when to be concerned about speech?

[luvmyfam444]

My MIL told dh last weekend that dd needs to be in speech - right away because strangers can't understand 90% of what she says. DD will be 4 this month. Of course we understand everything she says - but MIL said its cause we're used to her. I've been in the last trying hard NOT to understand what she says - or to listen & see if I'm asking her to repeat herself 'cause shes difficult to understand or 'cause I wasn't listening (which is often the case -lol)

What I looked at online - only 1 site - said to not be concerned yet - because she forms all her words (with consanants - but be concerned if she said "a" for cat -that kinda thing)

She talks in complete sentences - actually almost stories - LOL but she can talk fast if she's got something on her mind & you may or may not catch it all unless you slow her down (talk with her)

Anyway - I just wanted to hear opinions - of course I know you can't diagnose her without hearing her -

MIL also made sure to stress that DH was in speech for 5yrs as a kid & if we started her now the state or school system would pick it up.

BTW -of course I don't know what dh sounded like as a kid - but I know he still has a speech impediment - but its due to his teeth

 

[puffkin]

If other people seem to be having difficulty understanding her, I would definitely get her evaluated. In most states it is free and it is really fun for the kids (play based).

My DS4 was in speech therapy for a year (2-3) and it made a world of difference. He no longer needs it. Most of the kids in his preschool speak very well and quite clear. I think by age 4 if people are having trouble understanding her then you should definitely get a professional opinion. Most speech issues are very easy to correct the younger you start...and 4 is pretty old to just be starting if she really does have an issue.

 

[happygirl]

My MIL told dh last weekend that dd needs to be in speech - right away because strangers can't understand 90% of what she says. DD will be 4 this month. Of course we understand everything she says - but MIL said its cause we're used to her. I've been in the last trying hard NOT to understand what she says - or to listen & see if I'm asking her to repeat herself 'cause shes difficult to understand or 'cause I wasn't listening (which is often the case -lol)

What I looked at online - only 1 site - said to not be concerned yet - because she forms all her words (with consanants - but be concerned if she said "a" for cat -that kinda thing)

She talks in complete sentences - actually almost stories - LOL but she can talk fast if she's got something on her mind & you may or may not catch it all unless you slow her down (talk with her)

Anyway - I just wanted to hear opinions - of course I know you can't diagnose her without hearing her -

MIL also made sure to stress that DH was in speech for 5yrs as a kid & if we started her now the state or school system would pick it up.

BTW -of course I don't know what dh sounded like as a kid - but I know he still has a speech impediment - but its due to his teeth

I don't see what it could hurt to get her looked at.

 

[simonsmom]

my twins were in speech therapy at 18 months. it was a wonderful thing

 

[lustergirl]

My son was the same way when he around 3 or 4 years old. Once he went to kindergarten he was fine though- good luck!!

 

[tw1nsmom]

At 4 years old, strangers should be able to understand, at minimum, 80% of what your DD says. Your MIL is right. The school district will have to pay for an evaluation and for speech therapy if she qualifies. What you need to do is contact your school's special education office and find out who your Preschool Special Education Committee Chairperson is. Then you need to put in writing that you are referring your DD for a speech evaluation. You can have your doctor write the referral, but legally a parental referral holds the same weight. There are forms you'll need to fill out and they may wish/need to administer a full educational evaluation. After that is complete they will hold a meeting to determine your DD's eligibility and what services she'll receive.

 

[portocall]

As someone who needed many years of speech therapy, I was hypersensitive to this issue with my kids. Two of the three were still difficult for others to understand at the age of 4 but by 5 had no trouble whatsoever. It wouldn't hurt to ask your pediatrician what s/he thinks, as they can point you in the right direction.

My mom was concerned too, but living 600 miles away, she only heard them through the telephone and it is hard to talk to little ones that way and understand them.

 

[asta]

Both of my children needed speech therapy when they were 4 years old. The best advice came from one of their pre-school teachers. She said that when a child is hard to understand the other children tend not to play with or include that child. This isn't really done out of being mean, just that young children will usually take the easier path and want to include those who are easier to play with. This made sense to me and we started a year long therapy that paid off with great results.

If it helps any, the therapist pointed out that my daughter had certain hard sounds (such as 'l' or 'th') that she was anxious about pronouncing. On a subconcious level she always placed this sounds at the beginning of a word that incuded these sounds. Knowing that a hard sound was coming she wanted to get it over with first. It is amazing how the brain processes things and how fast speech is processed in even a very young brain.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I would screen early on because of a DF's experience. Her DD was very bright but struggling with speech. When she was finally tested at 4 they discovered the fluid in her ears from her allergies were making the kid nearly deaf. This meant she wasn't hearing properly, which meant she couldn't enunciate properly either. Apparently after the age of 4 a hearing problem can cause permanent speech trouble... I'm no Dr. this is what DF said the Dr told her.

When my DS was in Kindergarten he completely failed his 1st hearing test. Same thing, fluid in his ears due to allergies. I felt so bad because he kept getting put in time out because I thought he was being defiant

Even if it isn't linked to something physical I would get her help ASAP. My niece is in Kindergarten and has some speech issues. They told SIL to get help in pre-school but she refused because she thought they were making a big deal out of nothing. Unfortunately, kids are harsh and her speech troubles seem to be causing social trouble too. She sounds kind of babyish, which isn't terrible, but the other kids & adults do notice and tend to treat her like a baby which is sad. Now SIL is playing catch up, it would have been better if she did it ahead of school. I think it is easier to help kids modify behaviors before they have other things to worry about.

 

[Becky2005]

It doesn't hurt to get it checked out. You can call the school district and ask for a screening.

IF at the screening it's determined that there might be more there, they will do a full evaluation.

It's really not that big of a deal and so much easier to correct if you get them in early.

My boys have all had speech therapy. The last one mostly because since he was learning to talk, unfortunately, he picked up his big brothers articulation errors. DH had a hard time understanding the oldest boy but I could pick it up. Not being around a bunch of 3 year olds, I had no idea if it was normal or not. He ended up in preschool & toward the end of the year the teacher asked me if we had a hard time understanding him.

He started speech therapy the next year at 4 and graduated out of it by middle of 1st grade. He's 13 now & you would never know he had speech therapy and was so hard to understand when he was little.

The 9 year old is the one that is taking the longest and I have a hunch will be in speech for many more years. Articulation and when he gets talking fast, his speech becomes mumbled.

The 6 year old started had an evaluation right when he turned 3 but that's because we were watching him closer & I could "hear" the errors because I knew what to be listening for. His last evaluation they are dropping his time in 1/2 for speech therapy because he's been progressing well. I have a hunch by next year he might be done.

 

[puffkin]

Even if it isn't linked to something physical I would get her help ASAP. My niece is in Kindergarten and has some speech issues. They told SIL to get help in pre-school but she refused because she thought they were making a big deal out of nothing. Unfortunately, kids are harsh and her speech troubles seem to be causing social trouble too. She sounds kind of babyish, which isn't terrible, but the other kids & adults do notice and tend to treat her like a baby which is sad. Now SIL is playing catch up, it would have been better if she did it ahead of school. I think it is easier to help kids modify behaviors before they have other things to worry about.

Exactly what happened with my niece. Everyone thought it was cute and she didn't get help until school. She is still struggling 5 years later. It made us hypersensitive to DS's speech progression. We are so glad we took care of his speech issues at age 2 rather than at age 5! Through therapy and speaking with his doctors we too discovered his allergies (and fluid in the ear) were causing him added difficulties. A daily dose of Zyrtec made a huge difference!

 

[merekc]

Call your school district and ask what your state's policy is and if she could be evaluated. In our state at age 3 speech care turns over to the district. Prior to that it was a state ran program.

However, in my experience the school district didn't think the speech problem was significant and said he was in line with his peers at age 3. After he was evaluated by two seemingly recent college grads. Even though the state speech pathologist he'd been working with said he needed to continue and he has hearing loss.

When he got to Kindergarten the district finally felt he qualified and he's been in speech ever since. I think they were more concerned with their budget than his needs prior to being in school. I'm still resentful of them denying him help so that he lost 2 years of speech.

Hopefully your situation is better. I do know many kids in our area getting speech during that 3-5 year range before school.

 

[castleview]

Call the speech therapist at her future school and asked to have her screened - NOT evaluated (they have to bring in the state for that and it's a bureaucratic nightmare). I did this when DD was three or four. They'll either tell you not to worry, give you some exercises to do with your child, or lead you to speech classes.

 

[Pixiedust34]

It's a win/win situation to her speech evaluated. If everything is OK, you'll have peace of mind. If everything is not OK, you can get her the therapy she needs.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I would get her evaluated. From what I heard from the kiddos in my class its a lot of fun in speech class. One little boy was evaluated as per his mom's request (he wasn't sounding out his Rs fully, but everyone understood him). The speech teacher said he would not need speech after the 1st evaluation, it was just a childhood type of thing he would grow out of. The next day he asked me if he was going to that teacher again, he had so much fun with her
Little cuties they are in Kindergarten.
And I agree with what Pixiedust said.

 

[Crystal0608]

DS was evaluated and started speech at school when he was 3.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Speak to her doctor and get their advice. My DD was the same way at 4. She went to part-time pre-school but she mumbled because my DH mumbles and he's the stay at home parent. Doctor said to wait until she started school full time and see how she was doing a few months in.
Her speech cleared almost immediately. She was evaluated by the school when she started, as were all children, and she was borderline. Next year she was re-evaluated and she passed with flying colors. She's 10 now and won't shut up! And no one has any problem understanding her.

Good luck with your DD and whatever you decide to do.

 

[Myothername]

DS had some difficulties when he was small. Could not say his R's, L's and had a lisp. It was cute though. His ENT said these were the most common speech problems and he would outgrow it. In 1st grade his teacher suggested he be screened and he started speech. The problem with the Rs and Ls cleared up within a few weeks. It was not until he got his braces off in high school that the lisp went away. The speech therapist finally gave up on it when he was in about the 3rd grade and told us this would happen. It was not a bad lisp and no one really noticed it because he always had talked that way.

I would at least have her pediatrician look at it. It could be her hearing or it could just be she is 4.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My MIL told dh last weekend that dd needs to be in speech - right away because strangers can't understand 90% of what she says.

While I'm not going to offer an opinion on speech therapy one way or another - except to say there are many good ones already in this thread - I would be interested in knowing who these strangers are? Do they actually exist? Are they elderly (really elderly, not just percieved elderly ) persons who might have hearing impairments and who may not understand everything your daughter is saying because of her speed? Are they store employees who, perhaps, can't hear her (different from not understanding what she's saying) because she's shorter than the counter? Do they even actually exist, or could your MIL actually simply be projecting her son's childhood speech problems on your child? Could the 'strangers' actually BE your mother-in-law, and she just doesn't want to admit she can't understand (or hear) what your daughter's saying?

 

[Arielle22]

My nephew is 4 and is easy to understand. I see him a few times a month and other then when he talks fast I can understand him 100%

My dd14 has issues as a child. She was screened but ultimately it was decided her problem was being tough tied. She could not say "s". The tough tie was removed and now you can't tell she ever had a problem.