thank you, milk, cheese, apple, juice, water, book, help, and several animals). He understands most of what we say to him.

If I were you, I'd maybe give him a couple more months and have him evaluated at 18 months. In the meantime, I'd start to really pay attention to what he's saying and see if you can decipher any more words. "Chs" for "cheese" counts as a word, esp. if he says it on his own (not just repeating you). Likewise, I have always counted animal sounds as words, like "oof oof" ("woof woof") for dog.

You could also start teaching him some simple signs to make it easier for him to communicate. If you start with just 1-2 at a time and use them consistently, you'll be surprised how quickly he picks them up.

I have three kids, and they have all developed at different rates. Interestingly, my 5-year-old, who didn't say her first word until almost 14 months, was speaking very clearly by her 3rd birthday (could say all sounds including L, R, etc.). She was very interested in signing, and although she only officially did "more" and "all done," she made up several of her own. She has a huge vocabulary now, and people say that she often speaks like a little adult.

My 4-year-old said her first words before age 1, but she still struggles with her R sound and running words together. She didn't care about signing at all and only ever signed "more." She says a lot now, but does not have quite the vocab that my older daughter did at that age.

Most likely, your son will develop just fine, but follow your instincts, and do get him evaluated if you feel it necessary.

I believe this is a type of service the state provides for free, they will even come you your house or daycare. There is no downside, you should do it.
T.

I think it is too early. I have a 18 month old son who is not speaking much, but they say boys are a little slower than girls. My neice who was born the month after my son talks you head off. I would give him a little more time.

Seems to me like your doctor is jumping the gun a little. Try to make your guy repeat simple words after you. Just point at things around the house and keep repeating it until he at least tries to say it. If he wants a drink, make him try to say drink, cup, water, or milk. One day he'll wake up and be talking! All kids develop at their own rate.

I would not be too worried about the dr recommendation. I would have your son evaluate and see if there is a need for speech therapy. The earlier you start the better. My son is a special needs and started speech therapy at 2 1/2 yrs old with only about 10 words in his vocabulary. Now he is 5 1/2 yrs old and his language has caught up with his peer group, but his speech still needs work, due to his disability. Check your local Help me Grow for services that may be available to you.

Hi N.,

Seems early to me. Neither of my sons were using many words at that point--the youngest none at all. (when he started talking, it was non-stop; they are both fine now).

That said, an evaluation wouldn't hurt, and might put your doctor's mind at ease!

As for other things, keep up what you are doing now, and maybe get him to talk/interact with other people, both adults and children. Can you visit a friend with a child around his age? The kids won't necessarily "play" together, it will be more "parallel play " at that age, but I don't think it could hurt. Might be fun for both of you!

Story time at the lbrary is good too.

Have fun with him1

K. Z.

My daughter and grandson both talked before they were a year old. My son did not and I thought he would never talk. He would grunt, babble, whatever and point at what he wanted and we just gave it to him. He didn't have to talk so he didn't. We had to force the issue with him. But at 15 months if he isn't talking there may be more to it than your anticipating what he wants.
Talking to him and requiring he talk to you are two vastly different things. I would try over the next month to try this, sit down with him and point to a picture or item and say the word, dog, cat, ball, whatever and then ask him what you are pointing at. Work with him several times a day. Ask him if he wants to go for a ride in the car. Have him answer you verbally, no response, no ride, that type of thing. If you don't see any improvement I would start therapy.

Hi! I agree with Bev B. & Jenny C. I have a girl-11-, 2 boys, 8 & 5. My second boy did not talk very much until he was 2-3 and my youngest talked more, but still struggles with articulation (blends-l, s..). I have been told and believe each child develops differently, talk to your son, read ALOT, and point out things in public, home, etc. Since he is trying to make sounds, that is encouraging. I once met a mom who had twins, boy & girl. She was concerned because the boy was not talking by 2 1/2, but her pediatrician said give it another couple of months and you'll wish he wouldn't talk. Sure enough, he wouldn't stop talking!!!! Think about adults and I'm sure you know people who love to talk and then there are people you have to pull teeth to have a conversation with! If or when you look into speech therapy, check with your insurance company BEFORE you get an evaluation. Coverage differs widely and make sure you ask about coverage for evaluations as opposed to therapy. My youngest was in therapy for almost a year and our insurance coverage changed and we had to drop the therapy(we continued to work with him at home) because the cost tripled! Good luck! Motherly instinct is a good thing-Debbie J

I say that it can never hurt to try and advance his speech. My son was about that age and wasn't speaking as much either. We had to see a hearing specialist. He ended up needing tubes put in. After that it was just a matter of time before he was a regular chatter box. He also had alot of ear infections as a baby is why we took him to a hearing specialist. Maybe that might be something to bring up at his next checkup.

Personally, I think it's too early. I'd wait if I were in your shoes.

N.... I wouldn't worry yet. My son said 5 words nana, dad (me), daddy (his dad), auntie, bup (up or cup) until he was 24 months old. Then 2 weeks after his birthday he started speaking in sentences. Short ones, like cuppy please. Doggie down. and he finally called me Mama. So unless there is an underlying cause, I wouldn't get to concerned. Good luck!

He may not feel like talking. Our 17 mo DD doesn't say too much. She probably has maybe 20 words she will say, if that. She is just quiet (at least at home) and takes things in, studying and experimenting. Have you thought about trying him with sign language? We use this with our DD and she seems to take to it fairly well. We started with things about eating (more, food, drink, please, thank you) and then animals since these are all tangible items. It allows them to communicate what is wrong or what they want when they don't have the words for it yet.

N. - did the doctor explain why? It does seem a little early to me, although my doctor suggested 2 1/2 and I think it's too late. 2 is the magic number to me, so I split the difference. If your son is mimicking sound and starting to form words, I'm not sure you should worry, but if I were you I would first get a lengthy explanation from the doctor as to why he thinks your son is a candidate and then make a decision. My son made sounds. Almost no consonants, only vowels. (I had a hearing test done first.) Does the doctor see or suspect other developmental delays or physical reasons?

Doctors are doing their best to diagnose things early these days understanding that studies show that the earlier intervention is started, the better the outcomes no matter what is happening with a child. Honestly, N., there's no harm in getting him tested. My son has special needs with speech issues, but that doesnt mean that your child does, too. Speech delays are very common and it's best to get them in early.

Reading to your child is great (I did it too, with both), but at that age, it doesn't help as much as showing your child items and naming them, explaining their use, their color, using it in a sentence, etc.

Good luck!

Hi N.,

I see you got plenty of responses.

My daughter is bilingual so she has been a bit behind, but we didn't really feel concerned until she was 2 and you couldn't understand anything she said. She's 2 1/2 now and has been in speech therapy for a few months and is talking up a storm.
To me, the speech therapy was a great benefit to her and if anything, it didn't hurt.

It is true that expectations are high nowdays but I didn't want to risk a problem being there and waiting would only make it worse.

One thing we did find was that she had both ears irritated and they built up quite a bit of wax that caused bleeding when the Dr tried to remove it. She said she probably heard things a little muffled and I am now treating her second ear since it had to be done one at a time. I wonder if it will make a difference, but the bilingualism plays a big factor here.

15 months seems young to me but the speech pathologist that came to my house was very informative and told me that in my daughters case, for instance, they were strongly in favor of her receiving therapy bc she was so advanced in everything else, they though it was causing her some insecurity for people not to understand her so she whispered a lot.

I believe by 18 months they're supposed to have close to 50 words?? but nothing is set on stone ;)

My youngest son is currently in speech therapy and he is 3yrs old and speaks at a 17 month old level. All the drs. I talked to plus the articles i have read say i should have started him on it earlier. So in my opinion the therapy couldnt hurt him at all maybe even help him more in the long run. Reading to him does help but i also use flash cards to help too. I say the word slowly so he gets its and hears all the sounds of the letters. Now he is talking so much better he finally quit calling pizza chizza. Lol i hope this helped.

I would wait a while longer. My niece was just over 2 before she started having a vocab you could kind of understand. Now she is just over 2 1/2 and she's well caught up. Every child is different and I don't think you should worry until your son is not making any progress at the age of 2. If he's starting to mimmick sounds for words then he is on the right path.

No, it is not too early. Our son started speech therapy at 15 months and it has made a world of difference. He, too, was babbling and he would also sit there and flip through books 'reading' them using nonsense words with tone, inflection, and pausing as if he were narrating. He was not saying any actual words though (not even mama, dada), and so our pediatrician gave us a referral. After his initial assessment, it was discovered that he had a slight speech delay so we chose to pursue the speech therapy recommendation.

It has been an unbelievably great process. We have worked with an outstanding professional who is trained in speech therapy for infants/children. Not only has she worked one-on-one with him, she has also helped us by giving us 'homework' on how to best get him talking and training the muscles in his mouth to start making certain sounds.

We didn't go into the process with the goal of preparing him to be the best and brightest kid; we just wanted him to be average and on par developmentally. Also, it is VERY important to note that if a child can verbalize (or sign) his needs and feelings, then he is less likely to scream, hit, bite, or pinch to get what he needs. Asking for what he needs and understanding what he needs is less frustrating for the child, and as a result he doesn't turn to those behaviors.

Speech therapy is not frivolous and certainly won't hurt. It can only help both your son and yourself. I'm also a teacher and I see how frustrating it has been for kids and parents who blew off early opportunities to work on possible issues and delays, and it is quite difficult to catch up.

it's WAY too soon to worry. Boys are slower. My son hardly said anything until 18 months and still didn't say much more until 2. pay closer attention, he may be talking and you just aren't recognising what he's calling things:)

At only 15 months old, I would not recommend speech therapy. Kids all learn at their own pace. That's what they always tell us. I would give it more time. I bet he takes off very soon. :) Good luck!

my daughter is 16 months and isn't saying many words but understands everything. she has always been ahead with meeting milestones. i really wouldn't worry at this point. i would give it at least a few more months. really every child develops at their own pace.

In my opinion, it is too early to start speech therapy. You may try not giving him things (unless necessity) until he asks for it. If he points to stuff he wants and you get it for him, there is no reason for him to use words.
Also, you might take him to have his hearing checked. A friends son was not talking and when he was 3, he was diagnosed with hearing loss. They got him some hearing aids and he has drastically improved and now is able to speak.

N.,

I agree with the other moms that it's not needed.

My son is a bit behind the curve in the speech department as well. My pediatrician suggested buying several different types of sippy cups - some with straws - so that he's always having to adjust his mouth and lips and tongue to acquire the drink.

She - and I for that matter - aren't concerned in the least, though. After all, my Sam's a boy and they usually develop speech later than girls. He's also a second child, so his sister is usually doing the talking for him. So I'm pretty relaxed about it. But I did buy a couple of different kinds of cups, because it obviously can't hurt. We've also been watching some 'Baby Babble' DVDs and that seems to be helping but like I said, I'm pretty relaxed about it. To him, the videos are just fun things to watch on TV.

The fact that your son has got the basics of some words tells me he's doing just fine. Just my opinion.

Good luck to you,
J.

Register him with Help Me Grow to have him evaluated when he is 18 months old. Then if he needs services, he can get them for free, they will come to your house for an hour a week. It doesn't hurt. The doctor is a little...too concerned this early.

Does he have frequent ear infections? He may just be quiet, you never really know.

I had a preschool teacher tell me the same thing and my son was three. Our family Dr. said that there was nothing wrong and my son would talk when he was ready. He suggested that I give him a chance to ask for things instead of giving him things before he asks, also, read to your child often.

My son is a teenager now, with good speech, good school grades and a lot of friends.

WHo's your doctor?? My son is fifteen months old, is tongue tired and I am worried about his speech. My Doctor asks like he could care less and told us if our son isn't saying any words by two then he would consider fixing his tongue. Doctors confuse me so much!! I think if your child is trying to make sounds and understands what you are saying to him he should be fine. Good luck!!

My now 7 yr. old great nephew hardly said anything till he was 3 and he is just fine. Infact he's in the top of his class and has tested above average. I don't think I'd worry quite yet.

Hi I personally think thats too young. Do you moms notice in past few years everyones saying kids can't be kids anymore they are growing up to fast? Now they need to be talking at 15months? Whats next? As his mom you know if theres a problem , I'd ask the dr to show you a 15 month old boy who talks before I would do the speech help. I agree with the others moms to reavaluate at the age of 2. Good Luck!!

I have a two year old with the same problem and we will probably start speech therapy soon. I have had numerous tests to check his hearing. It seems odd that they did not recomend a hearing test first because a slight hearing problem can cause a speech delay. Also boys are later than girls. My doctor did not recomend sending him earlier because he said he would not get much out of it at his age and all he would do is play with blocks. Also my son has an older brother the talks and gets things for him. Good Luck.

15 months seems too soon for speech therapy. Plus boys typically talk later than girls. Boys are more active than girls (most). My daughter was talking 3 word sentences by 15 months (which is very early). My son is finally starting to say 2 or 3 word sentences at 20 months. When my son was 15 months old, he only said Mama and Papa. The doctor did not seem too concerned. Look at this site which I think answers all of your questions. They say to wait until he's 2. http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/communication/not_tal...

Our doctor suggested the same thing for my son at 18 months when he was only saying a few words like dada, woof and mmmm (for mama). He was meeting/exceeding all the physical milestones, so I decided to wait. At age 2 he started with words that other kids were saying at 15/18 months. And now at age 4, he talks non-stop, literally.

If you think he is having other problems like hearing or following you with his eyes, then you might consider it since early intervention can be helpful, but then again, he might just be on his own schedule. If it were me, I would at least wait until the 18 month appt.

I would find a new pediatrician!! My daughter has a problem with speech but, as she has gotten older it is just with some words starting with s and w our pedi.. said speech will develop it has gotten so much better. Now that she is 4 he suggests she go to a speech center for eval. at children's close to home . I think it is way to early for you.