S.J. asks from Hyde Park, MA on July 15, 2008
Toddlers with Speech Delayed
hi everyone
my 2 1/2 year old son is on speech therapy it's been 6 months now. he hasn't say anything yet. i wasn't worried because when he was about 7 months old he said everybody's name in the house for a couple of times then never called us again. he used to say one word in french cause we also speak french but he stop saying it. we are trilingual by the way. to avoid him to be confused ever since he turned 2 we stop speaking our languages with him and we only speak English but we didn't speak English at all with him before that. he only babbles stuff like that. i know he can talk but since he's really delayed and understand only simple directions. i'm a little worried now and i want him to be able to do everything that kids of his age are doing. it is so frustrating and heart broken. the doctors are talking about autism. i don't believe it. he's active, happy, friendly and affectionate with us and loves kids. he has never been to daycare and there's no other kids in the house, he was a preemie baby with only 3lbs. i made the mistake of not doing some activities and taking him to play ground stuff like that in his first year. i didn't know nothing about all the stuff or activities that i could do with him until recently. because of him i've learned a lot and i've made some life changing decision. like open a home daycare.
well, what i'm looking for is a special place for kids with speech delayed. where he can spend several hours with me or without me being present. i know it will help him. yesterday he said a world "loud" that he never said before while we were singing in class at ( baby bungalow) the class is only 45mns once a week i need something that covers more hours and focus on he's speech. the therapy is only 1 hr per week. i now take him everywhere and do anything possible so he can interact with kids. but i got the feeling that's not enough. i need a special place for kids with speech delayed. i've made some search and have found nothing so far if you know of anything please let me know about it. thanks a lot
More Answers
K.H. answers from Tampa on July 16, 2008
Hi Sarah,
You can get free services through the USF Early Steps program. It sounds like your son would surely qualify foradditional speech therapy, or you could replace your existing therapy if this sounds better.
They probably have a program or some opportunity for him to associate with other speech delayed kids (though honestly, it seems doubtful that hanging out with other speech delayed kids, per se, would help him in his speech, but perhaps being with teachers in this type of group might be of benefit).
Contact Heather Bair, the Service Coordinator for USF/Bay Area Early Steps Program @ ###-###-#### for program info and to set up your evaluation and discuss available services.
As I mentioned, it is free. They will charge whatever is applicable to your insurance company - or in other words, what the insurance company is willing to pay for, and they will cover the rest.
For further info see: www.early-intervention.org
Good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
S.D. answers from Tampa on July 16, 2008
Have you tried contacting a local VPK school for his age. If they do not accept him yet, they could most likely give you referrals to places for him. Autism or not, now is defintely the time to work with him for his future development. You are doing the right thing. Best of luck to you
1 mom found this helpful
V.K. answers from Tampa on July 16, 2008
Hi Sarah. I had this with my son who is almost 3 1/2. He was a late talker because we spoke english and I taught him sign language and our nany spoke spanish to him. He could communicate his needs fine he just wasn't speaking. I asked my pediatrician, after my MIL got me so scared there was something wrong with him, whether he needed speech therapy and if there was something wrong and he just smiled at me and said, speech is the last part to develop and sometimes with children who have learned multiple languages, sign language, etc they may take up to 3 to sort out everything they want to say. Using multiple languages, I was also told is a wonderful thing because you get multiple facets of their brain working and "firing". My son started talking between 2 1/2 and 3 and he is a constant chatterbox. He can speak english and amazes me with his vocabulary, some spanish, and does a little sign language with his baby brother. I had his brother when Ian turned two. PLease try not to freak out. It doesn't sound like anything is wrong with your son to me, just that he is very blessed to be learning so much with a mommy who cares to give him the best.
V.
mommy to Ian (3) and Finn (1)
1 mom found this helpful
P.B. answers from Tampa on July 16, 2008
My doctor gsve me these places for Speech Delay:
All Children's - ###-###-####
St. joseph's - ###-###-####
Dr. Ingram - 653- 1149
My son is 18 month's and I need to bring him somewhere also. If you go to any of these, please let me know how it is. Thank you.
P.
____@____.com
1 mom found this helpful
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