4 Yr Old with Speech Problems.

PLEASE don't ignore it. Get help. My son was speech delayed and he had speech therapy and within 6 months, it was a miracle the difference.

Contact ECI...Early Childhood Intervention. It's a free service and they will test him to see where he is and then if he qualifies for services, they will see to it that he gets the servcies he needs.
website: http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/

I hope this helps a little bit.

I would talk to the doctor about it. He may have a small problem hearing. I had a friend who had something similar with her child at 4 and he's doing extremely well now. They put him in PreK at the elementary school and he got speech therapy there. He also has it in Kindergarten.

You need to see a speech pathologist to get an evaluation.
972/422-5275
1201 15th suite 304
Plano

They also have an office in Frisco. They are wonderful. Call Becky H. at the above phone number. I'm sorry I can't think of the name of the office at the moment.

A 3 year old should be able to use organized sentenced to tell a short, organized story. By 4, they should be progressing toward speaking in paragraphs.

How is his auditory processing? How many times do you have to call him before he responds? How is his running? Is it smooth and graceful? Is he very active physically? These things and others affect speech and should be considered.

BTW, I soooo understand about the pregnancy stuff. We had 8 children in 16 years, so I was pregnant or nursing forever. I had my first child at 20. But it is wonderful and our family is very happy. Enjoy these years with little ones, they truly are some of the very best years of parenting.

You could get an evaluation just to see.... I highly recommend the place my daughter goes for speech. It is called Monkey Mouths, and it is in Hurst. They are absolutely wonderful. We started seeing progress immediately after starting therapy.

My friend's son goes to the Miller Speech Center at TCU, and they really like that, too...

Good luck...

Do NOT delay! Call your local school districts Admin office and they will point you where you need to go.

I have a wondefully intelligent 4 year old and half the time we can't understand what he is saying BUT I can undestand a ton more since he has been in speech. 4 year olds should have clear speech..no matter if they are a boy and girl. They should be able to give you 2 or 3 sentences clearly. The longer you wait the worse it will be!

We went through the school system, he was too old for EIC (early childhood intervention) but every local school system has FREE speech therapist for your preschooler and the are wonder and degreed and certfied. They will test your child and give him Therapy. Call today!!!!!!

The pediatrician needs to be made aware of this. He probably needs to be evaluated by a speech therapist to see if he is in the normal range of development and if he's not they can get you started on a treatment plan. Best of luck to you and your family!

TWU in Denton has an excellent speech pathology department, one of the best in the nation. I'm sure they have a program for evaluation and correction if needed. I know they have an excellent program for diagnosing learning disabilities. Best of luck to you.

If you feel your child may have a speech problem then he probably does. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Take him to be evaluated. Don't wait until he is in school and then all kinds of problems start. If you google Kids speak with Amanda Rollins in Dallas. She is great. Some boys do move slower developmentally but many have real problems. The quicker you seek the help, the quicker you will know and he can get some help.
L.

I would def. look into getting him evaluated. My son started speech with the school district when he was 3. I was pretty much always translating to people for him because they couldn't understand him. He's in KG now and still in speech, but come a LONG way. Speech is something that can effect them in school- emotionally and academically. He'll be learning his letter sounds and trying to write sentences- if he can't say the sound it's a lot harder to spell. I teach KG and we write every week. I am so proud of how far my son has come. It was def worth it putting him in! Good job on noticing and thinking about doing it! :) Good luck!

Hi A., I don't have the time right now to read thru the replies you've received but in case someone didn't already give this advice I wanted to write really quickly and tell you my experience. My son is six 1/2 now and had the same problem. His pediatrician recommended I find out something b/c he wasn't speaking clearly. I did and it was so easy. He is also by no means not smart. however he was hard to understand. All I to do was call our local elementary school (the one he'd be going to when he started kindergarten) and explain the situation to him, they gave me the number for the ISD office that handled special ed and speech (don't be put off by the fact that they are the same office...the treat speech as a separate problem than developmentally delayed or slow)they set up an appointment, the councelor did simple tests of comprehension etc with my son (then four) and even though he was so shy and standoffish she was able to discern enough to know he simply had a speech delay and not a very bad one too boot. They then have that evaluation looked at then ask you back for a meeting with the speech teacher and that councelor and explain the program (in Richardson it's called "Small Talk") that they have for preschool kids and they signed him up. I then started taking him to little preschool class with other kids twice a week for four hours each. he did great and it was like getting free preschool too!! While learning the sounds he should be making he also learned his letters even better and other preschool info like colors etc that he knew before but just got better at. He didn't get released from this program yet even though he is in first grade now but he could be....he only has a few sounds that are still hard for him like TH. My sister in law did the same program with her son and he was released. now he is five and we can understand he really well. Most people i tell my son is still in wonder why b/c he really does speak well just had a few words that are harder that mostly i only notice.

so, could your son just go on his own and figure it out? problaby or possibly. however, its easy and free to go to the public school system and see what they can do. I will guarentee you that even though your son is smart it will be harder to do those kindergarten and especially first grade assignments if he is still UNABLE to pronounce thesounds they are learning to read. it's weird to learn phonics but not be able to SAY the sounds. it means with how well they learn it all plus frustrates them. good luck!

OH! I just want to add something. we are in the richardson isd. my older child has never gone to a RISD school...we go to a private catholic school and have always. It's great but despite the tuition we pay they do NOT have ANY kind of help for any delay or problem. I was amazed to find out that we still get services like this from the public ISD. My son is now in first grade but they still give us off campus speech!! free. last year he got once a week for half hour but this year the budget was lowered for private school work like this and he gets it every other week now. that's ok for him b/c he is in his third year and practically doesn't need it but if he had been just starting or not as far ahead with it as he was i'd probably want to get outside help for more than that...i'm not sure if they would up it if he wasn't doing so well since the private school speech budget was cut....anyway, just something to think about in case you plan to go to private as well. it probably will work too.

If you read a book to him and laugh and smile and have him repeat a little of it and say you read me the story now, and he can, then I think it will all come along fine. If he has trouble getting a sentence back to you, he may need speech thearpy for a year or two. I knew of another child that couldn't do this, and the speach thearpest thought one or two years top would make the child fine for kindergarden.

Whatever school is in your area I’d call them and ask if they offer a TALK program its free and its where a speech pathologist will evaluate him and if he qualifies he will go to school where they work on what speech problems he is having.
GOOD LUCK

Definitely have him evaluated. I am a (former) special ed teacher - it took so long to get my son evaluated that I just started doing the exercises with him myself. By the time the school evaluated him (9 months after I requested), he was almost to the norm... so we decided to just keep working at home, and not pull him out of the classes he loves so much. He had to learn to read and 'sound it out' with a mirror - especially for the consonants.

Good luck
S.

My son was the same way. I got him tested free through the "No Child Left Behind" program. I contacted our local public school and he was tested then had two years of speech therapy for free. He said he was borderline in need of therapy. He only needed it because he could understand so much more than he could express. Good luck!

Like you are going to hear a thousand times, go to your local distract ASAP and have him evaluated. Even if he is not enrolled in school as of yet or even not for the next two years they will give him services if need be. Before you go, research your rights as a parent and walk in informed that way you know all your rights and won't walk away wondering what to do next. Good luck...

Have his hearing tested...

It is definitely worth having evaluated. Just go to your home school and ask for a speech assessment. It seems there are no other underlying issues so his improvements could be very fast, but it may take a trained professional to teach him how to get his mind and mouth to work together. I think it would be better to address now, rather than him start speech in Kindergarten and have more self-awareness about the differences in himself and his peers.

We are going through the same thing. My son is 5 now, and we started him at something through his Elementary school last year. The Speech Pathologists are great, and FREE. They work with him 3x a week now. Your son is too old for ECI.. that is where they come to your house and work with him. The cutoff for that is 36 months.

Your local Elementary will get you in touch with the program he is eligible for. There will be a lot of testing and meetings, but it is SO worth it. I think it is GREAT you are doing something now. Many parents will wait until their child is in 1st+ grade when the teachers recommend it, and if you start now he will be ahead of the game. The Speech Pathologists say that if you start before school, they close the gap and speak normally so much quicker.

Good Luck!

If you are seriously think that he may have a speech impediment, then you should call ECI Early Childhood Intervention. They will come out and do some observations and testing, and if need be they will assign a speech therapist to work with him. The best part is there is no charge to you.

I am a grandmother, and have extensive experience with children of all ages. Your four year old is the oldest, with three younger than him? He is responding to the situation. He didn't get to be the baby very long at all, and with the little ones in various stages of development, it is very common for older children to "regress" or try to talk baby talk. He will do better, I think, if he could be around children his own age, or a little older than him, to help him see what's possible.

Please contact your local school district and have him evaluated for speech services... He should be able to speak clearly for sure by the age of 4. all 3 of my boys ages 5,4 & 2 have or are in speech, we used ECI, (early childhood intervention) for all 3 of mine and now my 4 year old goes to public preschool and gets speech services for his delay that is due to a cleft lip & palate condition. If your son needs services, there are several options. And it is important to get help if it is determined that he needs it. PPCD is Free from the school district (if he qualifies with a speech delay) so it can't hurt...

Good luck
A. J

i've heard that boys develop slower than girls and i've seen that many boys this age all have a hard time speaking clear enough for others to understand them. even my friend's 5 year old daughter was frustrated with a boy her same age because he didn't "talk good," according to her. i'm sure it's normal...but if you are still concerned and things don't improve over the next few months, perhaps you can see a speech therapist...but you have plenty of time!! good luck!

My daughter had the same problem, if you go thru your local school system you may be able to get the help you need. That's what we did and now she makes a living talking on the phone.

A.,

Hi! My name is T. and I am a speech therapist. I couldn't help but respond to your email. It sounds like your little boy is a smart cookie!! By the age of 4 he should be able to have a conversation and be understood by others at least 80% of the time. Without actually listening to him it is hard to give you an idea of if his speech errors are ok or not. Please let me know if you need any advice!!

T. Gerd

Hi A.

My son had the same problem. My husband told me he was being lazy, but I just couldn't get over it. I took my son to Children's Medical Speciality Center in Desoto, as there are other locations as well. At the age of 4 my son was diagnosed with Severe Articulation Disorder. He went to therapy twice a week for 30 mins a day. For four years. My son will be eleven next month and I can't get him to shut up (smile)

Talk with your doctor, my son's pediatrician just told me that I was panicking (so untrue).

Best of Luck!!

call your local elementary school and tell them you want to do a Child Find for a speech referral. they should direct you to a speech pathologist with the local school district to set it up. Or you could call the special education department of your school district and tell them the same thing. You want to make a speech referral. It is free. From th time you sign consent for testing the school has 60 days to do the assessment, then 30 more days to set a meeting. In Texas the meeting is call an ARD Admission, Review Dismissal committee meeting. Most school work faster than that. Blessings

I think:
You need to find a new Doctor. This should have been addressed already by him/her. Its probally no big deal. But if you have concerns, you need to follow your motherly instincts.

At age 4, he would no longer qualify for ECI. Contact your local school district. They have to test him and provide speech services for free. If you can afford it, I would also have him tested privately. Have your pediatrician refer him to a speech therapist. Then put him in private speech also. But I would definately go now to your school district and start the evaluation process. They tend to drag their feet, so the sooner you start the process, the better.

L.

Did you vaccinate him? You could bring him in for nutrition response testing to see if he has metals or immune challenge from the vaccines. (or other things)If he does, I can detox him for metals, chemicals, viral, bacterial, etc. Its quick, easy, and painless. My results are incredible! You should at least call my front desk and talk to Amanda with any questions you have. I know this will help your son!
Dr. J.
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Hi A., I suggest having his hearing tested by a specialist and making sure he doesn't need his tongue clipped by a dentist. If both things check out okay then don't worry about it!

i know a great speech therapist

brenda bliss

you can reach her at

____@____.com

ask your pediatrician. my daughter had probs with speech & my dr helped me get speech therapy through the keller isd before she started kindergarten.

Yes it sounds like he has articulation problems. They rarely go away on their own. You should be able to understand a 4 yo most of the time. I am a speech pathologist who works with young kids. You can have your son evaluated by your local elementary school. Contact the school and ask to speak with the speech therapist and they will get you going.

Get him evaluated right away. If it's just speech issues, the school district can provide speech therapy. If he is diagnosed on the autism spectrum somewhere... like Asperger's like my son.... there is great programs thru Easter Seals geared specifically for 3 to 8 year olds. It's the peak time to achieve results with autism... so don't delay. Whether it's just speech or something else it's best to get right on it.

Have you gone to an ENT? They can do an audible test on his ears to make sure there is no water in there. My friend had a child who you could barely understand. They took him to an ENT and found that they were filled with 90% water. It was like hearing under water. They put tubes in his ears and he doing much, much better now. I guess he can finally hear! Anyway, just a thought. You may ask your pediatrician.

My son had the same problem and I had to put him in speech classes when he started kindergarten. It was the best thing I could have done for him. He is now in the 8th grade and has the best speech ever. Hang it there!!

Call and ask your closest Elementary School about bringing him in to see their speach therapist. It is the school system's deal since he is over 3. Most speach problems are easily solved with a few secessions and the therapists are wonderful with children. The earlier they check out the problem the better and they will tell you if it really IS a problem rather than listening to untrained people.
Be Brave! This won't be the only time you will have to be an advocate for your child!
Good luck!

Hi Frances,

I am so excited to read the advice of other Mamas - and thrilled to see that nobody told you to wait because he is a boy!!!! It is so important not to lower our expectations, or ignore potential challenges, because a child is a boy. That being said, most communication disorders are had by boys - so it would make a lot of sense to investigate any concerns a parent might have of a boy ASAP.

My soap box is through (LOL). I am a speech-language pathologist, and can tell you that the fact that your child knows all those wonderful cognitive skills is separate. However, according to research (you can check the ASHA web site - www.asha.org), impaired speech has been shown to affect a child's ability to learn to read. Also, if you think about how we teach children to spell, we say, "Sound it out." If you are not pronouncing your sounds correctly, it adds another challenge to learning to spell.

It would be wise to call your local school TODAY. There is a lot of paperwork involved in the school therapy setting (I was involved in that for seven years, before starting a private practice 10 years ago). The assessment and enrollment process usually take at least a month. At that point you will already be looking at almost February.

Please don't hesitate to e-mail me at ____@____.com, if you should have any further questions.

Your son is so fortunate to have a parent who is so concerned about his development. Early intervention does have the best success rate!

Best Regards,
S.

A.,

Coming from a mom who has experienced a child with speech delays, I highly recommend that you get your child evaluated by a private speech pathologist. Of course, if your district does a better job than ours at evaluating, you will be safe to take him there. Our child was originally diagnosed by our school district, and we immediately enrolled her in the speech class at the school. But, we were not so fortunate to learn the severity of our child's speech delay until 1st grade when we discovered how difficult it was for her to read and write. She was so delayed compared to her peers. A private speech therapist provided us with so much more info about her and much more thorough therapies than what the school was able and willing to do. Her speech delay was a symptom of a more deeper learning disability that involved language. It really made a difference in her progress once we started private speech lessons. She is now closer to being where her peers are instead of where the state says she should be. I am not saying that this will be your same case, but it never hurts to have independent second opinons when it comes to your child's development. The worst thing that you can do if you suspect your child is a delayed talker is to do the wait and see. Early intervention is crucial for any child showing signs of speech delay. Once they start school, you are at risk of an ongoing game of "catch up and frustration." In addition, it amazes me how mean other kids can be to those who talk "funny." I hope whatever you decide to do that it works out for the best for you and your child.

I would definately talk to your doctor about it. I have a friend whose son had speech problems and it was due to fluid in his ear when he was little. Now (at 3) no fluid, but he couldn't make the same sounds as the other kids his age. He was becoming very physical b/c he couldn't communicate and was starting to shut down. After 1 year of therapy, he is doing great and has more confidence.

Maybe it's nothing, but I would have it checked. Most school districts/counties also offer the therapy for free, so there really isn't anything to loose.

I agree call the nearset elementary school and get him an evaluation. We are going through the same thing with my 3 1/2 year old he can have a conversation he just can't get the words out right and gets very frustated. I actually called the school today to get an evalutaion. My doctor did want me to go to a speech specialist through cooks or something else I can't rember but it is just easier for me to go through the school district. So if your not comfortable with that talk to your doctor and see if they will refer you somewhere. Good luck!

My son is four also and my husband has had the same concerns. Your pediatrician should be asking about his speech with his check ups. My advice is not to make a big deal about it in front of him. It could make him more self-concious and want to speak even less. You should be able to have him evaluated through the school district if you truely think he has a problem. I am a registered nurse and worked in a pediatrician's office for several years. I agree boys tend to be slower with speech and language development. The best advice I can give you is trust your instincts. There's nothing wrong with having him evaluated just make sure his self esteem is protected. Make it positive, not as if there is something "wrong" with him. We told our son that he was taking tests so they could see how smart he was for kindergarten.

Hope it helps,
R. L.

Definitely have him evaluated. I have twin boys that have been in speech therapy for a year now and it has helped a ton. They not only help the kids, but they will help the parents learn some tips and tricks on helping with speech issues. We go to Baylor our childrens house in grapevine and they take our insurance. We also go through the school system (my boys went through ECI for our area). They will test him and if he qualifies they do have programs for speech through your school system. Also, like most of the other posters said, take him to and ENT (ear/nose/throat doc) to have him looked at. Some speech issues are related to ear infections, congestion and things like that. Definitely dont wait...the earlier you get him help, the earlier it can be 'fixed'.

Good luck! : )

Dear A.,

My very bright grandson, who is now 10 and in excellerated classes, had a similar problem around the same age as your son. A few sessions (very few) with a speech therapist solved the problem. I would suggest contacting one (or asking your child's pediatrician for a referral).

Don't worry. I bet everything will be fine.

Deb D

Hi A.,
I have a degeee in Speech Language Pathology. My advice to you is to take your child to a speech pathologist for testing. By getting your child tested it will erase all the questions and worries away.

T