Speech therapy

[Anonymous]

Anyone with experience on how a 26 months old can qualify for speech therapy? My pediatrician doesn't think my son needs an evaluation yet. He speaks some words but definitely less than 50 and struggles with some pronounciation. Compared to the average 2 year old he definitely speaks less. The teacher at daycare seems to think he needs to get evaluated. Anyone in a similar situation care to share their experience?

[Anonymous]

Contact your local Infants and Toddlers program. You could also go the private route and get an evaluation done with a private speech therapy.

[Anonymous]

Yes, call Infants and Toddlers. For some reason, pediatricians tend to tell parents to wait for evaluations, when children could be receiving early intervention services.

[Anonymous]

Infants and Toddlers (that's what it's called in Maryland, it's called something different in VA/DC). It's a free service and they come to your house. In Maryland you will need a 25% delay in any one area to be found eligible - cognition, receptive language, expressive language, gross motor, fine motor, social emotional, daily living.

[Anonymous]

It's too soon to worry about pronunciation. Does he speak in 2-4 word sentences?

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html

I'd say go with your gut and call early intervention services. It's free and they come to your home.

[Anonymous]

If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Our ped said age two. We got an assessment at two and the assessor blew us off. We waited a few months and got a second opinion who recommended it. Considerable speech delay. Go with your gut and get an eval.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

You are fortunate your child caught up quickly. Not all of our children have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

You are fortunate your child caught up quickly. Not all of our children have.

Agreed. Every parent needs to be an advocate for their children and will know best if something is off. What I am saying is that children will all develop on their own timetable and in many cases, additional services aren't needed. OP asked for personal experience and I shared mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's too soon to worry about pronunciation. Does he speak in 2-4 word sentences?

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html

I'd say go with your gut and call early intervention services. It's free and they come to your home.

He has maybe 2 2-word sentences... No something, and wah (for watch) something. I will probably get him evaluated. It can't hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm not really that worried but his teacher at daycare seems to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

I'd be cautious about taking advice from someone who is so completely wrong. Pediatricians can't determine if a child qualifies for early intervention services. A child must be first assessed by specialists such as SLPs, OTs and PTs. You don't even need a pediatrician to refer you to EI, you can self-refer.

[Anonymous]

I have never met anyone who had regret about getting an evaluation. I know a ton who regret not getting one soon enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

You are fortunate your child caught up quickly. Not all of our children have.

Agreed. Every parent needs to be an advocate for their children and will know best if something is off. What I am saying is that children will all develop on their own timetable and in many cases, additional services aren't needed. OP asked for personal experience and I shared mine.

But, then you understand that your child didn't really have a true delay. Many kids have real undiagnosed speech delays and if it is a true delay early intervention is beneficial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your ped doesn't think it is a problem, you won't qualify for early intervention services. You can go to a speech therapist and have him evaluated, but you probably don't have anything to worry about. Some kids just take longer to talk. My son first son was slow to start talking. We took him to speech therapy starting at 28 months. By 3 he was talking up a storm. I don't know how much therapy helped. I think it was just maturity and we transitioned him to preschool where he was around slightly older kids.

The therapist recommended the book It takes two to talk. It is a workbook helping parents encourage their kids to communicate. I have a copy if you want it.

Looking back, I wish I spent less time worrying about it, but as a parent you just want to know that you child is going to be ok. Hang in there!

I'd be cautious about taking advice from someone who is so completely wrong. Pediatricians can't determine if a child qualifies for early intervention services. A child must be first assessed by specialists such as SLPs, OTs and PTs. You don't even need a pediatrician to refer you to EI, you can self-refer.

+1 the first PP is outrageously wrong.