Two words

[sherrardk]

Following speech therapy today with thing 2 (just turned 4), I thought I would write a list of all the words that he can say clearly (ie not just me recognising what the words should be) and it is a grand total of 2! He can say Mummy and Flower (which he calls his sister, whose name is Freya, if he wants to say 'flower' he signs it). Feeling quite deflated that his speech is so poor (he is going to have a miserable time at school if he doesn't get a lot of help).

[sherrardk]

(Ps - know it could be worse and he could be really ill or have something terrible wrong with him).

[welshlibranr]

Oh sher, bless him!.......hope he gets the help he needs!.....but sometimes school can be a real help, in my grandson's class (reception) there is a little guy with a really bad speech problem, but the other children are so supportive and protective of him!....and just being there with them is helping him, he's coming along in leaps and bounds now!.............

[sherrardk]

Hi Welsh, think I am a bit amazed that we spend so much time together (ie all the time) and I didn't realise how little he can actually speak for others to understand him (i understand him perefectly, as does thing 1). Told boy #1 and himself to add to the list and they have come up with nothing. Hopefully some more words will emerge over the next couple of days but have been really thinking about it and can't think of any others at the moment.

[EvianBaby]

Sher, I think I might have said this before but my brother had huge problems when he was young, including speech problems like your son. He couldnt/wouldn't utter a word until he was 6 or 7. Against all advice my parents sent him to a normal school and he began to thrive. He's now in his 30s and you would never know he had any problems, in fact he is one of my fave people in the world. I know it's probably not much comfort now but I thought a positive story might be a small boost.

[welshlibranr]

sher, my friends son didn't utter a word till he was nearly four, he then just started to speak in sentences!..........he turned out to be very intelligent, he made it to Oxford Uni, and now works as an aid to an MP........

[sherrardk]

Hi Evian, I am sure he will get there in the end, just amazed at how few words he can actually say clearly (he leaves the end, middle or beginning of all other words - or a combination of end, middle or beginning and sometimes all three). Feeling like bad mum of the year for not noticing how pants his speech actually is.

[welshlibranr]

don't feel that way sher, know that you are a good mum, and sure little thing 2 will be fine!...........stop worrying!.......

[daffy654]

I could understand my son even though his speech was as bad as your little one's at age 4. Because I was around him all the time we learned our own way of communicating, it used to drive his dad (and everyone else) nuts! Our boy attended a special school at age 4, he was speaking normally within a year of starting, he moved to mainstream school at age 7 and is now 14 years old and on target for A* in all his GCSEs.

[gness]

I don`t have an answer but maybe this will help. My nephew didn`t say a word until he was nearly five. Mummy and Flower would have been a joy to hear. When he did start speaking it came slowly but it came. My daughter had the worst stammer the health visitor had ever heard. Lord, did I despair. She`s now a scientist giving talks all over the world. It is so hard not to worry but school needn`t be bad. I worked with deaf children in a mainstream school in a fairly poor area and the hearing children were wonderful.

[sherrardk]

That's good to hear Daffy, pleased for your boy that he is doing so well. x

[daffy654]

Has your boy been seen by the developmental specialist at your hospital? If not then it might be worth insisting that he is referred. It could be that he has some other developmental issue that is affecting his ability to speak.