Speech Delay

[worrying]

I have a 39 months old girl with a speech delay, she was progressing day by day, has few hundreds words, knows all the ABC

[kjv1966]

TO ANYONE WITH SPEECH DELAY QUESTIONS : EARS, EARS, EARS!

Make sure you have drs. test ears for fluid blocking eardrum movement - there is a test specifically for this (start with a T) and most pedi. don't routinely do this if they do not visually see signs of ear infection - but fluid can be clear and they are not seeing it! It will block eardrum movement making hearing difficult if not block hearing completely. If chil is not hearing during speech development they will not speak well if at all. Tubes in ears may be necessary - much better to rule this out than to not have checked something so simple! My daughter is proof of this - within one week she went from no words at all to full sentences after having tubes in ears. Now at 7 no speech problems whatsoever and excelling in school! Don't take one drs. word for it get a few opinions and rely on "instinct".

[dontakedrugs]

MORE DAMNING EVIDENCE ABOUT ADHD `MEDICATION`



Thursday, January 5, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

  

Reported risks spur new study of ADHD drugs
By Andrew Bridges

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

[babyhopes]

I am a speech therapist and I have seen this many times. When a child is exposed to a social environment for the first time they appear "slower" than other children in communication, I feel it is just getting use to a new situation. Also, since your daughter does not communicate in English at home, she is probably finding it difficult to express her wants and needs to the people at preschool. It isn't that she doesnt know what to say, but she knows they will not understand her if she speaks in her "home langauge". Therefore, she will most likely stay quiet or use non verbal communication (pointing, grunting, emotional outbursts) Another thing I have seen is when chidren arent able to "use their words" to communicate they often withdraw from peers, become focused on particular thigns in their classroom, in many ways these tendanceies can appear to look like autism. THEY ARE NOT! If anything it is a "language dealy". I am not saying your child has this, it is just something that is common with preschoolers. If you are concerned I would talk with the teacher and maybe ask if there is a speech therapist available at the preschool that could screen your daughter. Depending on what state you live in, this service should be free through the local school district since your daughter is above 3 years. Check with the local school or preschool first. Hope this helps!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

The additional information confirms the likelihood that your daughter's reactions are normal and understandable in light of the situation.

[worrying]

Thanks a lot for your prompt response.
To answer your question, the language we talk to her at home is not English, and the first time she begin to communicate in English was in the preschool two months ago.
Thanks again.
Sincerely

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Nothin in your description indicates that your daughter has any condition, including Autism, on the Pervasive Developmental Disorder spectrum. In light of the fact that she is just now experiencing social interaction with peers and learning a language, her response does not seem surprising. Is the language spoken at home other than English?