On, Not Speaking

Landon has always done things in his own time. With being premature we knew to expect delays. It never bothered us. He was healthy, he was alive, and we knew he would reach milestones exactly when he was ready. We have been very fortunate in that his extreme illness and prematurity has not left him with residual issues or illness - except a delay in his expressive language --- he doesn't use many words! We've never been concerned. We know he understands everything we say to him, he can follow two-step instructions, point at anything we ask him in a book, he knows his body parts and many, many animals. Cognitively it is all there. Through his sign language, grunting and pointing and with the aide of his in-home interpreter, Addi, we can communicate with him and for the most part understand his needs and wants.

His favorite new word, Beep (Jeep). "Dada's Beep"

At his last preemie development eval (18 months adjusted age), this past spring, the speech therapist noticed a large delay and recommended he start receiving speech therapy. We decided to hold off for a few months and just see what kicks in naturally. We have definitely seen improvement. He started using several new words. The biggest improvement we have seen over the past few months is that his is trying new sounds and he tries to repeat a new word when asked. Usually he will say that new word perfectly clear, but then will not use that word again on his own. We started seeing frustration. Which told us he wants to talk he just can't, quite yet.

What he says now, consistently, with out being prompted:

Mama, Mom, Mommy
Daddy, Dada
Sis
Addis (Addison)
Me-Me (Mason)
Ariah (Mariah)
This
Sit
Ice
Wa-Wa (Water)
Shoes
Poop
Baby (He uses the word baby for many things. Actual babies, bugs and any animal he doesn't know the word for)
Titty-Tat (Kitty Cat)
Papa
Bubble
Grammy
Peez (Please)
Boat
Ball
Me
Hat
Hi
Bye
Nummy
Yes
Toat (Goat)
Dung-Dunk (Chicken)
Mickey
Beep (Jeep)
Upstairs
Pool
Downstairs

He puts two or three words together:

Mama shoes, Dada shoes, Sis shoes, Dada baby shoes, Me shoes, Ice peez, Hi baby

According to the 'charts' he should be saying at least 50 words. Not quite there. With speech, the delay doesn't ever really catch up to 'normal', the gap keeps increasing. Even though he is beginning to use new words we don't want the gap to get larger. We are hoping to get approved through a local early-intervention agency for an in-home family aide to come once a month to teach us, as a family, ways to encourage him to use his expressive language and get him closer to where he should be for his adjusted age. At the initial evaluation he did not flunk enough, so we are waiting on a clinical recommendation from his neonatologist in Missoula.

He gets so proud when he uses a new word. We of course make a big deal, "Good words, buddy!" He is figuring it out, slowly, but he is improving.

Daddy wishfully thinks, maybe he is just quiet. Maybe he won't be a non-stop talker like Addi. I think probably not!