The table of contents at the left can be used to quickly find the answer to a specific question.
Yes, it is time to figure out why your child is not vocalizing very much. By 18 months of age a child should have many single words and should have intonation contours filled with babbled syllables. Normal language acquisition follows the 1-2-3 guideline:
I'm glad you started with a paediatrician. Anytime a child is not developing as expected, a paediatrician can do tests to investigate and rule out certain conditions. For example, the M-CHAT is a screening test for autism that pediatricians can administer before age two. The second thing you should do is get your son's hearing checked immediately. If a child is not producing sounds, it might be because the child is not hearing sounds. If your son does have a hearing loss, the sooner you know the better. Early intervention will make an enourmous difference in his life. You may have a doctor who has looked into your childÂ’s ear. This is not a hearing test! Make sure you get a referral to an audiologist at a health unit, hospital or clinic. A real hearing test is done in a sound-proof booth.
Return to topYes, every child with delayed language acquisition needs a current hearing test. Infants and toddlers can suffer from middle ear problems that cause fluctating hearing loss. Instead of hearing nice crisp speech, they are hearing muffled speech which changes from day to day. Chronic congestion in infants and toddlers interferes with proper development of language because the speech signal is degraded. If the hearing test reveals that your child is having middle ear difficulties, work with your doctor to help your child become healthier. This might mean removing certain foods from your child's diet and removing triggers from your home. I promote USANA's children’s chewable multivitamin. It is loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and detoxifiers that help your child's immune system fight back.
Return to topPointing and babbling usually co-exist with real words during the toddler years. If you are not hearing your two-year old produce any real words, it is important to find out what is causing this delay in language acquisition. You also need information on how to stimulate language acquisition in your child.
Return to topIt sounds like you need some help. It is possible to start speech-language therapy by 18 months of age. If you live near Delta, BC, visit the new clients page to enquire about therapy.
Return to topI use materials developed by the Hanen Language Centre. During our therapy sessions you will see video clips of other parents learning how to stimulate language acquisition. You will also get a guidebook full of suggestions. I use video coaching in working with you and your child. This lets you analyze what works and what doesn't. It takes about 14 sessions to complete one of my customized Hanen programs. If you don't have time for a therapy program right now, visit Hanen's online store and purchase one of their wonderful parent guidebooks.