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How to connect with a late talking child
Episode #132 – Help facilitate language in your stubborn child, in fun and playful ways.
Question of the Day:
From one mom to another I’m out of answers. My 7-year-old was easy – but my 4-year-old son…. no! He’s talking less this year than last year. He ignores me, the dog and his older sister and would prefer to flick the lights on and off and use his I pad. He is intrigued by dinosaurs and whales. I watch him in his room twirling in a circle for no reason. He’s very stubborn and if I need to break his activity to do something else he becomes so angry it frightens me. It’s hard to find a babysitter (I do work). HELP.
Teddie
Parent Educator Answer:
When I received this question, I immediately emailed Teddie to lend support. I wanted to let her know she wasn’t alone and there are people out there who could help her.
Here is my response:
Thanks so much for reaching out. I think this will be a great question to answer on my podcast but I would love to find an expert to bring in for an interview so it may take me a while.
I want to offer you this link to schedule a free coaching call. It’s a chance for you to talk about your struggles to an unbiased, compassionate mom.
The behaviors you are describing are difficult to manage for sure and you deserve as much support as you can handle. The good news is, they are enough to qualify for (FREE!) support for your son.
The regression in speech, the twirling, rigidity, the hyperfocus and limited social interest means he qualifies for a psychoeducational evaluation, even though he hasn’t started school yet.
You could request an evaluation from his pediatrician and a developmental psychologist, describing the behaviors you are seeing, just like you did for me.
Once he gets evaluated, he can qualify for early intervention which has HUGE benefits. They would get him into a language based preschool with highly qualified teachers and speech therapists which means not only do you get preschool and childcare paid for, you also get to meet other moms who are going through the same struggles with their kids. This social support is priceless!
Step 1- email the school district asking for a psycheducational evaluation based on regressing speech.
Step 2 – email pediatrician, describing concerning characteristics, and ask for an evaluation.
Step 3 – Once evaluated, ask what resources are available in your area. Get him enrolled in a language based pre-school program.
It’s a lot to think about so be patient with yourself. I’m here if you want to talk.
Always on your side,
Torie
Life Coaching Answer:
For today’s life coaching answer, I brought in an expert who has a different opinion than mine. She doesn’t believe in going through evaluations and diagnoses. Marci Melzer is a speech therapist with a youtube channel called Waves of Communication teaching parents how to connect with their late talking child and build their language naturally, at home. She believes the parent/child connection will increase vocabulary and communication faster than schools and therapy.
More than one in 8 children is late to develop functional speech. After 30 years working in the speech therapy system, Marci Melzer, M.Ed./SLP realized that parents are in the best position to facilitate functional improvement in spoken language.
In 2017, Marci created her Waves of Communication.com platform to equip and empower parents and caregivers to facilitate spoken language naturally, with children of all ages, no matter what is causing the speech delay.
Since she started WOC, Marci has produced more than 500 videos on YouTube, created a range of online coaching programs, and authored 2 books, including a workbook that has been translated into Spanish and Hindi. Marci hosts live coaching and Q&A sessions every Thursday on the Waves of Communication YouTube channel to help parents ride the ups and downs of their lifelong language facilitation journey.
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