confused regarding speech develooment

Hi all!

I am a little anxious right now if I did the right thing in asking about my son's speech development.. he is 22 months old and not really saying a lot. He has at least 10 words that he says but he will mimic us and he seems to understand a lot! I called my dr office to make a two year appointmentand asked the nurse if she would run past the dr about his speech. I asked if I should give it more time or if we should bring him in sooner to discuss the speech. At his last appointment in feb the dr said he should be exploding with language in the next couple if months and I just don't see it? He also seems to be getting mire frustrated and unable to express himself?

So she asked dr and he said he feels intervention is a good idea... ugh I am feeling so confused and anxious about this.. sorry so long! Did I do the right thing?
My other nephew who is a few months older doesn't seem to be saying much either? Not to compare, can you share your experiences with your child and language around this age?

Edited for spelling

Message edited 5/20/2011 11:22:26 AM.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Not an expert but at 22 months he should be saying more than 10 words. My nephew is getting speech at 21 months due to the same thing..

Can't hurt to get him evaluated..it can only help him!!

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Not at that age yet but my nephew is 24 months and speaks in sentences- has been for a little while. I would ask for an evaluation!

Message edited 5/20/2011 11:25:25 AM.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Thank you! I figured he should be saying more... :(

What should I expect?

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Posted by BethanyLynn

Not at that age yet but my nephew is 24 months and speaks in sentences- has been for a little while. I would ask for an evaluation!

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

24m she didn't say much
10 words often
More if you said it first
NO sentences of any time or form

28m she started talking. Literally over night. Just started. In full sentences (all be it 4 words or less). It was shocking! I had her evaluated twice before then and she was always passed.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I'd call EI and get the eval done. you don't need your doctor's approval, but you may need a medical form filled out for the agency. i think he should have more words by now (I'm an SLP) but only an eval will tell if he would qualify for services. my recommendation is to go with Kidz Therapy for an agency.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Thanks again everyone I will def get him evaluated! I live in ct, does anyone have any recs here?

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I understand how you feel. My DS is now 19 months and has 7 words. He said "bubbles" last week but hasn't said it since. I had him evaluated for speech last month and he qualified. I think part of it had to do with the fact that he didn't want anything to do with the speech evaluator so he didn't score well on receptive language.

I understand feeling anxious. I sometimes wonder if I should have called or maybe waited. My DH was a late talker (i just found out) so I keep hoping he has a word explosion soon. You did the right thing though.

editted: DH was a late talker (i wrote DS)

Message edited 5/20/2011 8:12:20 PM.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

My daughter was just evaluated by a speech therapist on Wed. Joey is almost 20 months but has about 4 consistent words, mommy, daddy, no and ball, but she has 40+ signs.
She did not qualify for services, but I am SO GLAD we went through the process! The therapist gave us a lot of great information, worked so well with my daughter. She also said that the signs were not deterring her from talking, which was biggest worry, and the theory that most people had. She said most often kids just develop different skills at different times, and that vocalization was just not something that my daughter had developed yet, but she excelled in other areas. I think its great you started the process and it will give you some piece of mind.
If you want the name of the evaluator I used, FM, she was great with Joey.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

My son didn't start saying words till he was 22 months old. I had him evaluated at 20 months, they said since he was understanding everything & able to follow directions that he did not need speech. They said if he didn't start saying more words I could reevaluate him at 2. I did reevaluate him at 25 months. They said he was fine with the few words he was saying. Within a month I noticed he starting saying new words daily. Then in Jan he was started to put 5 word together. Now he's 32 months and saying everything.

You may want to have him evaluated for piece of mind, but from my experience, it's also normal for a child at 22 months not to say much at all. It sounds like your son was saying more words then mine did at that age, I would not worry too much, he'll probably start saying more in the next few months! :)

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I was nervous about DS at around that age. He had maybe 20 words.

His ped told me I was over reacting. By 2.5 he started putting 2 or 3 words together.

And now at 3 he doesn't stop.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I don't mean to be a speech therapy basher but imo people these days GREATLY overreact about such young children and new language skills.

I swear out of the dozen or so little children I know, over half of them were "speech delayed" and it really leads me to believe that really NONE of them were. Now, that doesn't mean that there aren't children who do honestly have problems- I just think it is WAY more few and far between than it seems.

I think 10 words at almost 2 isn't terrible and it's just a matter of time. These kids I know who had "delays" are just fine now- their "explosions" were a little later, that's all.

Try and think of how many 4 year olds you know that don't speak. I don't know ANY. The ones that don't are a TINY percentage and they have an honest medical issue going on that knock on wood your child doesn't have.

I'm totally not trying to make you feel like you are overreacting b/c these are our children and our number one concern- I just wanted to share my perspective. I feel like it's hyped up- ESPECIALLY here on LIF where I pick up a lot of my "worries".

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I agree w/ AP. When I went to my ped w/ speech concerns about my 18 month old who was saying 2 words, he said, "10 years ago we wouldn't be having this conversation." He said we'll see how she is at 2 years.

At 2 years she was maybe saying 4-5 words (although she would understand what we said to her & carry out directions). Then about 3 weeks after her 2nd birthday she literally just started talking & never stopped....words we had no idea she knew; sentences, etc.

I'd give it time, but that's JMO.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Get him evaluated. It can't hurt.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I agree with lynnd... We need to let children develop at their OWN pace. They will talk when they are ready, not when WE are ready or another child is ready. IMO...20 months is WAYYYY too young to make a conclusion like that.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

does he make animal sounds? they count as words.


both of my DS didn't say much at 22 months - my oldest exploded at 2.5 and my youngest needs speech. So it can go both ways. It doesn't hurt to evaluate, but if you are going for a 2 year check-up, i think you can wait until then.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I would definitely recommend that you have your son evaluated. You need to do it sooner rather than later as Early Intervetion's cut off is 3 years old and if he needs services you'd want him to receive them for as long as possible. I am an SLP and an Audiologist. We would expect that a child his age have more than 10 words expressively. He is approaching the critical period for language development which is a window of about 2 years. The evaluation is free and can only help. It will tell you exactly where he stands in comparison to her typically developing peers and if there is in fact a need for intervention and if there isn't, then great! Also be sure to have his hearing tested as well just to rule out a hearing loss, which. should be done annually. Even if he is evaluated and does not qualify for services you will gain tons of information that you can use to help your son. Best of luck to you.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Message edited 5/21/2011 7:58:45 AM.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

An evaluation can't hurt so i would just call to have one done. We had one done and were told to wait 2 months and have her evaled again. She's due for another eval next week so we'll see what happens then.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

I would get him evaulated. My son ended up being diagnosed with severe apraxia (neurological speech disorder)...definitly not the norm. However, everyone told me to wait....my dh and I are both teachers and even though I knew I should just get the evaulation, I thought everyone was right and that I was overreacting. I'm so glad I went with my gut and now my son is doing great! Definitly get it done, it can't hurt only help. Good luck.

Re: confused regarding speech develooment

Having a child who gets services, I would recommend getting him evaluated. We did it on the early side (just after 15 months) on the advise of the ped. At 3 1/2, he still gets speech and still definitely needs it.

If there's no problem excellent. If there is and you wait, you might regret it. There are tons of people who will say it's no big deal, people overreact, etc. but when you have been through the system, I think you always think maybe DC might have benefitted if you had them evaluated earlier.


ETA - if he qualifies, EI is much more generous with services (before they turn 3) than the school districts tend to be later on. It's better to get help earlier.

Message edited 5/21/2011 12:11:57 PM.