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Suggest Treatment For Speech Delay In A Toddler
Question: My Son is born of Nov 2012, current age is 1 year and 9 month would complete 10 months in another 10 odd days. He is normal in all ascpects and has a very good understand and responds very well, runs around, etc. I checked the importnat milestone chart and everything seems to be in place except the speech part. Around a years time he was mumbling 'abba' as the word and used to say that once in a while and also used to repat it. However in the last 4-5 months he had stopped saying any words and when we ask him to say 'abba' 'mamma' or any other word he simply nods whiel occasionaly only he says these words now. While he is very active and he plays with his toys and otherwise is very vocal and raises his voice to draw attention and get things that he needs. What's worrying me somewhat is the fact that he is not talking as much he should. Is this possibly somekind of shor coming or a medical situation that needs attention, is what i'm trying to understand. He diet intake is good as well and other aspects seem ok. Please suggest what should we do?
Brief Answer:
he has speech delay
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Thanks for asking.
I can understand your concerns.
Normally a child of this age has 20 to 30 words with meaning. So he definitely has speech delay.
Now I would like to know certain things about your son.
1. how is his understanding, Does he follow instructions like get your shoe or where is the fan
2. does he point at the things he wants or to share his interest in something new?
3. Does he respond to calling of his name?
If such a patient comes with speech delay in my clinic I would like to rule out Autism and receptive language delay
You should get him assessed by a Developmental paediatrician or a paediatric speech and language pathologist.
He will definitely need speech therapy. The techniques used in the speech and language therapy will depend on the diagnosis.
I hope I have helped you.
Please feel free to ask any questions.
Thank you
Dr. Meera Dhami
Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician
he has speech delay
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Thanks for asking.
I can understand your concerns.
Normally a child of this age has 20 to 30 words with meaning. So he definitely has speech delay.
Now I would like to know certain things about your son.
1. how is his understanding, Does he follow instructions like get your shoe or where is the fan
2. does he point at the things he wants or to share his interest in something new?
3. Does he respond to calling of his name?
If such a patient comes with speech delay in my clinic I would like to rule out Autism and receptive language delay
You should get him assessed by a Developmental paediatrician or a paediatric speech and language pathologist.
He will definitely need speech therapy. The techniques used in the speech and language therapy will depend on the diagnosis.
I hope I have helped you.
Please feel free to ask any questions.
Thank you
Dr. Meera Dhami
Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your reply Doctor.
My Answer to your questions in the same sequence:
1. Understanding is very good and at this age my reading is that he responds better than most children that i have seen very closely at this age (at least 9). he understand instruction like get your shoes or closther, toys etc. Understands and responds if we are to go out or asked to join to play. If I'd wave my hand at him he would and ask for a high five, he would do that and multiple times. Makes his mither understand that he wants milk by pointing at his feeder. If his mother asks him if he wants doodh, he says dooodh dooodh in his own way you know.
2. Yes he does point at things both new and old and shouts out loud "aaeeeeii" pointing in relevant drection. Is very active and expresses his anger, happiness if his old sister(3 yrs of age) hits him of cuddles him. He hugs her back and if asked to kiss he kisses back. He tries tking off his clothes and points towards the bathroom to tell me that he wants to take a bath. points to his sipper if he wants water to drink.
3. He responds to calling his name very well. Does distinguishes between his aunt and mother, as when asked to go to his aunt, he would straight away go to his aunties room and not to his mother.
Important one: he has developed a habit of sucking the back part of his fist. Off late when i ask him to remove his hand of his mouth he does remove it but has a tendency to take it back to his mouth. Just wondering if this could be a reason.
I have couple of questions though:
a. I've heard of a case of a child starting to stammer and the doctors confirmed it was due to high lead content in water, could this be of something similar in nature for him.
b. I'm in XXXXXXX can you suggest of a good specialist that I can take my child for a diagonosis. By any chance are you in XXXXXXX as i would want you to check hi up once.
I appreciate you giving your time on this.
Thanks & Regards,
Md Shahbuddin.
0000.
My Answer to your questions in the same sequence:
1. Understanding is very good and at this age my reading is that he responds better than most children that i have seen very closely at this age (at least 9). he understand instruction like get your shoes or closther, toys etc. Understands and responds if we are to go out or asked to join to play. If I'd wave my hand at him he would and ask for a high five, he would do that and multiple times. Makes his mither understand that he wants milk by pointing at his feeder. If his mother asks him if he wants doodh, he says dooodh dooodh in his own way you know.
2. Yes he does point at things both new and old and shouts out loud "aaeeeeii" pointing in relevant drection. Is very active and expresses his anger, happiness if his old sister(3 yrs of age) hits him of cuddles him. He hugs her back and if asked to kiss he kisses back. He tries tking off his clothes and points towards the bathroom to tell me that he wants to take a bath. points to his sipper if he wants water to drink.
3. He responds to calling his name very well. Does distinguishes between his aunt and mother, as when asked to go to his aunt, he would straight away go to his aunties room and not to his mother.
Important one: he has developed a habit of sucking the back part of his fist. Off late when i ask him to remove his hand of his mouth he does remove it but has a tendency to take it back to his mouth. Just wondering if this could be a reason.
I have couple of questions though:
a. I've heard of a case of a child starting to stammer and the doctors confirmed it was due to high lead content in water, could this be of something similar in nature for him.
b. I'm in XXXXXXX can you suggest of a good specialist that I can take my child for a diagonosis. By any chance are you in XXXXXXX as i would want you to check hi up once.
I appreciate you giving your time on this.
Thanks & Regards,
Md Shahbuddin.
0000.
Brief Answer:
Seems to be isolated expressive language delay
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Thank you for your inputs.
After reviewing your answer, I feel that your child seems to have isolated expressive language delay. But assessing him personally with make things more clear. He will need speech therapy for it.
While you put him on speech therapy I would like to suggest you few things you can do at home in a a step wise manner.
1. Ask him him imitate your actions.
2. Ask him to imitate your faces like sticking out tongue or making round faces with mouth.
3. Ask him to imitate sounds like zoom, sshhh.., bhow bhow, mew, coughing sound etc.
4. Then switch over to words. Teach in context, like sit on a chair to teach chair.
Lead toxicity is known to cause hyperactivity and autistic features but isolated speech delay is not a know thing caused by lead toxicity.
I am not in XXXXXXX I would suggest you consult a Developmental paediatrician in Bombay.
I suggest you to consult Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX of Umeed child development centre or Dr XXXXXXX Dalwai of New horizon child development centre. You can give them my reference. Their contact information is freely available on net.
I hope I have helped you.
If you have any queries please feel free to ask.
Thank you
Dr. Meera Kotecha
Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician
Seems to be isolated expressive language delay
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Thank you for your inputs.
After reviewing your answer, I feel that your child seems to have isolated expressive language delay. But assessing him personally with make things more clear. He will need speech therapy for it.
While you put him on speech therapy I would like to suggest you few things you can do at home in a a step wise manner.
1. Ask him him imitate your actions.
2. Ask him to imitate your faces like sticking out tongue or making round faces with mouth.
3. Ask him to imitate sounds like zoom, sshhh.., bhow bhow, mew, coughing sound etc.
4. Then switch over to words. Teach in context, like sit on a chair to teach chair.
Lead toxicity is known to cause hyperactivity and autistic features but isolated speech delay is not a know thing caused by lead toxicity.
I am not in XXXXXXX I would suggest you consult a Developmental paediatrician in Bombay.
I suggest you to consult Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX of Umeed child development centre or Dr XXXXXXX Dalwai of New horizon child development centre. You can give them my reference. Their contact information is freely available on net.
I hope I have helped you.
If you have any queries please feel free to ask.
Thank you
Dr. Meera Kotecha
Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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