Vent: I am so frustrated by DS's lack of words!

[Chamomile Girl]

My kid doesn't really have any words.  Since he started speaking he would say a word here and there for a little while (cat, ball, that, dog, truck) and then the word goes away.  Right now we are at the point where these words have not been replaced by other words and so he just babbles all day.  Some of his babble is recognizable because he repeats the same pattern, so for example he goes into a certain singsong (with pointing) when he sees something he wants, and a different singsong when he sees something he likes (like a truck).  But those are obviously not words.  Well he sings "eeeeeeeeee" after he goes potty so that might be a word since its pretty close to pee.  So that's maybe one.

I'm getting so frustrated because he seems to have no interest in talking and will have a bit of a tantrum if you push him on it.  He wants to have books read to him all day long, and he loves to go out and about and learn what things are called, but no repetition or even real attempts.  He will also not wave bye bye, dance, clap, or willingly participate in kid-stuff like at the library or the Y. 

I know that some kids just speak late (I have an uncle who didn't speak until he was three).  But...why?  And of course there is a certain degree of me feeling like I am somehow doing something wrong, or that there is something wrong with my child (although his receptive language and non-verbal communication are top notch). 

Adding to my frustration is that we got him into EI and he has speech therapy sessions once a week that seem totally useless to me.  I mean the lady is super nice, and he loves to play with her toys but she doesn't do anything with him that I don't (and is constantly giving me the exact same advice every week about what to do at home...all stuff I already do, and in fact did before ever bringing him in).  Aruggghhh!  And nothing has changed unless you count change for the worse.

It just sucks.  And its only going to get more frustrating as he gets out into public more and more and people expect him to interact with them which he refuses to do.  He's tall for his age and so people are often taken aback when they ask him questions and he just stares at them and I tell them he doesn't talk yet.

And just to torture myself I looked up the AAP standard language development for his age and it says:

• Uses simple phrases
• Uses two- to four-word sentences

And I'm like because my kid is going to be two next month and he doesn't speak a single recognisable word.

[Valuableval]

 Some kids do wait a long time to speak for whatever reason.  I think it is a great sign that your child likes to be read to and would continue that.  It is hard not to blame ourselves when our culture is so shaming of parents and competition and comparision is so rampant.  Trust your instincts.  If you think something is wrong, take action.  You do know best.  If your instinct says it's just your child developing skills in a different way then dont frett.  Children develop at different speeds and have different interests.  Who knows, some kids just start talking in phrases and sentences...trust yourself.   Keep reading those stories!  Speech therapy can't hurt and I have heard that it was very helpful for many children.  Patience...don't worry about what others think...don't worry about the AAP...you are doing an amazing job.  Focus on what is of interest to your child and what your child is doing right and well.  Honor him for who he is just as he is now! 

[tinybutterfly]

Ds#1 didn't talk much, didn't use sentences or phrases really until he was 3 1/2. I was worried. Turns out he is very, very smart. He was just slow to start talking.

But if you are worried, have him evaluated.

It is great that your son loves being read to and that his other communication skills are terrific.

I am sorry you are feeling frustrated.

[crunchy_mommy]

Can you request a different speech therapist? Or at least that the current one use a different approach? Have you talked to your EI service coordinator about this? It sounds really frustrating.

I keep hearing that many kids (boys, especially) have a huge language explosion right around 2 years old. So maybe something is right around the corner.

I don't know, DS was an early talker but has other issues that sound similar to your DS... For ex., my DS won't wave, respond, interact, dance, participate, play, etc. and it's really hard for me to see because I KNOW he wants to be involved but something is holding him back. A friend commented the other day how "calm, quiet, & well-behaved" my DS is, and it was kind of painful to hear because that's not how he really is -- he just shuts down around other people & can't function, and the whole time we were out that day I'd been holding back tears because he wouldn't do anything but sit in my lap, and I wanted him to play & have fun. And even though he has really advanced communication skills, he will just stare at anyone who tries to talk to him. I know that is still different than dealing with the day-to-day frustrations of a toddler that won't talk, so I'm not pretending to totally understand, but I can empathize a bit with some of what you said. I hope things all just 'click' soon for him!

[sapphire_chan]

Speaking later is one thing, losing every word and regressing to only babbling is a totally different thing. Does the speech therapist know that he's had a loss of language? Or does she think she's just working with a late talker?

Honestly, if I were you, I'd take him in to get a hearing screen, check for physical reasons forming words could be difficult, that sort of thing.

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by Valuableval 

 Some kids do wait a long time to speak for whatever reason.  I think it is a great sign that your child likes to be read to and would continue that.  It is hard not to blame ourselves when our culture is so shaming of parents and competition and comparision is so rampant.  Trust your instincts.  If you think something is wrong, take action.  You do know best.  If your instinct says it's just your child developing skills in a different way then dont frett.  Children develop at different speeds and have different interests.  Who knows, some kids just start talking in phrases and sentences...trust yourself.   Keep reading those stories!  Speech therapy can't hurt and I have heard that it was very helpful for many children.  Patience...don't worry about what others think...don't worry about the AAP...you are doing an amazing job.  Focus on what is of interest to your child and what your child is doing right and well.  Honor him for who he is just as he is now! 

Yes, its possible he is just storing it all up until he can get it just right, but I dunno.  I suppose that is the kind of thing one can only know in retrospect.  Until then I am left wondering if something is wrong.

Thank you for your kind words.

Originally Posted by tinybutterfly 

Ds#1 didn't talk much, didn't use sentences or phrases really until he was 3 1/2. I was worried. Turns out he is very, very smart. He was just slow to start talking.

But if you are worried, have him evaluated.

It is great that your son loves being read to and that his other communication skills are terrific.

I am sorry you are feeling frustrated.

I'm not sure who else I could have him evaluated by?  The EI people tested for a whole bunch of stuff and found him massively advanced in everything except spoken language.  They were not even sure they were going to be able to approve him for therapy because of that, but I guess he squeeked through because his spoken language is so delayed it tipped the averages enough.

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy 

Can you request a different speech therapist? Or at least that the current one use a different approach? Have you talked to your EI service coordinator about this? It sounds really frustrating.

I keep hearing that many kids (boys, especially) have a huge language explosion right around 2 years old. So maybe something is right around the corner.

I don't know, DS was an early talker but has other issues that sound similar to your DS... For ex., my DS won't wave, respond, interact, dance, participate, play, etc. and it's really hard for me to see because I KNOW he wants to be involved but something is holding him back. A friend commented the other day how "calm, quiet, & well-behaved" my DS is, and it was kind of painful to hear because that's not how he really is -- he just shuts down around other people & can't function, and the whole time we were out that day I'd been holding back tears because he wouldn't do anything but sit in my lap, and I wanted him to play & have fun. And even though he has really advanced communication skills, he will just stare at anyone who tries to talk to him. I know that is still different than dealing with the day-to-day frustrations of a toddler that won't talk, so I'm not pretending to totally understand, but I can empathize a bit with some of what you said. I hope things all just 'click' soon for him!

Unfortunately I don't think I can request another therapist just yet...I'm supposed to "give it time".  He has only been to, gosh, eight sessions or so?  So two months, although it may be a few more than that.  He gets the equivalent of an IEP meeting after six months to reassess his treatment plan.

Your son here sounds just like mine!!  Oh my goodness, yes, he just shuts down when he is around lots of people, and in one recent case the stress of it made him vomit for two days (we were visiting family 2000 miles away, and as soon as we got home he stopped throwing up).  I find it sad too, but mostly because both DH and I are pretty shy/socially awkward people and I really, really hope that DS does not end up with that.  Poor kid.

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan 

Speaking later is one thing, losing every word and regressing to only babbling is a totally different thing. Does the speech therapist know that he's had a loss of language? Or does she think she's just working with a late talker?

Honestly, if I were you, I'd take him in to get a hearing screen, check for physical reasons forming words could be difficult, that sort of thing.

Yes, I have decided to get the hearing screen done. He can hear noises very well but that does not mean he can hear nuanced sound.  I am hoping I don't need to go rounds with the dr. to get a referral...

The speech lady knows that he used to say things and now he does not.  She is of the opinion that DS is just being a perfectionist, and doesn't want to make mistakes.  He is a bit of a perfectionist in other areas, and is very meticulous and deliberate when he plays (likes to line things up just right for example) and really hates it when you try to show him how to do something.  He also is very sensitive to criticism and will cry if he thinks you are berating him for making a mistake...which is a BIG deal because he doesn't cry much.  It is possible that these behaviors are related to his lack of speech, but I would certainly feel better knowing that he can at least properly hear what is being said to him.

He is getting old enough now that he is starting to want to communicate more complex ideas and I don't always know what he is getting at.  This frustrates him...which is good I hope. 

So for now the running joke is that one day he is going to bust out with "Mother, I would like some pancakes with berries for breakfast please."  and we're all going to be like . 

[insidevoice]

I'm about a year ahead of you with a very similar kid.  I did eventually stop speech therapy- at least for a while because it was counterproductive.  He hated it so much whenever we got in the car he would cry until he could tell we were going a different direction. 

He is still very very quiet in a group or public setting, but at home I can get a number of words/emergent language from him.  It is not very clear, and while we have done some hearing tests, we have not sedated him to make sure he is processing things clearly- and that may well be an issue, but it's a heck of a battle to get it considered when he passes booth tests with flying colors.  I just did his EI to school district transition process and they tested him all over again.  His scores were crazy low because everything was so verbally weighted.  They assessed his iq at 78- and the reality is that he's a very smart kid who just does not interact the way people want  him to when they test him, so it makes it really hard.  On the upside, he qualifies for services still. On the downside, I am tired of feeling like I always have to explain. 

Over the past three months (since I pulled him from speech, actually though I think that is more a coincidence than anything else) his language has really taken off.  He asks for a cracker, he wants a snack, he will call out his sisters very long name, he says sister, brother, dog, the dog's name, cat, the cat's name, love you, ball, kite, drink, computer- there are a multitude more.  They are not always terribly clear, but they are very much there and he is having fun and playing with words and sounds. 

We are making progress, but i totally understand the frustration and concern. 

[anjsmama]

My DS is almost 33 months. At 2 years he didn't have any words. I guess he sort of said mom & dad, and ball, and truck, but that's about it, and they weren't 100% recognizable. Like you said, sometimes he'd start to say things, and then just stop again. He did not like to be pushed into talking (asked to repeat, etc). He was VERY observant and absorbent. At 2 years, he could follow 3 or 4 step instructions. His pedi told us his language development was normal so long as he was comprehending well and COMMUNICATING well (pointing, babbling, making eye contact, etc). Everyone kept telling me he'd just blow up one day and I can tell you that at 30 months I was not believing it. I was freaking out constantly at the fact that my 2.5 year old child was NOT speaking! And then, he started speaking. My DD arrived and he was so curious, he just started asking questions out loud. He started saying words. Like, hundreds of words in a matter of weeks. And just a few weeks after he started saying words, he started speaking in full, connected, easy-to-decipher sentences. All of a sudden I feel more like the "Please give Mom one moment of quiet" parent than the "Please tell Mom one word"! 

Language explosions are real, they happen, and they happen easily when a child UNDERSTANDS language well and can make normal sounds, even if they're not saying words yet. It's coming Mama!

I understand this frustration! So sorry you're having this issue.

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by anjsmama 

My DS is almost 33 months. At 2 years he didn't have any words. I guess he sort of said mom & dad, and ball, and truck, but that's about it, and they weren't 100% recognizable. Like you said, sometimes he'd start to say things, and then just stop again. He did not like to be pushed into talking (asked to repeat, etc). He was VERY observant and absorbent. At 2 years, he could follow 3 or 4 step instructions. His pedi told us his language development was normal so long as he was comprehending well and COMMUNICATING well (pointing, babbling, making eye contact, etc). Everyone kept telling me he'd just blow up one day and I can tell you that at 30 months I was not believing it. I was freaking out constantly at the fact that my 2.5 year old child was NOT speaking! And then, he started speaking. My DD arrived and he was so curious, he just started asking questions out loud. He started saying words. Like, hundreds of words in a matter of weeks. And just a few weeks after he started saying words, he started speaking in full, connected, easy-to-decipher sentences. All of a sudden I feel more like the "Please give Mom one moment of quiet" parent than the "Please tell Mom one word"! 

Language explosions are real, they happen, and they happen easily when a child UNDERSTANDS language well and can make normal sounds, even if they're not saying words yet. It's coming Mama!

I understand this frustration! So sorry you're having this issue.

Thank you both.

[creddy]

I'll admit I didn't read all responses in full, just skimmed.  But thought I'd share my son's experience in brief since he sounds similar to your son.  

By your son's age, he had discovered some words but seemed to 'lose' them or chose not to use them, signed a couple things like Done and More, babbled a bit but not much.  And similarly, in public situations he was perfectly happy to just observe and analyze everything and everyone's behaviors but didn't clap (even though he could), wouldn't dance (even though he could).  He wasn't "shy" -- didn't hide behind me, etc.  Just didn't want to do what everyone else was doing when they were doing it.

By 23months he had spoken about 22 words, didn't actually employ more than Mama, Dada, Ball, Uh-oh, No, etc.  I actually had began counting cause I knew his 2yr check up was coming up and he rarely "spoke" more than some babble and imitation of inflections.  He liked being sung to, and being read to. But LOOOOOVVED anything physical -- running, climbing, stacking, lining things up, playing with balls, sticks as swords,golf clubs, you name it, had great balance, and was super coordinated physically.  The verbal "lag" about drove me batty.   All his PEDs, all my mom friends, and my sister (who has 5) said to just wait it out and only 'worry' past 30mths.

Then, like MANNNY moms had told me, he had an explosion of speech and started "getting it."  By his 2yr b-day he had 64 words and used all of them.  It seemed to just click all of a sudden.   Now at 25mths, he's trying to say anything and everything, and in the car today he said "Dada, No take ball" when my hubby was playfully teasing him that he was gonna take his ball :-)

They DO 'get it' eventually.  As long as you have done your due diligence as a mom with testing him, etc ALL you can do is try to be patient and understanding.  (And who cares what other people think when he looks at them blankly!)  Reading "rhyming" words to him helped I think, so he could hear all the similar sounds words could have.  And he's always watched the "Leap Frog Letter Factory" so he started to realize that's what words were really about!!  But best wishes, and post about his progress as it happens (it will!)

[APToddlerMama]

I was in this same spot with DS about a year ago and it was really nerve wracking and stressful and sad for me.  The loss of words is a red flag for an autism spectrum disorder.  I don't want to scare you, but you should know.  A red flag is just that...a red flag.  Not a sure sign that your son has an autism spectrum disorder, but you might want to x post this on the special needs boards for more input.  There are mamas on there who can link some pretty simple ASD checklists for you that can either suggest you should have further evaluation or give you some peace of mind. 

That said, on my DSs second birthday, he was saying exactly three words, one of which he had just learned.  He recently turned three and is talking non-stop.  At two, his receptive language was also on track, like your son.  At that point, we suspected either Apraxia or an ASD.  We ended up being so terrified of an ASD that we decided to do a gluten-free, casein-free diet (plus a few other things) with him, and it made a huge major difference for him.  We also added a very specific fish oil supplement suggested for kids with apraxia and that also made a huge difference.  He has now gained 30 months of language skills in a 12 month span, per EI testing.  I have posted a very similar reply to another mom on this board and she was really angry at me for even suggesting an autism spectrum disorder.  This was also on the "toddlers" forum and not the special needs forum where it seems people are much more likely to give you a he's-just-a-late-talker-relax-everything-will-be-fine response compared with the SN forum where many more of us have been in the situation of it maybe not having turned out to be that we just had a late talker. I know for a fact that I didn't just have a late talker.  I had a kiddo who needed something, in his case the dietary changes, to be able to meet his potential.  I had worked in EI myself and like you, was already doing every last thing the speech therapist was suggesting.  It wasn't working.  There wasn't anything I could say to him to make him start talking.  Dietary changes also made a huge difference in his social interactions.  We went through a period of time where I would have to hold him back at playgroups because the one and only thing he wanted to do was go and hit other kids.  He wouldn't interact with them in any other way.  Diet changed all that too. 

Good luck mama... My story isn't necessarily going to be yours, but maybe you will find some similarities that can help you. 

[lifeguard]

At ds' second birthday he only had a few words & rarely put two together. Now he is 2.5 & speaks very clearly & full sentences. He can tell stories & repeats EVERYTHING. I all came together very quickly. I know it can be frustrating to be patient.

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by APToddlerMama 

I was in this same spot with DS about a year ago and it was really nerve wracking and stressful and sad for me.  The loss of words is a red flag for an autism spectrum disorder.  I don't want to scare you, but you should know.  A red flag is just that...a red flag.  Not a sure sign that your son has an autism spectrum disorder, but you might want to x post this on the special needs boards for more input.  There are mamas on there who can link some pretty simple ASD checklists for you that can either suggest you should have further evaluation or give you some peace of mind. 

That said, on my DSs second birthday, he was saying exactly three words, one of which he had just learned.  He recently turned three and is talking non-stop.  At two, his receptive language was also on track, like your son.  At that point, we suspected either Apraxia or an ASD.  We ended up being so terrified of an ASD that we decided to do a gluten-free, casein-free diet (plus a few other things) with him, and it made a huge major difference for him.  We also added a very specific fish oil supplement suggested for kids with apraxia and that also made a huge difference.  He has now gained 30 months of language skills in a 12 month span, per EI testing.  I have posted a very similar reply to another mom on this board and she was really angry at me for even suggesting an autism spectrum disorder.  This was also on the "toddlers" forum and not the special needs forum where it seems people are much more likely to give you a he's-just-a-late-talker-relax-everything-will-be-fine response compared with the SN forum where many more of us have been in the situation of it maybe not having turned out to be that we just had a late talker. I know for a fact that I didn't just have a late talker.  I had a kiddo who needed something, in his case the dietary changes, to be able to meet his potential.  I had worked in EI myself and like you, was already doing every last thing the speech therapist was suggesting.  It wasn't working.  There wasn't anything I could say to him to make him start talking.  Dietary changes also made a huge difference in his social interactions.  We went through a period of time where I would have to hold him back at playgroups because the one and only thing he wanted to do was go and hit other kids.  He wouldn't interact with them in any other way.  Diet changed all that too. 

Good luck mama... My story isn't necessarily going to be yours, but maybe you will find some similarities that can help you. 

Yes!  I forgot to add that the gluten free thing did have a big impact for us.  We tried Casein free, but that didn't seem to do much. 

What's the fish oil supplement you are using?  I am intrigued... 

[ShwarmaQueen]

I've had two late speakers too. DD didn't make recognizable words until she was 2ish, and phrases until she was 3. DS seems to be following that pattern. We are workign with ECI as well and the lady told me to teach him sign language, and actually, the few signs that I've taught him have really helped! He tells me he wants to eat, he wants to drink, and we are working on "Give me". She says it helps some kids to move toward speaking.

[elmh23]

EI didn't refer you for a hearing screen right off the bat?  When we started (ds1 was 16 months and not making any noise, including crying) that was the first step and it continues to be a yearly test just to make sure.

Also, I agree that sign language was our saving grace.  Ds1 now talks a lot but is still in for articulation (he's 4 now, we're almost to our 3 year anniversary) but I still resort to sign for some things.  Also, asking him to point to what he wants.  Ds1 wouldn't do it, but my others would when they didn't have the language skills.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by creddy 

I'll admit I didn't read all responses in full, just skimmed.  But thought I'd share my son's experience in brief since he sounds similar to your son.  

By your son's age, he had discovered some words but seemed to 'lose' them or chose not to use them, signed a couple things like Done and More, babbled a bit but not much.  And similarly, in public situations he was perfectly happy to just observe and analyze everything and everyone's behaviors but didn't clap (even though he could), wouldn't dance (even though he could).  He wasn't "shy" -- didn't hide behind me, etc.  Just didn't want to do what everyone else was doing when they were doing it.

By 23months he had spoken about 22 words, didn't actually employ more than Mama, Dada, Ball, Uh-oh, No, etc.  I actually had began counting cause I knew his 2yr check up was coming up and he rarely "spoke" more than some babble and imitation of inflections.  He liked being sung to, and being read to. But LOOOOOVVED anything physical -- running, climbing, stacking, lining things up, playing with balls, sticks as swords,golf clubs, you name it, had great balance, and was super coordinated physically.  The verbal "lag" about drove me batty.   All his PEDs, all my mom friends, and my sister (who has 5) said to just wait it out and only 'worry' past 30mths.

Then, like MANNNY moms had told me, he had an explosion of speech and started "getting it."  By his 2yr b-day he had 64 words and used all of them.  It seemed to just click all of a sudden.   Now at 25mths, he's trying to say anything and everything, and in the car today he said "Dada, No take ball" when my hubby was playfully teasing him that he was gonna take his ball :-)

They DO 'get it' eventually.  As long as you have done your due diligence as a mom with testing him, etc ALL you can do is try to be patient and understanding.  (And who cares what other people think when he looks at them blankly!)  Reading "rhyming" words to him helped I think, so he could hear all the similar sounds words could have.  And he's always watched the "Leap Frog Letter Factory" so he started to realize that's what words were really about!!  But best wishes, and post about his progress as it happens (it will!)

I'm really glad to read about your experience with a child who just decided not to use the words he had for awhile. I hope (and think there's a really good chance) that the same thing is going on with Chamomile Girl's ds!

With dd, signing really helped. She had like 5 words that were said "ba!" but because they had different signs I was able to tell what she was talking about and give verbal feedback "ba!" "here's your red ball." "ba!" "Which book do you want?" that kind of thing.
 

[ElliesMomma]

IMHO, OP: you are doing all you can already. now, why don't you try to just relax about it and see what the next few months hold. if you're sure there's nothing wrong with your kid already, he's probably just a late talker.

Edited by ElliesMomma - 5/28/11 at 10:03pm

[DangerMom]

My son, who turned two in January, sounds a lot like yours, Chamomile Girl. I wasn't worried and wasn't worried -- figured he'd start talking when he was damn good and ready, but now everyone saying I should be worried is kind of getting to me, if I'm honest. He is very expressive, uses a mix of ASL and his own signs (only a small handful, though), "sings" and babbles, and says Mommy and Daddy, but nope, he isn't talking. He will try out a word for a day or two and never return to it, almost as if he's tried it and is done with it. 

I guess I'm more eager/impatient than worried. I wish we could talk to each other, you know? I'll be contacting Early Intervention soon, I think. Our pediatrician says it's hard at his age to tell whether to be worried or not, because although he is on the late side, there is a lot of variation in speech development. 

So anyway, I don't have advice, just commiseration. 

[Amy M]

Hi,  I'm sorry your having a tough time with your little one!  It is so frustrating when you want to communicate with them and they don't/won't.  First off don't stress so much. I know it's hard but they can pick up on stress or differences and if he is anything like my son he will shut down.  My son spoke but was practically unintelligible until he was almost 4, after awhile he stopped talking to anyone but me and dad and I truly believe he knew people had trouble understanding him.  He is HUGELY shy and had to watch his gym class for two weeks before he would participate and it still takes him about 5 min. each week before he goes in.  He has just started to talk to people out in the world now at 4.5 and is much more comfortable. This is after a year of speech, and continuous interactions through babysitting, gym class, trips to the store, etc.   I kept him in speech (and I am studying to be an SLP)  I know it looks like games and play but it is still communication and unless he hates it or you are really concerned about the therapist I would keep going.  I would also try signing or picture vocabulary to cut down on the frustration on both ends.  A picture vocab would be a picture of a juice/ sandwich/ book etc- if he points or signs then you can say something like "you would like a juice, then you can say juice please, here mommy is getting your red juice, would you like a blue glass or red glass?"  etc.  It sounds like you already do this and if he is fine physically and has no other delays then you are probably right and one day he will walk up to the neighbor and give them a 5 minute lecture on the butterfly he just saw  

Maybe when you are out in public just tell people he is shy,  I would respond for my son and he is just starting to respond for himself now.  If someone says I like your dino shirt I would tap his shirt and say "Oh M say thank you they really like your cool shirt"  stuff like that.  He woulds't say thank you himself but he heard the appropriate response and was not being told that he was unable to respond.

I'm sorry, I know it's tough!  It sounds like you are an awesome mommy!      

[NZJMama]

I am an EI provider and I wanted to let you know that you absolutely have a right to request a different speech therapist before his IEP. You just need to contact your case coordinator. They may give you a hard time, but it is your right. You can also request a hearing test. It is unrealistic to expect him to make progress if there is a primary issue with hearing.  I too would be more concerned about the regression in his language development than the actual language delay. Don't hesitate to ask his speech therapist about this again. Like the PP said, it can be a red flag for autism spectrum disorders. I don't say that to freak you out, only to help you have the info you need to be your son's best advocate. Unfortunately, the quality of EI programs varies greatly, even within the same state, so you must be on your A game to get him the best care out there. If it is a possibility for you financially, you could look into getting him evaluated by a private speech therapist. Contact your local children's hospital or your pediatrician for info and recommendations. A second opinion may give you the reassurance you need (it took 4 opinions for me to feel confident that everything would be okay with my own son). I hope that he is just a late talker and you will see the coveted language explosion soon, but it is always better to be on the safe side and be relieved that you overreacted than to be kicking yourself for not doing something sooner.

Also does your speech therapist have children? I know it sounds crazy, but I have found that the best providers I know have kids of their own and are therefore able to relate to you as a parent better. Instead of treating you as though they know more about your child than you do.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions.