Vent: 2yo DS STILL not saying any words

eshaffer

All I hear is "he's fine, he'll talk when he's ready," but I still can't help to freak out about it. It drives me INSANE.  He does all of his communicating by signing his own sign language, gesturing, and grunting. He babbles all day long, but he still doesn't even use Mama and Dada when speaking to us, just in babbling. He's been in ST since 18 months, w/ little progress. Yesterday at the park he heard a bird and he got so excited, and he started squealing and grunting, and he was making this motion with his hands where his index finger and thumb were touching (almost like a bird's beak.) He gets his point across, and his ST says it will come as well, but I can't help but to worry.

He'll be ok, right?

katie277s

He'll be okay.  I can understand you are frustrated.  Go with your instincts.  If you feel something is wrong, get a second opinion with another ST. 

KrisBriMcBunny

are you giving him what he wants when he grunts and points?  If so stop...my friend is going thru the same thing and her mother told her to stop giving him what he wants when he points and make him say the word....especially if its an easy word that he should know like milk or crackers ect.

JMO (just my observation)

JOEBunny

My neighbors son did that until 3 and he is about to graduate from high school.  He will be ok.  Assuming you have done all the right things, like had his hearing checked, talked to the ped, ect.  you may just need some patiences, which is hard to have.  I feel the same way about my DD and her lack of growth.

lizlemon77

I'm sorry.  I know that it is extremely frustrating.  I bet you wish you could just reach in there and grab some words out!  What kind of services is he getting from EI?  Maybe it's time to look at his plan again.  Is he in a classroom or does he get services at home?  Maybe they could add a teacher in addition to the ST so that he gets more therapy?

I taught EI for 6 years and I saw so many families with the same struggles that you have.  It's a slow process and that really sucks.  But just remind yourself that you probably don't know any adults that don't talk.  He'll get there.  Keep up the good work of being a great mom!

AnnapolisLari

My mom said that my brother said almost nothing until he was almost 3, and then one day he just started talking in sentences. No intermediate crap for him.

The only word he said for ages was "Goo." So much that his nickname was Googer. I'll bet that he'd love me posting that on a message board. LOL

Flem052204

EShaffer--

Your son reminds me so much of DD.  She was SD'd and started EI at 18 months.  Barely spoke a word as we came up to her 2nd b-day.  I made a post just like this one--very discouraged and looking for sympathy.  Well, everyon was right--DD DID take off in an amazing way.  When she was in the program for 1 year (she was 2.5 yo), they did her annual reassessment.  10 minutes into it, the evaluator said she was blowing the 2yo test away so she sttarted to give DD the 3yo test instead.  DD scored off the charts for that one, also.

When I see your posts--the similarities are so striking between your son's personality and abilities and my DD.  I have a feeling your son is following the same atypical development pattern.  I don't have time to elaborate but I will try to PM you later--it might not be until tionight--we have a full day planned,  If I folrget--please PM me to remind me.

eshaffer

Liz- his ST comes to our house for 1 hour a week. He would completely shut down in a classroom setting I think. He's extremely shy, and when we go to the library or anywhere else with kids, he clings to me and won't go near the other kids. That is also frustrating.

I just feel like he's so smart, why can't he get the words to come out? I just don't want anything to be wrong with him.

eshaffer

Flem- thanks. Can you email me instead?  I don't get the whole PM thing yet, lol.  erinmshaffer@comcast.net

lizlemon77

Does your EI program offer a classroom option?  I know it's different everywhere, but I saw a lot of kids who got services in the classroom and at home.  Unfortunately the language thing seems to affect the socialization part as well.  I try to think of myself going to a foreign country where I don't speak the language.  I would be shy and withdrawn too.  You said that he uses his own signs with you.  Is the ST doing any formal signing with him?  Teaching him specific signs will help him have some structure in the same way that we learn that specific words match specific items.

He'll get there.  And please don't believe for one moment that there is anything "wrong" with your son.  Every kid learns differently and some take more time than others.

eshaffer

Liz- thanks. I tear up a bit just writing about it. I don't think our EI program has classroom options, and I think that would be miserable for him. He does the correct signs for open and thank you. He actually signed thank you when the receptionist at my dr's office gave him stickers last week, lol.  He mostly answers everything by shaking his head yes or no.

PoundCake

My DD has been in EI for a year now.  She finally started turning a corner in December with words.  One of the things they told me to do was if DD pointed at something, to pick it up and put it near my mouth and say the word.  But she had to be making eye contact with me.  And not to give it to her until she made a verbal sound so she knows she had to speak.

She would point at her goldfish crackers and I'd do that and she'd say "ga" and then I'd give them to her.  It was only a few seconds.

EI has helped a lot.