Question
Does my Tot need speech therapy?
My three year old is growing and changing everyday, however, the one area that he seems to be struggling with is his speech. He says some words fine but other items he just blurs together and seems to speak his own language. He seems to me to be at a 2 year old level rather than at a 3& 1/2 year old level. That concerns me. His hearing seems to be fine too. We read to him and work with him on his speech but I still feel that he's not where he should be. Should we consider speech therapy or give him more time to see if it's something he'll grow out of?
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4 Answers
It never hurts to get him tested. My son has been in speech since he was 2. My pediatrician kept telling me boys are late speakers, wait it out, etc. I decided for my own peace of mind to have him tested and he has oral motor disorders.
If anything, if the speech therapists says he does not need speech therapy, she may just suggest better ways to work with your child at home to better help him.
Good Luck
You local school system should have testing and it will be free vs. paying a speech therapist. Try calling the school and talking with them. Have you ask your pediatrician what they think? If you do not think he is at the level he should be at then you should do what you feel is best for your child.
I have a 3 year old daughter who will be 4 in October of this year. I had the SAME exact problem that you are having. She is a very smart girl, but some of her words just were not coming out right. She would talk up a storm and say complete sentences of giberish at times. I noticed this even before her teachers did. For a couple months I did not want to come to grips that she might have a speech issue. Finally I did and she received the help she needed. This all happened when she was almost 3. Now, as she has gotten older her speech has dramatically improved. She see's her speech therapist at least twice a week. I am sure that she will not need it much longer. There are several deciding factors on why children can have speech problems. If your child is in daycare, then you need to check with your local school board and see what programs are offered for school readiness in your area. This is something that you need to tackle now. If not, when your child enters kindergarden and his speech is not up to standard, they may attempt to try and label him. Get him any speech help he needs now. It will make a world of difference in this "bright" little boys life-- and yours too.
Experienced mom..
My daughter has a very severe speech and language disorder called Childhood Apraxia of Speech so I know how you feel wondering if things are "right" early on. She's now almost 11 and we have been in intensive speech therapy since she was 3.
My best advice to you is to contact your local county office of education. They should be able to point you in the direction of an early intervention program in your area. This is a free service and they will evaluate your child and let you know if everything is okay or not.
If you have ANY worry at all - have him checked out. Not only will it give you peace of mind, but if he does need some help, the earlier he gets it the better.
Liz
http://pinklemonadeoflife.blogspot.com/
Turning Lemons into Pink Lemonade,
Pink Lemonade Liz
http://pinklemonadeoflife.blogspot.com/