My son isn't learning how to talk properly....i think.?

Question

He'll turn 4 in two weeks but I don't know if his level of speech is progressing at a normal pace. He has around 10 sentences that he's memorized, but he has trouble describing anything other than those 10. Should I seek professional help or am I just worrying to much about nothing. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Answer 1

If he can say 10 sentences then he probably doesn't have autism. As long as he is still learning new words and is using words to ask for things or display things then he is probably OK. Maybe he just isn't exposed to enough spoken language, especially clear conversations he can understand, not just talk from other kids. Here are some rules of thumb used by psychologists in child development.
A Child 3 to 5:
-understands most of what is said and 75 percent of speech is understandable
-speaks in complete sentences of three to five words
-matches pictures to objects
l-earns by doing and through the senses
-understands concepts of "now," "soon," and "later"
-begins to recognize cause-and-effect relationships

Here's a web article you might find helpful:
http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.asp?r=324

Answer 2

I think that you should definitely seek help ASAP. I know its hard for a parent to believe that something may be wrong with your child. I had the same problem with my son. When he about 1 and a half, a friend of the family who works with kids told me that my son had a speech delay. She recommended me to a speech clinic that i hated. Is your son mentally or physically disabled?They had my son in a class with mentally and physically disabled children trying to convince me that he'll learn to talk better being around other kids who are disabled and my son is not mentally or physically disabled. As a matter of fact, he seemed to begin to do imatate their behavior like crawling with one hand when he could walk. Does he go to a daycare to be around other children or does he stay at home? He needs to be at a daycare center (not home provider) where he can be around normal speaking kids through the week. Eventually, he'll start picking up words and phrases that he hears daily. My son just turned 4 in april and he talks 150% better in a daycare than at a home provider that he was going to a year ago. Also, try to find some programs that will offer a speech therapist to come to his daycare and work with him for about an hour or so a week. trust me, these things work because my son is living proof. Please don't delay any longer because i was still in denale and didnt start the process til it was almost too late because here in cincinnati, they are more willing to give you help until they turn 3 because thats when a child stops learning as rapidly. The speech therapist still helps him now at 4, but that was because he was in by 3.

Answer 3

Yes, sounds like there may be a problem of delayed speech, especially if your child says the same 10 sentences over because they're memorized. At 4 he should be speaking in complete sentences. Take him to a speech therapist - your pediatrician can recommend one. There are also highly qualified professional speech therapists at most universities who are cheaper than those in private practice. Contact them for a visit. Most times they have interns working in the school for contact hours who can properly assess your child's speech, and recommend strategies for you to use at home. Then the licensed therapist may even take your child in for free or reduced therapy as long as you consent to allow their interns to work with him/her. I had this experience when my son was 2. He was not talking. I found a therapist in the local university, and after about 4 weeks of therapy, he was speaking fine. If your child is not talking because of a medical problem, they will discover that rather quickly and get him/her treatment. Good Luck!

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my daughter, she'll be three in a couple of weeks and her speech is still not as clear as I thought it should be. When I asked my pediatrician about it, she told me that as long as I could understand at least 50% of what she said her speech was progressing normally. If you feel like your son is delayed in some way, it never hurts to ask your doctor a question. He may even give you exercises to do in order to help with his speech patterns. Read to him alot, this will help him also. (Keep this in mind - Albert Einstein didn't talk until he was three and he was a genius).

Answer 5

Whoa! Slow down! He's four! 10 memorized sentences? How much does he laugh? How much do you laugh together? He's barely a child, a little more than a baby. Relax. Enroll him in a preschool where he gets to play with other children (far far away from your worrying eyes and ears). He'll talk so much then you won't know how to get him to stop.

Answer 6

I dont have kids so I dont know much, but what I do know is that many times they have fluid in their ears which impedes them from learning new sounds and ultimately affects their speech. I dont know if such is the case with ur son, but like many will probably suggest, seek professional help. If something doesnt seem right, then it probably isnt. Best of luck!

Answer 7

Our health care specialist counseled a speech therapist and we are on a waiting record. He also counseled to talk, talk, confer with him. something you hand to him, say what that's many times. examine him books each and every time a threat fantastically at mattress time. babies advance in a distinct way. some commence speech at such an early age even as different are in the back of time table. see you later as he responds to then you definately he's okay. convinced, parenting is a range of of labor and concerns notwithstanding this is all nicely worth it because your toddler will advance as a lot as make higher the honor of your household.

Answer 8

I think you should have him evaluated by his doctor, a speech therapist and a child psychologist. Does he understand what you say and is he following simple one step directions? My son is going to be 3 in august and he wasn't talking much and needed surgery to put tubes in his ears because he was partially deaf. There are alot of reasons why children dont talk. I would get him evaluated. Good luck and I hope everything works out.

Answer 9

well i want to let you know that my 2 1/2 yr old daughter is having some speech delay and developement delays.i didnt know that there was anything wrong til my daughters head start teacher pointed it out she is seeing 2 specialists and what im learning from all that is it isnt uncommon but you want to get some theropy now so it wont be such a struggle later.but most thing is to encourage reading to your child use adult voice and words and he will catch up let him play with kids that dont have a delay some times they catch on what other kids say and do .good luck

Answer 10

Seek help NOW!! A child's learning capability lowers drastically after age 5. Take him to a speech pathologist.