Is this a speach/language delay?

[just_lily]

What would you think regarding a 26mo child who can sing entire songs like Twinkle Twinkle, Baa Baa Black Sheep, I Love You (from Barney), the ABCs, and will count to 10 in Spanish (from Dora) but has very little spontaneous speech. She can also repeat things if prompted (like "please"), but I can't recall her ever putting two words together of her own volition, and still uses crying and screaming to get the vast majority of her needs met.

Thoughts?

[RiverTam]

I don't know for sure, but it could be expressive language disorder.

More here: http://www.childspeech.net/u_iv_h.html

By two, most kids are starting to combine words into two word phrases, and have 10-20 words that they use regularly.

I'd get an assessment from a speech/language pathologist.

[Marsupialmom]

I would get her evaluated but also change your response to her.

If she is point for something to drink respond with words. "Oh you want something to drink, water or milk?"

She crying for food. Ask if she is hungry and if she wants option a or b.

This helps encourages using words.

It is OK to say, "I am not sure what you want. Is it A or B?"

My daughter had hearing loss and speech delays. We were encouraged to gentlely encourage her to use words instead of the point and cry method. We were "intune" with what she wanted and her cry and point language. We needed to guide her to using words which anyone can understand. Some kids are prone to use the most efficient method and if you make crying and pointing most efficient she will continue to use it. Resist your intuitive momma reading child's body language. Use that when you see she is overly frustrated.

[just_lily]

She doesn't really point at things to ask for them either. She will whine (and sometimes scream) if she is trying to grab at something out of reach, or from another kid, but I can't remember her pointing at something in order to ask for it. For your food example, I serve her two meals and two snacks a day and the kids just get what is on the menu - she has never whined/asked for food and just goes with the flow when it is time to eat. She does whine at me when she wants to get unbuckled from her chair and I will prompt her to say "Out, please" and she will repeat after me - but I have been doing that for weeks and she still doesn't say it unprompted. She has never asked for a drink, or something to eat, or really for anything unless she sees it, and then she will grab and cry. I do try to prompt her with words whenever I can.

She seems to understand me for the most part, although sometimes it is hard to get her attention. I find myself repeating her name fairly frequently. She will say some things, like "Hi" "No" and "Mine", and can name things if she sees them, like "kitty" and "crackers" but no two-word combos, and very little unprompted speech. Except for the singing, and then she can do the entire song.

This isn't my child, but a child in my home daycare. I am debating about whether I should bring it up with her parents, and what I should say and how I should phrase it. I think her parents are seeing some signs of delays, but reassure themselves over the whole singing entire songs part. And I admit it has me stumped as well.

She is three months older than my own DD, and I try not to compare them because all kids are different and mine has always been on the early side of normal for milestones, but my DD has now started to speak in complete sentences, but definitely isn't singing whole songs.

I feel bad for her, because if there is an issue I know it is better to start getting help as soon as possible. But I don't think her parents will be receptive to my concerns unless I can point out something concrete and let them know why it is a problem. That is why I am looking for opinions.

[Marsupialmom]

Could it be that she has nothing to say? Her needs are basicly all met adequately?

I am not big on saying "What do you say?" But have you tried to asking what she is suppose to say when she wants out of her high chair? Instead of saying "out please."

Does she respond to you if you are talking to her not facing you? If she does does she always turn one way? Like if you are on her left rear and you speak does she turn right. http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/...elopment.shtml

[bonamarq]

Well, I know telling parents unwanted news is never easy - but I think you have solid grounds for recommending an eval - your state's birth to three can do it for free and now is the time to jump on it b/c that opportunity is lost when she turns three - wait just a few more months and with all the beaurocracy she won't get much out of it...
And in truth - the fact that she can sing a whole song but has NO spontaneous language of her own is MORE of a concern, not less - not saying she is on the spectrum or anything but that's in line with what ASD kids do with echolalia -

When you bring it up try to be sensitive but also somewhat casual - "I know it's not easy to hear, but I would highly recommend you get a speech eval - say something along the lines "I heard this rule that if your child can't put two words together to ask for something (like more juice) by the age of two then it's a good idea to have them checked out - It may be nothing but birth to three can check it out and you will know for sure...." And even if she needs a little help, it is so much easier to get them caught up now - nothing is lost by going this route but the wait and see approach can be a huge loss of opportunity -

In some cases YOU can call and make the referral - they can't really evaluate her without consent but you can get the ball rolling and they can even come to your daycare to do it (in some states anyway)

my advice is to urge the parents to get an eval right away... and don't listen to the ped if he suggests wait and see - they ALWAYS say that and with sometimes dire conseequences - REALLY - what is there to lose?

[laurata]

I agree with the previous poster. Get in with birth to three, don't let your ped talk you into "wait and see." If we had gotten into early intervention, our lives might be very different (in a good way) right now.