What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

HAd DS 15 month checkup. Dr is NOT overly concerned although he said he may have a slight speeech delay. He only says MAMA DADA and BABA for bottle. He does point and does things you ask him like pick up his bottle and drink it. Dr gave me a number and we decided after talkign toteh speech person that she would come and evaluate him in about a month. These next few weeks are hectic with my dad comeing in and we are going away in early August. This will give him another month to have some sort of word explosion. I am really not upset about this bc I know there could be so many other thijngs wrong with kids that this is so minor and correctable. Just wondering what the earliest you have heard of to actually get speech therapy?

Message edited 7/13/2009 2:40:42 PM.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

I'm an SLP and I really think that DC is going to be fine. I wouldn't rush it. I have heard of children getting speech services earlier because, of course some kids are really, really delayed. But, he is saying some words and the fact that he has the receptive vocab.. I wouldn't worry. That being said.. Speech services are free for EI, right? So why not do the eval and see if he qualifies. If he does.. well then it's just better for him. Why not take the help to get him there that much sooner.

Just keep labeling things, narrate your activities with simple sentences as a model for him and keep having him point. As long as the receptive vocab is there.. It will come.
You could have him indicate choices by pointing to things also.

ETA: don't stress yourself. Wait the month until things are easier for you. He may get some more words by then too!

Message edited 7/13/2009 2:48:47 PM.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

DS was 18 months when we contacted EI. By the time we contacted them and started it took about 2 months.

15 months is a bit young. And already 4 words.

Personally I would wait another 2 months.

But you can call EI and they will do an evaluation to see if DS qualifies.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

My nephew was evaluated at 20 months and began services at 22 months. He had a significant speech delay and still does at 28 months.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

DS is 19 months and speaking on a similar level, though he added Nana and gobble gobble (such useful words!) a few weeks ago. He said baby a few times, then never again.

I agree with pp, and I wouldn't rush it given what you have written about DC speech. I'm probably going to have DS evaluated in the next month so at 20 months. I have heard from his doctor and someone who works at EI that if they are fairly young and just behind but not alarmingly so, you might need to do the evaluations all over again later. So when you call EI, I would try to talk to someone before the evaluation and see if they feel you should wait a little more or do it now.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

Another SLP here. Kids can get EI starting at birth for speech and the youngest child I worked with was 6 weeks old (in a children's hospital, I did feeding tx). Anyway, based on his age and the number of words he has, I don't think he will qualify by EIs levels/requirements at this time. I think you are better off waiting and thinking about the eval in a few months, should you still think DC needs it. ITA with the pp-SLP, bombard him with language! It is wonderful that receptive language is good and that will help expressive, but there can be a difference between the two. Constantly speak, narrate everything you do, read lots of books, take DC place and talk about what DC is looking at/touching, and show DC everything!

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

DD started going to private speech therapy around 18 months old. I can't say that she got a ton out of it until she turned 2 ish but it didn't hurt her.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services

Noah started at 18 months...almost 19 months. he had No words...the mama, dada and baba didnt come till recently...after a few months of twice weekly speech ....

I would wait till closer to 18 months.

Re: What's the youngest you have heard a child get speech services