Ok so I'm confused by the little red book thing.
Ds is 2, he's had all his needles & everything when supposed to, does he need something at 2 years? Or is that just aboriginal & Torres straight islanders?
I know he needs to go for a general check up but I don't need to rush if there's no needles involved. I can't find a bulk billing doc and money is a bit tight until I start getting paid regularly from the new job (which is paid fortnightly. Annoying!). So if I can wait a couple of weeks it would be better.
I really think I need to speak to a doc about about his speech so he will be going at some point. Can anyone put my mind at ease about it? I know he's behind but hoping he might just catch up a bit later. Like he did with walking. He was about 15 months when he started, months after his little friends, but was really steady straight away and running and climbing in no time like he started when they did.
He says a few things but concerns me that I really try to help him learn more but every vehicle on the road is a car no matter how much I say "no, bus, bus, can you say bus?" And next time wait for him to try first and its still car. Same with trucks. He says Dow instead of dog and woo woo for woof woof but says them for every animal too. I say bird tweet tweet over and over but next time it's still Dow woo woo. Also mid-pronounced things like saying die instead of bye. There are quite a few other things he does say but he seems to get something and when he's told good boy for saying it he just wants to say that all the time and not bother with learning more. I try so hard with reading books, pointing things out in the pictures, talking about everything we see when out, singing songs. I just don't know how worried I should be? Is he just taking a little more time than others like his walking? He is constantly babbling in a way that sounds like he's talking to you and tries to sing along with his wiggles DVDs in a way that sounds like similar vowel sounds but without saying the words if that makes sense? But still can't say wake up jeff even though he knows they are about to say it. Didn't mean for this post to get so much about his speech, its all just feeling a bit worse now I'm working so I can't be there trying to help him all the time which is upsetting for me. Do need to know about the needles though if anyone can help?

Hi

Your DS doesn't need any needles at 2.

As far as speech, it sounds like he is developing within normal limits. You're doing everything right smile

And btw - my DD didn't walk until 17 months, so your boy beat her grin

They don't have any vaccinations or health checks at age 2. DD just turned 2 and the GP said at her 18 month check that unless I had concerns about her development, she didn't need to see her until she was closer to prep age, at about 3 - 3.5 years old when they do a development health check. Next vaccinations aren't until age 4.

As for speech, at age 2 most children don't say words correctly. It's very normal to drop a letter off the end, like woo instead of woof. Apparently at age 2, 50 reasonably clear words used in correct context is the average and by 2.5 most kids are starting to put a few words together like "want drink please." That said, they will all develop differently.

You're doing the right thing - I find that books with big pictures but few words is best for DD. I point out various objects on the page. When I give her food, I tell her what it is. Some words she picks up really quickly, other things seem to take forever. If you're worried, definitely get an assessment from your GP and a speech therapist. I know it's stressful, my DD didn't walk until she was 16 months, didn't say her first word until 16 months and I thought she was behind. Then all of a sudden at 19 - 20 months she started to "click" and her speech has come along in leaps and bounds since then. Some of her other friends the same age are far more advanced with speech, others are further behind. Try to remember the spectrum of "normal" is vast

Thank you. I just see every other kid his age saying so much more and it worries me.
There's lots of simple things he doesn't say like cup, drink, up. But the guilt of leaving him to return to work could be making it worse

STT just sending you hugs. You seem to have a lot on your plate. Read your other post as well. Every child develops differently. If you are really concerned about his speech its simple to book into a speech pathologist to get him assessed. You don't have to continue seeing that person but at least you will know where he is at for his age. You may need a gp referral as well.

My son was never as good with his speech as a lot of kids his age until about 2.5 years...at 2 he would have been saying the basics like Mum, dad, baby, up, more, etc. Knew all the animals and sounds but certainly wasn't putting words together. I just encouraged him the best I could and didn't stress over it. He would get cranky if I kept asking him to say things over and over.

All kids develop at very different rates and it is by no means a sign of how clever they are or anything that you are or aren't doing. My daughter is 2 next month and her speech is unbelievable, she could say 80+ words at 18 months and is now a little parrot who easily puts together 4-5 word sentences. I didn't do anything different to what I did with DS!!

Your little boy will get there at his own pace. As long as he comprehends what you are saying and can follow orders, point to things etc I wouldn't stress smile

my dd2 will be 2yrs at the end of the month and says a lot of words, but most of them are either missing a letter or a letter is changed, morning is norning, water is effectively daughter, and her big sister's name is bophie for sophie. she also says hello without the 'l'. in saying that, she can count to 5 by herself and to 10 when counting at the same time as her sister (who is nearly 8). a few months back every animal went quack, including a duck!!

dd1, who is hearing impaired, i worked out to be around 3mths behind when she was little. but she was also like a sponge - i would watch a friend son who is only 1 1/2weeks younger and think, my daughter should be able to do that, or there would be words that she should have been able to say but wasn't, and then a few weeks or months later, she just came out with a whole bunch of new things she could do or say, it was like she was absorbing everything until she was ready.

as for the needles, they don't need them at 2, which i thought they did too so you're not alone there, so i wouldn't worry about that.

don't worry too much, kids develop at their own pace and you will probably find ds is saving it all up to suprise you one day with all these "new" things he has learnt smile and a bus will be a bus, a truck a truck, etc

I agree with the others. Some children pick up speaking easier and quicker than others. My friends 2.5yr old DD can pretty much talk like an adult and hold a conversation with you, whereas my other friends little boy just 1 month younger you can barely understand.

My DS 19 months and says quite a few words, but than again he doesn't say them all correctly, like he will say bup for up etc, everything is doggie, birdie instead of dog, bird etc. I was told by my CHN that as long as they can say the word in the right context not to worry about it.

Have you tried flash cards? We bought some from ALDI awhile back and they are fantastic, my son knows more than I think.