Trach and speech development

Jacob's Mom · #1 11-18-2003, 11:05 AM

Jacob is 21 months old and only makes very preliminary sounds, similar to the ones you mentioned. It is really funny, because I also play with Jacob lips to try to stimulate him to make certain sounds. I was beginning to get concerned because he has been wearing the PMV all day now for about 8 or 9 months, but I am just letting him go at his own pace. I think a lot of the kids here are in the same situation with language development.

Olga · #2 11-18-2003, 11:48 AM

Grace started vocalising at 15 months when her airway started to open up. By two she was saying several words. she is now 3 years and 4 months old and can have a normal conversation with anyone. She is NOT behind in any way. I think as parents of trached children we worry more than we should sometimes. I know several children at Grace's preschool who are older than her, but don't speak as well as she does. Our special children probably have the benefit of more one to one communication than a lot of "normal" children. Most children of 13 months are only saying aah anyway. Good luck. Olga

J&Jsmomee · #3 11-18-2003, 08:56 PM

Joel is 19months old too. Â*He is doing a lot of jargoning, but only says maybe 2 words. Â*He used to say Uh-oh, but has stopped. Â*Now he says "help," "up" and "here" when he hands me something. Â*I'm not as concerned about the expressive language. Â*I think that will come and because he made no sounds for 9 months, I figure there's some catching up to do. Â*One the other hand, he seems to understand a good bit and we teach him signing. Â*He can sign drink, eat, help, more, cracker, cookie, sleep, daddy, (but no mommy!), dog, cat, fish, pig and maybe a few others. Â*I honestly don't know how he's doing compared to peers, but I try not to worry. Â*My oldest talked very late and now he won't stop!!

Jacks Mum · #4 11-18-2003, 11:24 PM

My friends boy - healthy, just your normal child, he is 3 and he only says mum and dad, thats it.
Apart from having a trachy there are other normal factors to consider aswell - like in there own time.

My Jack cannot vocalise as he has cuffed Trachy, until the next month or two - he will get a trachy with a speaking tube attached to attach an Oxygen flow up to it, he then will be able to vocalise with this special trach tube.

Jessica

christyw · #5 11-19-2003, 09:16 AM

Gaithy is about 3.25 yrs now and doesn't have real words yet. She is finally starting to have some jargon-like language, where she uses a few sounds in a conversation-like structure - with accents and changes in the voice - it's so sweet! (she wears the Passy Muir speaking valve all day) But she was a 1-pound preemie and that has had an effect on her development. She also has a hearing loss, and has only been wearing her hearing aids full time since August - so that is probably why she is finally starting to have a lot more attempted language. She doesn't have cerebral palsey or any diagnoses as far as a learning disability right now, only the fact that she was so small at birth and spent a year in the hospital. she is really starting to catch up these days, but still has a ways to go.

So, 3 yrs old and still no "real" words - but we're getting there!

christy Â*

OH - she does say "Kak-Kak" when I show her a duck and say quack-quack - so I guess THAT'S a word with intention.