2 (almost 3) year old son refuses to speak! Can you help?

Question

My only son will be turning 3 in about two months. He has developmental and oral motor delays due to a neurological condition that is related to hydrocephalus. He is VERY smart, and appears to understand and react to just about everything anyone says to him. He follows commands, responds to requests, and uses roughly a dozen hand signs to let us know what he wants. Other than not talking he shows no signs of autism, nor any other condition, and his neurological condition has come to a stand-still and isn't getting worse... the doctors say at this point he should be starting to outgrow the condition. 
He talks constantly, but nothing he says is in English! It's all babble, and he uses the same sounds frequently, but not enough to indicate he's referring to something, you know like he hasn't given anything a label in his own language. He can say, has said many times, and used to say several words. He can still say them but as soon as we ask him to say them, or even acknowledge that he's said an actual word he stops and goes back to gibberish. He's said: elmo, banana, mama, mo, dada, nana, car, I don't know, oh my god, run around, and maybe a few others that aren't coming to mind. Sometimes he says a new word once, but refuses to say it again. I've had his hearing checked, it's normal, checked for autism, he's normal, he's worked with a speech therapist, it went nowhere and made no progress (but we will be trying again anyway), and according to the doctor he's not mentally retarded, just delayed. 
So... what else can I have him tested for? And what can I do to encourage him to use words instead of gibberish? We do a lot of pointing things out and reading and looking at books and touring grocery stores and malls where I name and point to things, he understands all this but just won't even try to make the words. HELP???

Grandma6 · Accepted Answer

Ask the school district to assess him.  My grandson has similar problems.  He started school at 3 to try and help him.  When he was 2 I swear he was speaking chinese!  Now, at 6 he can make statements, ask and answer simple questions and be understandable.  He also understands that he has a problem and can get frustrated at himself.  He too, always seemed to understand what was said to him and his hearing is fine.  He is mildly autistic though.

livvynme · Answer

Aspergers??? I'm not sure my nephew had this same issue they just kept him in speech therapy. He now is in kindergarten and still has speech issues but he is a lot better. Some boys just take a little bit longer. Usually with boys there motor skills are far more advanced before speech. Just continue working with him. Or even. Try not to give him what he wants until he tells you. Also has the doctor looked at his toung???? Some kids and actually one I knew had to get his toung clipped so he could talk. It sounds worse than it is. The skin under his toung kept his toung from being able to. Move to form the proper sounds. Good luck

Mrs. Mom ( 5 and counting) · Answer

I'm not an expert, but maybe you would think of looking into what changing his diet can do. I can't promise it will work, but I researched and implemented a diet in the life of my daughter which made her more verbal, among other things. The reason it worked for my daughter is because her body was overloaded with toxins and was struggling to detox, so her speech was a bit delayed, among other things (violent tendencies, irritability, no weight gain...). This diet restored health to her gut and reduced the toxic load on her body so that her mind (and body) could function better. 

She went from just having melt down fits to being able to say "stop you're breaking the house" (it was a play house). She also started expressing when things bothered her, which she couldn't do before.

I can't promise this diet will work for your son, his condition is very different from my daughters. But I think it could give him a better shot... Do some research on the GAPS diet. Go to this site and buy the book, and see if it will work for you.

www.gapsdiet.com

p.s. I do not work for them or anything, I just found it, and used it myself and had good results.

I hope you find the answer for your son.
God bless.

Anonymous · Answer

First off, I'd get a second opinion from another doctor. Immediately. The next thing, is to make sure you really are disciplining him. If kids are disciplined, the behavior usually is curbed at least to some extent. If he is truly doing this 10-12 times a day, and you are really disciplining him and not just yelling at him or doing "quiet time" or that type of thing, and he doesn't respond, I think the medical route is the way to go, and really get this checked out. If you are treating him with kid gloves and afraid of hurting his feelings (yes I'm serious) then you can look forward to a lifetime of problems.

xxx · Answer

You have to go to your local community service to get help .  There are kids with delay development need special help depends on how the psychologist or speech therapy recommend.  You need to see a social worker and they will tell you what to do.  Good luck.

Bobbi · Answer

After age three, contact your local school district special education unit and set up a time for him to be evaluated.

Mommy · Answer

read lots of books to him, and sing a lot. Did you see a speech pathologist, or a councilor in your area? Your doctor should refer you to one.

Anonymous · Answer

i feel you since am a mum my daughter talked at 8mnths and now she is 2.5yrs she is fruent..talk to your son all the time it helps puts him with other kids it sharpens.the baby

? · Answer

Hi Slim.

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Blessings.

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2 (almost 3) year old son refuses to speak! Can you help?

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