My Two Year Old S Speech

Relax! You have just described my 2 year old grandson. At first we were concerned (especially since his older brother was speaking clearly by now and had a large vocabulary). He is finally starting to speak more and more though not as clearly yet as we would like. There is nothing wrong. He will speak clearly at HIS time.

First of all, I think comparing our children to other children is a BIG mistake. All it does is cause undue worry! ;) Also, is he not talking as well as girls or other boys his age ... and exactly his age, or even a few months older. You have to remember that even a month or two at age two or three makes a HUGE difference in what they are doing! ;) And, girls are (typically) much more verbal earlier on. My son was different ... he was VERY verbal from very early on (but his little sister is proving not to be so much). But, then I worried about his motor skills, which seemed behind other children his age. Then, I realized that children are different, they progress in different areas at different rates ... and all I was doing worrying and comparing him to other children was driving me crazy! ;) If you have concerns, talk to his doctor. But, if he's talking at all at 2, I'm sure he's fine. He may be doing other things better than kids his age, too. Don't worry, and don't worry yourself by comparing him too much to other children. Best of luck!

My now 4 yr old was the same way. He is the 3rd child. His sister was a talk-a-holic.

The doctor told me that he would develop his speech more if his sister quit trying to take care of him for me. So we had to curb her wanting to talk for him. And we did that by explaining to her that he couldn't grow up if she didn't let him.

My father put it this way "He doesn't say much because everything is ok... when things aren't ok, he'll talk".

Now he talks a mile a minute. They all develop at their own pace. I have been in your shoes with worry about speech.. he will do fine.

Does he understand you when you speak to him, and can he follow commands and instructions? If not, I would ask the pediatrician to do a hearing test just to make sure that there isn't a problem, such as fluid in the ears or some kind of blockage. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Kids all develop at their own rate. You may just have a strong, silent type... an observer... :)

Hello M.,
have you tried bringing him to The Learning Lab and having him tested? my daughter was a talker early but there were other areas i had concerns about and over all the years, all her tests were just fine. but a mother knows when something isn't right for her child. I took my now 12 year old daughter there and through a few tests, (they were wonderful with her and the other children there by the way), they finally uncovered the area that
i'd known about since she was two. trust your instincts. doctors tests are usually very general and don't go anywhere near into the deeper workings of the brain re: speech and language. my daughter is very smart and created many coping mechanisms to deal with it but i wish i found the learning lab when she was two! they're in Brentwood, TN and can probably recommend a place where you live. Lynn Robertson who they referred us to, also in Brentwood was wonderful as well.
all the best to you!

I am a Special Education teacher and know that your son could be evaluated through the state. I don't know what your state calls it but we call it Head Start here in NC. Your son is so lucky to have an observant parent who is concerned about his development. In my line of work I encounter a lot of parents who don't care. Good Luck!

Hey M.!
If you have concerns, I bet you could get him evaluated through your state early intervention program. You can call your pediatrician for the number. If nothing else, it might ease your mind. I dont typically like to stereotype, but little boys tend to develop speech a little slower than girls. I am a speech therapist and the majority of my caseload has always been boys. This is not to discount your concerns. Through the early intervention program you will also have the opportunity to have his hearing tested as well (like others have recommended in their posts.) In my experience it is best to address this as early as you can. It sometimes leads to frustration and mild behavioral issues for some children due to their inability to communicate. Feel free to link to a developmental milestone list from my website and see if you can find some useful information.
Good luck.
J. M.
www.jennifermcveyslp.com

Even if you don't suspect anything's wrong, have you thought about having the state test him? There are free services available (if he meets the criteria) as long as he is assessed before age 3. I'm trying to get my 17-month old into the system and the only concern is delayed speech.

M., have you considered having your sons hearing tested? My grandson had a speech problem and it ended up being his hearing that was the problem. I would ask your Pediatrician to recommend you to an Ears, Nose, and Throat Specialist.

M.,

My son just turned 5 and I was told by his teacher that he has a speech problem. He is hard to understand, well to everyone but me. But then again, I understand that I am with him all the time and have no problems understanding him mainly because I recognize what he is trying to say. Your son is only 2 and mine hardly talked at all at age 2. Now he won't shut up... haha!! I agree that comparing him to other children his age is not a good idea. Give him time and let him learn at his own pace. My Zachary is only going through speech therapy now so it will help him in his school work. Working so far!

I don't know how often you read to your child but I was told that if you read to them for 15 minutes everyday that helps them develop their speech better too! We have started to do that now too and I've noticed an improvement in his vocabulary! Just my two cents!! Have a great day!!

C.