I totally understand.

She wouldn't be the first mother to take her child for specialist advice with the father not knowing. It's not ideal, but it is in the best interest of the child.

The ideal would be that both parents were involved but I have to say that I was in a similar situation when my first child was born and his father just didn't "get" it.

The dad is a very hard worker, works nights, is barely there and it's mostly on the mom. Money is not a problem. The kid has play dates up the kazoo. The kids ring her bell so he can come out and play. He gets along with kids, he just doesn't talk.

Odd indeed

Mel

Melody,

I just now saw this. I can tell you it could be Apraxia for sure. My grandson has apraxia. And he is 8, is just now getting to the point we are starting
to understand him.

There is a room on facebook, that you can learn a wealth of information.

I know I'm not supposed to post the room on here. So if you contact me
I will give it too you. The room is very supportive, and we really want to help.

Also its diagnosed by SLP's a lot of the time. But some want a neurologist on board. Because this is a neurological condition.

Donna

Hi. thanks so much for offering the link but I would not be able to access it because the whole family is on FB and if I joined a group or room, it would pop up and I would never want to embarrass anyone.

By the way, he was 2 in October. This is now February. He says "uh oh, up mama (I've never heard him do this but they say he does). He might know 5 words or so. He is not stringing words together to make any sentences. he's a very active mischievious, social little guy. He loves his mama and daddy. He has lots of social interaction but in my opinion he is definitely not up to speed. They know this. He gets speech therapy, OT, and PT. Something about low muscle tone (in how he gets up from a lying position) but that was months ago. Now when I watch him on the computer, he's jumping off the bed, he climbs to the top of anything. And this morning, he went in the kitchen to find where his mother keeps the cookies. She had hidden them. She had the camera on him the whole time. He did his investigating and he found another kind of cookie. She's going along with this (trying to get him to be verbal). He's saying something but it's not clear at all. Then he opens the package of cookies, goes WOW and his mother laughs and said "I told you not to eat cookies, you have to eat breakfast first". He looks at the camera, he put a cookie in his mouth, he smirked, he went mm mm and then went to watch television (all the while not saying anything, just the mmm and the WOW.

So he has comprehension and knows his objects (you say "where's the cow, where's the truck?") he knows it all. He makes the sounds.

But there is no where near the speech where he should be. But he is getting the speech therapy. And the mom is going to have another baby in July. They are hoping that by July he will be speaking more.

Why does this happen?

Thanks much for your info

Mel

Melody,

I would suggest you have them find a SLP that can test for or use some
of the kinds of therapy that is used for Apraxia. Its very possible
this is part of his problem.

Help them look for someone that does "Prompt". This is one of the programs,
I will have to look for the other forms.

Donna

You need to look up online the word Apraxia. There is a site that has lots
of information on its page. Its called Apraxia Kids. And right now they
are doing their once a year IPAD give aways.

Donna

Yes, it could be apraxia.

Can the child form his lips into a circle to, say, blow out a birthday candle?

With the help of SLP, people with apraxia can learn to speak. In the interim, is your friend being encouraged to teach him to sign? If he turns out to be just a "late talker," there's no harm in learning this skill.

Hi. If I come out with any of this info, they will know that I am sticking my nose in. This has to be done very carefully.

Some family members say "What is all the fuss about, he'll speak when he wants to speak". Since the baby is already getting early intervention and speech therapy as well as other kinds of therapy for low muscle tone, right now it's not appropriate that I stick my nose in and talk about PROMPT. I am definitely going to look into this but keep my opinions to myself unless I am asked. As he gets older, however, people will start to talk. Especially if the little guy is NOT talking like his peers. That much will become fairly obvious.

The mother of this little guy is very hands on and does all googling and stuff. She KNOWS. The other family members don't get it. It must be very hard for family members to even acknowledge that there might be something wrong.

So all I do is get excited every time he says anything (which by the way, is practically nil). Kids his age SPEAK. I have had conversations with children his age. So that's not happening here. And then there is a new baby coming.

Must be extremely frustrating.

I'm definitely going to educate myself on this PROMPT therapy.

And I thank you heartily for taking the time to respond. I'll update if anything happens.

Mel

Hi. I just spent about an hour watching youtube videos on kids with Apraxia. He sounds just like them. There was a 2 1/2 year old girl with a picture book and she was pointing and I swear she was acting EXACTLY like my friend's grandson. I also watched a youtube video about a 5 year old boy who has been videoed for the past 3 years. At 3 he couldn't pronounce anything. I watched as the therapist used a tool to measure where his tongue was and how he bites down and where he positions his tongue when he says things. And he blew bubbles. It was fascinating. I never new about Apraxia and it being a motor speech disorder.

These children need therapy ongoing don't they?

This is a tricky situation here. Only if the topic comes up and there's an open conversation and someone asks my opinion, I will then take out my tablet and show them these videos. I know that the mom of the baby has already done this. She is extremely hands on in matters regarding this child. But the other members of the family are older and not computer literate. I believe they are afraid he's autistic. I don't see this going on.

This is going to be a delicate situation.

I will continue to learn and gently head them in the right direction (they might be doing this already). I did ask once "what goes on during the speech therapy?) All the grandma knew was 'the mother doesn't know, she's not there when he gets therapy". which is another way of telling me to butt out. That's why I'm not butting in.

Eventually everyone will see that he's not speaking like other kids.

At least he is getting some therapy. We shall see what transpires.

Thanks to all of you.

Mel

Melody

Just keep being there for especially the mom and the child. Its one of
the hardest things to watch. That your little one isn't or can't talk.

Help them rejoice every word he says. Thats what we do for my
Grandson. And at christmas this year is the first time anyone really
said. He is talking so much better.

Its a long term thing, and it can get better. Just takes time.

Donna