I feel like my toddler is having problems with speech

[shmer24]

My son turned 2 in Aug. He's been doing sign since he was 12mo and can sign or communicate anything. Hes incredibly smart. Not lacking in any other area. He's always been very shy about talking, even trying to talk. I remember when he was little he would only try to say a new word alone with me in the bathtub, and even then after he said it he would get embarrassed.
I can tell he has a hard time getting his mouth to move to match the sounds he is trying to make. I can see when he tries to say things that he knows how to say, sometimes he has to stop and think about where his tongue should be or how his mouth should be shaped to get the sound out.

Am I over reacting?
BTW- he is also an avid binki user. It's hard to get him to take it out most days.

[kcstar]

My son turned two in September, we've been signing since birth but our signing vocabulary is a little limited. He's also a shy talker around strangers. And he loves his binky, but we try to reserve it for naps and bedtime.

The main phrases I've heard from him are "All done" and "baby signing time".

I know he knows a lot of words. When it's just us, he'll sometimes babble "sentences" that sound almost like English but we don't quite understand. He seems to have quiet days and talkative days.

We read to him most evenings. Sometimes he'll take the books and "read" it to us, and often I can even follow where he is in the story. He likes the page in the Cat in the Hat "Put me Down! Said the fish, I do not want to fall, put me down said the fish, this is no fun at all." It comes out like "Dow!.... Dow!"

I've started asking him to tell me the stories once in a while. Or point to a picture of something that I know he knows, and ask him what it is. Or while reading, I pause and let him say the familiar word/sound. (This works great for Mr. Brown can Moo, he does most of the onomotapeia now.)

[JBaxter]

I learned LONG ago if your mommy instinct is saying there is an issue LISTEN to it. At 2yrs old a child should have about 50 words (+ or-) A speech evaluation never hurts. Talk to your ped about it and call Early Intervention. Most places its free or very reduced. My DS3 had speech 1 x a week ( 30 min sessons) for 2 1/2 yrs. The came to our home while he was under 3. It helped him TONS.

If the result is he doesnt qualify then WONDERFUL if he does need some therapy then its started early and more effective.
listen to your inner mommy voice!

[Kim919]

I would take him to a speech therapist. From my experience (with my younger siblings) speech therapy is VERY effective in a short amount of time, and young children seem to enjoy it. I don't see a negative side (except perhaps the expense.)

[catters]

I would also trust your mommy instincts. My son also uses his pacifier pretty much nonstop. He turned two in August, but it has not slowed his speech, so I would be hesitant to blame that. I had speech therapy as a child and literally within two weeks the condition I had corrected. I just needed the right people/techniques to give me that boost, apparently.

[henny penny]

I could have written your post! I am/ have been hesitant to try early intervention since ds (26m) is soooo bashful and when at home I press him to say words he totally withdraws from it and won't try words for days. The opposite of what I was hoping for. So I guess we are at the point where I'll discuss it with his ped at his upcoming well baby visit. I'd like to give it a couple more months since some days he'll pop out 3 or 4 words we've never heard him use before then go for days and use none. I dunno the answer, but I'm in the same boat, mama.

[PuppyFluffer]

I just had my 3 yr/2 month old dd evaluated today based on a lisp and a tongue thrust I was seeing. She has been diagnosed with phonological process disorder. She substitutes a sound for the correct one consistently. I didn't pick up on that part of it. I just attributed it to a toddler/young child learning to speak. She'll have therapy for about 6-12 months it's estimated.

It never hurts to have a pro give you an opinion and if possible, have two or three opinions to help you know what's going on!

[peaceful_mama]

my ds used a binky and it didn't slow his speech. He is however in preschool on an IEP that was due to *comprehension* issues that are now resolved for the most part. (he's caught up it seems)

[dantesmama]

If you're at all concerned, I'd call Early Intervention. I just had my 28mo evaluated and it turns out his expressive speech is at the level of a 15mo. I really wish I had called a long time ago! He'll be getting free in-home therapy twice a week. He can be very shy and slow to warm up to people, but the people who came to do his eval were fantastic and he had a lot of fun playing with them. Like your DS, he's very bright and can understand everything - he's at or above age level in all other areas of development - so I was hesitant to call. I'm so glad he'll be getting the help he needs now.

[tri31]

Your post sounds allot like our experience with my ds at 18 months. I did talk to his doctor and he is now getting twice a week speech therapy. Our experience has been very positive. My ds loves it. Would he have been okay without it? Yes, I think so. Every child developes at their own rate. But he is better off for the experience, and I am glad I called. Happy holidays.

[shmer24]

I wanted to update...

Right after I wrote this, I started counting his words. I wrote down all the words I could think of for about 30mins. The list went to about 70. If he wasn't saying a word, he would sign it. He interchanges words and signs to make longer sentences.

Since then, he's had a vocab splurge, I'd say he now speaks triple that, with new words everyday. He's making longer sentences with just words as opposed to sign and words. He still does use sign for things he can't say, but he's trying to say everything now, when before he was too shy.

I think I was just worried. I kept seeing other kids a few months older with much bigger vocabularies, but I forget that a few months is all it takes.

Thanks for the advice mamas!