Hello, my name is melinda. I have two wonderful children. my son is 10 and in fourth grade. my daughter is 22 months old and is not speaking yet. i am very concerned and someone intro me to this site so i am working on flash cards with her now to help her learn to talk. She knows what your saying because she will give you the things you ask her for but she will not say them. if anyone has any ideas please feel free to throw them at me i am open to good suggestions.
Hi MommyLou! Welcome to the forum.
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I would introduce sign language if you have not done so already. There are several programs out there, I am partial to Baby Signing Time and Signing Time. This program teaches ASL- American Sign Language so you may look into using something that is more specific to your country if you live outside the US, however if you don’t plan to use it after she learns to talk then it is somewhat a moot point. Also, sign language is shown NOT to delay speaking, and may in fact encourage kids to speak sooner. At the very least, it will begin to reduce frustration for your daughter. Your library may have the DVD’s, books, or flashcards, and if you have an iphone/ipad the apps make great interactive flashcards.
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I would also introduce Little Reader and begin teaching her to read. You can also reinforce your ASL signs during the Little Reader Multi-Sensory lessons. Reading is fantastic for overall brain development, including language and communication skills. My son was a bit speech delayed, and all of the words he DID speak were words he learned to read and sign, so I was thankful we took the time to do it. Other parents on the forum have reported similar findings.
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Depending on your country, speak with your dr or early intervention and have her evaluated for her speech delay. If she is truly delayed, she may have access to special services like early preschool or speech therapy. They may check her for being Tongue Tied and the muscle tone of her mouth, that sort of thing. Or they may not take your concerns seriously.
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This is not vital, but if it was my child I would try to enroll her in a group mommy and me class of some sort, probably a music class that encourages singing, movement, and simple percussion instrucments, and finger plays like Itsy Bitsy Spider. I would practice singing and doing the hand motions with her at home. You can do this on your own without attending a class, but seeing other kids singing may encourage her to do the same.
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Lastly, if she is enrolled in any kind of preschool, talk to her teacher. My son still doesn’t talk NEARLY as much as my DD1 did that age (2 years, 3 months) but according to his teacher, he is on par with the rest of his class so I choose not to worry about it. So ask how many words she speaks in comparison to her classmates and if they recommend intervention as well.
Do you live in the states? If so, you should be able to call your local government and ask about early intervention screening. Best of luck!!!
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/not_talk.html#
dk is the best