Speech Delay & ADHD

[Anonymous]

I tried to comment on old threads, but I think a new post is easier since people were responding to the OP. DS is 24 months old and has an expressive speech delay. He's had early intervention which has been very helpful and he's catching up - expanding his vocabulary and starting to make 2 word sentences. He's still behind many others his age (25th percentile).

He was evaluated today by clinical speech therapy for extra support and she said she's not concerned about his speech as much as his behavior (potential ADHD, sensory issues) and that he needs an OT and neuropsych eval. I'm just a bit surprised because DS had always displayed these behaviors of inattention and we've been blown off by multiple providers across different disciplines.

I guess my question is if your child has a speech delay and ADHD, who helped you address the ADHD best (OT, neuropsych, etc.)? Did your child experience a language boom after addressing the ADHD?

[Anonymous]

And how do sensory issues tie into speech delay and ADHD if at all?

[Anonymous]

Neuropsych eval for a 2-year-old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neuropsych eval for a 2-year-old?

This is what the clinical speech therapist said today. I was surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neuropsych eval for a 2-year-old?

This is what the clinical speech therapist said today. I was surprised.

Maybe she meant get him checked by a developmental ped. That would make more sense and couldn’t hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neuropsych eval for a 2-year-old?

This is what the clinical speech therapist said today. I was surprised.

Maybe she meant get him checked by a developmental ped. That would make more sense and couldn’t hurt.

Thank you! That makes way more sense. I will ask for a referral.

[Anonymous]

You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Honestly this describes my now 4 yr old exactly and everyone from the ped to the speech therapists said this is pretty likely to be evaluated as ASD. You don’t have to hyperfocus, line things up, repeat, etc. We’ve also been told 4 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, too. Good luck - it’s very time consuming and frustrating to get answers and try to make progress

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Honestly this describes my now 4 yr old exactly and everyone from the ped to the speech therapists said this is pretty likely to be evaluated as ASD. You don’t have to hyperfocus, line things up, repeat, etc. We’ve also been told 4 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, too. Good luck - it’s very time consuming and frustrating to get answers and try to make progress

I don't think then I understand what ASD is. Can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Honestly this describes my now 4 yr old exactly and everyone from the ped to the speech therapists said this is pretty likely to be evaluated as ASD. You don’t have to hyperfocus, line things up, repeat, etc. We’ve also been told 4 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, too. Good luck - it’s very time consuming and frustrating to get answers and try to make progress

It describes my 3 year old ASD kid too. He probably has ADHD too but dev ped says it’s too young to diagnose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Honestly this describes my now 4 yr old exactly and everyone from the ped to the speech therapists said this is pretty likely to be evaluated as ASD. You don’t have to hyperfocus, line things up, repeat, etc. We’ve also been told 4 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, too. Good luck - it’s very time consuming and frustrating to get answers and try to make progress

It describes my 3 year old ASD kid too. He probably has ADHD too but dev ped says it’s too young to diagnose.

Sorry to be obtuse, but I still don't see how emotional sensitivity, ADHD, and expressive speech delay equal even high functioning autism. I've read so many descriptions and it doesn't match up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You wouldn’t do a neuropsych until 7. She’s suggesting you test for autism. Get on the waiting lists for a dev ped.

Thank you. I will follow up with dev ped. I think it'll be helpful for the ADHD. I really don't see the ASD and neither do any of the other clinicians. DS is very social. Always going up to people, laughing, smiling, singing, etc. He is also quite silly and kind of a jokester. He doesn't hyperfocus on anything (the opposite he can't pay attention to anything for more than 10 seconds). The only behavior I can see that is concerning is that he does have extreme tantrums if he doesn't get his way.

Honestly this describes my now 4 yr old exactly and everyone from the ped to the speech therapists said this is pretty likely to be evaluated as ASD. You don’t have to hyperfocus, line things up, repeat, etc. We’ve also been told 4 is too young for an ADHD diagnosis, too. Good luck - it’s very time consuming and frustrating to get answers and try to make progress

It describes my 3 year old ASD kid too. He probably has ADHD too but dev ped says it’s too young to diagnose.

Sorry to be obtuse, but I still don't see how emotional sensitivity, ADHD, and expressive speech delay equal even high functioning autism. I've read so many descriptions and it doesn't match up.

Bottom line, OP - you’re not a developmental doctor and you can’t diagnose. Stop trying. Posters on here can’t tell you what’s going on. You need a specialist. Regardless, you will treat the symptoms. So just keep on working on speech. Not much you can do about the attention issues now. My child who was similar did benefit from aba to learn how to sit and do something for more than a few seconds.

[Anonymous]

No psychiatrist/psychologist would evaluate a two year old for ADHD. All 2 year olds have ADHD if you go by the characteristics of ADHD.

My ADHD son was an early talker. I would be wary if anyone trying to push that diagnosis on a toddler.

Maybe there are signs of autism? I think early intervention is great, so it’s good you’re doing speech therapy

[Anonymous]

Hmmm - I wouldn't say that our DC had a delay, but with emotional regulation issues, hyperactivity, and low expressive speech they are now at 8 yo a rather classic case of ADHD. It was diagnosed at 6 with a neuropsych, but there were interventions along the way.