My step son is having trouble with his speech, What should we do about it?

Question

I am sure this is occuring becuase he has not had any one teaching him and he should of started school but his mother is a fool so she cares less about what happens to him, he does not live with her and she gave him away to a friend of hers a couple years back when my husband was incarcerated for child support when we have him with us its like he is active but he does not know how to do much and his speech is horrible I want to help him but I feel I can't do anything about it by the way he is 5 years old going on 6 at the level of a 2 year old child

Answer 1

You need to make the house a veritable learning environment. I hav a label machine, and label "Door" "Window" "Sink" etc. This helps your child also learn to read. When you are walking around the house and see the labels read them, spell them, describe the object.

Flash cards are huge in our house as well. Work 2-3 times a week with them. Make sure they are colorful (they also sell a texture if the child has sensory dev issues like mine).

He is not too old for Sesame Street! I credit this show for my older sons advancement. By the age of 2 and a half he knew the alphabet, colors, ad could count to 10. I see the same behavior in my younger son who is pulling up on this same age range now. This show has withstood the test of time for a reason and the lessons taught are wonderful. Also it is great b/c it will help your child on many levels at the same time.

Baby Einstein DVDs are great too. The vocab, and signing ones are great to help with language probs. Also they have flash cards and parenting help on their website to assist in usage.

I understand the frustration, but you can only look at what you can do to help, not at where others have failed. Check out your state assistant programs. In Indiana we have First Steps, which my younger son is enrolled in. Talk with your child's Pediatritian, they should have some references for these programs! Good luck!

I Hope This Helps,
Amy

Answer 2

Okay first of all back off with the bitching about the birth mother, you don't have that right no matter what kind of a mother she has been. In fact SHE isn't the important subject here and you badmouthing her online really doesn't shed a very good light on you...makes you look vindictive and childish in fact. The important subject is the child. I suggest taking him to a peditrician to be evaluated, I'm assuming that the claim of him being at the level of a 2 year old was diagosed by a doctor? If not by a qualified physician then it's only conjecture at this point.

Answer 3

My son has had speech therapy as part of his daily program in school all the way from kindergarten to grade 6. Your stepson will likely be moved into some programs in school that will help him to catch up.

http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/bigkid/gdevelopment/67779.html
There's a great article here on speech development. Many kids have problems until the age of 6 but if they persist beyond that, the child usually needs extra support.

Another good article
http://www.iched.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=iched&item_id=child_speech1

A number of the kids who were in speech and language class with my son had Aspergers or Autism. You might want to look up those disorders and see if your stepson might have similar symptoms.

Good luck with this

Answer 4

Im going to school to become a speech and language pathologist. My suggestion would be to get this kid in therapy- QUICK! If the school hasn't already addressed the problem. At the age of 6 he can have numerous amounts of therapy performed on him. Make sure you address the issue or it will really only get worse. Any speech problems, the child should have grown out of before he reached 3....I'd talk to your husband about it, and hopefully you can work something out with the mom. Thanks for being so responsible :)

Answer 5

Before digging for speech therapists, take him to have his ears tested first. Rule out any medical problems. If there aren't any, take the next step. Did she legally give custody to the friend? If not or if she did, FIGHT for this baby. At six years old he needs his mother or father and it is clear his mother doesn't want the responsibility. Best of luck to all of you. I hope you find out what is wrong.

Answer 6

Does he get ear infections? You should have his ears checked even if he doesnt. My brother had a lot of speech problems when he was that age and we found out he needed tubes in his ears because of his frequent ear infections and the infections were hurting his hearing, which hurts your speech. About a month after his tubes were put in he was at the right level for his speech, it was amazing!

Answer 7

Even though he isn't enrolled yet, go to the local school district and asked to be hooked up with a speech therapist. I should be free of charge also. Good luck

Answer 8

you need to contact the infant learning program they are specialist
in this area and there services is free they well come in the home and test your child then if he /or she has problem with disability say with speech then they well come in the home and work with the child for free

Answer 9

Could you meet with his teacher's at school & enroll him in speech class?

Answer 10

If your aloud to try taking him to his local pediatrician he will be able to refer you or do the test there to get him the help he needs.I hope this helps you!!!