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Questions & Answers - Speech & Language Concerns
My son is eighteen months old and barely talks. He has had numerous
ear infections and now has tubes. At one point, I thought his hearing
was affected, but his hearing was tested in December and it was fine. He
also sucks a pacifier. He has an older brother who does a lot of the
talking for him. He is able to communicate with pointing and grunting,
and we give in to it. Should my son be seen by a specialist?
You were correct in first having his hearing checked. Numerous
ear infections can impact speech development and it is good he has
had tubes placed. The tubes help to clear the fluid from the ear and
help to make sounds and words more clear, which allows the child to
hear and learn the sounds more accurately.
When children have an older sibling, it is common for speech to be
delayed, especially if the older child talks a lot. The older child will
often talk for the younger child when the child wants or needs
something. This can delay the younger child's speech. Several
suggestions for this situation: 1) Try to set aside specific time every
day (15-30 minutes 1 or 2 times a day - or more if possible) when you
can have focused time with your younger child; 2) Interact with your
child in an activity he enjoys, such as playing with a ball or trucks.
Model one word for your child and encourage him to imitate the simple
word. If he is unable to imitate the word, encourage him to produce a
sound related to the activity. Praise him for any sound or attempt he
makes; 3) Encourage your older child to help in "teaching" the younger
child. If the older child is old enough, have him try to help the
younger one make sounds, say simple words or perform oral motor
activities such as sticking out his tongue, blowing raspberries, etc.
You can also explain to the older child that the younger child has his
special times to "talk."
With regard to the pacifier, I would suggest
stopping/reducing the time your child is using it. If your child
is using the pacifier throughout the day, I would suggest
reducing the use to only sleep times, and eventually weaning off
the pacifier altogether. If the child has the pacifier during
wake times, it does hinder speech production and oral motor
movements.
It is very positive that he is pointing to objects/things he
wants. This is a form of communication because he is exchanging
with you. When he points to the object, you should name it and
encourage him to imitate the word/sound. It is very easy to give
the child what he wants without encouraging this, but really
focus on having him make an attempt to "tell" you with a sound,
a head nod (yes/no), a word, or simple sign language.
These are some suggestions for you to try. If you continue to
have concerns, you should address them with your child's
pediatrician and schedule a speech and language evaluation with
a speech-language pathologist, who can determine if there's a
need for therapy.
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Questions & Answers - Speech & Language Concerns
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