delayed motor skills and language
- Thread starter tammie
- Start date
It is too early to judge your child's language development. My child has her assessment at the mother and baby clinic after 4. For language assessment, you may have one as early as 3 at a govt clinic, though you may make it earlier if they let you. However be expected to wait for one year after you've got the assessment. I've decided not to wait and found a private speech therapist. I've found that 4 yrs old is just the right time for my child to have therapy, though your case may be different. If you suspect anything, don't wait for the govt, go for a private one. For motor skills assessment, you'll have one when your child turns one. Sometimes their assessment can be too difficult for your child, as I've found different govt clinics have different tests and the levels can vary a lot. There are lots of baby health web pages with baby development for your reference. Talk to other moms to see if their children have the same problems.
In my opinion (and I'm not trying to discount anyone else's), I would seek help for a child with language delays at age 2 (at the latest). My son has a language disorder (he's currently 2 years, 5 months) and he's been attending private speech therapy for the last 6 months. He's improving a lot although he can still only say about 20 words (which are recognizable to us).
Good luck!
Good luck!
I was told by a speech therapist from the Adventist Hospital that speech therapy for children is only effective at age 3. My child has speech delay and i was just asked to stimulate him by using one language, reading more often, talking while watching his vocabulary building video, and I additionally sent him to kindy school. In 6 months, everyone who sees him can tell of the marked difference. He has words now for all common objects, can recognize (but cannot yet pronounce) a lot more words and has started putting 2 words together like "mama, help"... which is good as he really tries to communicate versus just memorizing words.
If you are worried, the Department of Health has a Child Assessment Centre Tel: 2246 6659
http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/main_ser/child.htm
You can also try to make an appointment at a Maternal and Child Health Centre - choose one in your area
http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/telephon/mchc_e.htm
http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/main_ser/child.htm
You can also try to make an appointment at a Maternal and Child Health Centre - choose one in your area
http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/telephon/mchc_e.htm
Thought i'd share this update to inspire other worried moms like me...
my son is 2.5 years old now and he has learned to "read" the alphabet... not just memorize but recognizes the letters. I play the flashcards with him which is why i can tell he can read.
he also knows about 40 animals and can even emulate their sound
love and patience is what worked for me and my son
Good luck to everyone else.
my son is 2.5 years old now and he has learned to "read" the alphabet... not just memorize but recognizes the letters. I play the flashcards with him which is why i can tell he can read.
he also knows about 40 animals and can even emulate their sound
love and patience is what worked for me and my son
Good luck to everyone else.
keep encouraging and supporting him
this is what he needs the most at this time
there are VCDs which helped us as well... Bumblebee vocabulary building which i remember getting from Dymocks. They were recommended by the speech therapist we consulted in the beginning. It certainly helped a lot. Surround him with picture cards and books as well
when he starts discovering the power of speech.. there's no stopping them...
this is what he needs the most at this time
there are VCDs which helped us as well... Bumblebee vocabulary building which i remember getting from Dymocks. They were recommended by the speech therapist we consulted in the beginning. It certainly helped a lot. Surround him with picture cards and books as well
when he starts discovering the power of speech.. there's no stopping them...
Thanks, Lylah. It's not that my son hasn't discovered the power of speech. The pathway between his brain and mouth isn't properly developed. My son is quite smart and know what he wants to say. His mouth also works properly. He's missing the sequencing of how to move his mouth and tongue to produce speech. Without appropriate therapy, he's not going to suddenly start speaking.
I'll check out those DVD's. Baby Babble is also a really good one.
Can't believe it takes a year to get government speech therapy. That sucks.
Thanks again.
K
I'll check out those DVD's. Baby Babble is also a really good one.
Can't believe it takes a year to get government speech therapy. That sucks.
Thanks again.
K
My son is now 20months but he cannot master even mama or papa, he is just sure to say "milk" for now. I am so worry that he has autism, he also has a problem of not having eye-contact with people talking to him. Can anyone help to give me some referrals of private doctors or good speech therapist in HK? So worry, me and and husband could not sleep well for many months !
Avina,
We saw a speech therapist and child psychologist for my son's evaluation when we were first told that my son had mild autism. Both specialists ruled out even the mildest form of autism and just concluded that my son had speech delay (we were not advised to go into therapy at that time since he was too young 24 months), he is now 2 years and 7 months and has since started talking (he can now even say his A-B-C's). I do not have the contacts of these people with me right now, but will get them for you later today.
Lylah
We saw a speech therapist and child psychologist for my son's evaluation when we were first told that my son had mild autism. Both specialists ruled out even the mildest form of autism and just concluded that my son had speech delay (we were not advised to go into therapy at that time since he was too young 24 months), he is now 2 years and 7 months and has since started talking (he can now even say his A-B-C's). I do not have the contacts of these people with me right now, but will get them for you later today.
Lylah
beckveldman
Registered User
Just to answer the original post, in case Tammie or others are actually still looking for public health options:
The Queen Mary Hospital has an outpatient facility that does paediatric assessment and follow-up through the public system, using a team assessment approach comprising physio/OT/speech therapy.
Your child needs to be a resident of Hong Kong (if an expat, a photocopy of visa in child's passport will do), and your GP needs to give you a referral.
http://www.ha.org.hk/hesd/nsapi/?MIval=ha_view_content&c_id=100131
I don't know what your exact situation was with your son, what delays he was exhibiting etc., but I just wanted to say I hope you weren't put off by well-meaning people telling you it was too early to seek assessment and early intervention. I'm not meaning that as an attack on others who have replied, but I realise that a lot of people are unfamiliar with delays that are apparent in early infancy (low or high tone issues, etc) that definitely do need early follow-up.
Motor delays and early pointers to future speech problems are certainly able to be detected at under one year of age, and positive intervention at a very young age through appropriate play-based therapies are exceedingly effective in young infants where the brain is still developing at a very fast rate.
My son is an ex-prem with motor issues, so I have a pretty firm basis for saying this! He has been monitored by a combined therapy team since birth.
Trust all is going well with your son!
The Queen Mary Hospital has an outpatient facility that does paediatric assessment and follow-up through the public system, using a team assessment approach comprising physio/OT/speech therapy.
Your child needs to be a resident of Hong Kong (if an expat, a photocopy of visa in child's passport will do), and your GP needs to give you a referral.
http://www.ha.org.hk/hesd/nsapi/?MIval=ha_view_content&c_id=100131
I don't know what your exact situation was with your son, what delays he was exhibiting etc., but I just wanted to say I hope you weren't put off by well-meaning people telling you it was too early to seek assessment and early intervention. I'm not meaning that as an attack on others who have replied, but I realise that a lot of people are unfamiliar with delays that are apparent in early infancy (low or high tone issues, etc) that definitely do need early follow-up.
Motor delays and early pointers to future speech problems are certainly able to be detected at under one year of age, and positive intervention at a very young age through appropriate play-based therapies are exceedingly effective in young infants where the brain is still developing at a very fast rate.
My son is an ex-prem with motor issues, so I have a pretty firm basis for saying this! He has been monitored by a combined therapy team since birth.
Trust all is going well with your son!
Speech delay
Thanks Lylah. I hope my son is the same case with you, because I am really scared of "autism". Happy to hear that your son can say lots of words now. I will be patient. I found a speech specialist in Central, but they say I should wait until he is 2 and a half years old, because my son just had a heart surgery last Sept. Gee, raising a kid is not so easy, many many issues to worry !
Thanks Lylah. I hope my son is the same case with you, because I am really scared of "autism". Happy to hear that your son can say lots of words now. I will be patient. I found a speech specialist in Central, but they say I should wait until he is 2 and a half years old, because my son just had a heart surgery last Sept. Gee, raising a kid is not so easy, many many issues to worry !
Sorry for taking a while. Have been very busy with work, but here are the people we saw:
Rainy Chan
Speech Therapist
Rehabilitation Centre
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
(852) 2574 6211
Her personal numbers are as follows: (852) 28350558/ (852) 96548231
Dr. Tommy Chan
Clinical Psychologist
16/F Hing Wai Bldg, 36 Queens' Road Central HK
Tel: (852) 2526 5929
Mobile: (852) 9832 4905
Hope that helps!
Rainy Chan
Speech Therapist
Rehabilitation Centre
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
(852) 2574 6211
Her personal numbers are as follows: (852) 28350558/ (852) 96548231
Dr. Tommy Chan
Clinical Psychologist
16/F Hing Wai Bldg, 36 Queens' Road Central HK
Tel: (852) 2526 5929
Mobile: (852) 9832 4905
Hope that helps!
Hi, My happy, sweet, mellow, fun son is 3 years and 4 months old..My son has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS called pervasive Developmental Disorder last summer in Boston children medical hospital. It was a long long frustrated and depressed progress. From there, I have been running around like an headless chicken, trying to educated myself from book to book, from specialist to specialist to study and understand what's all about PDD, and started to getting deeper to get into Autism research and case study. all the valuable resources that helps parents. I want to help my kid and how to be a brave mother from a fragile one!
I can share about my experiences on my son's treatment, playtime, research play groups, Specialist available in Hong Kong and book that helps the parents.
My advice is, as a mother instincts, if you feeling something is not quite right about about child, DON'T sit and wait, get a proper specialist to look at him, and get HELP!!
Speech delay, is another developmental delay it might link to other area....these days, it is so easy to label and diagnosed the child..but it depends mild to severe. Speech delay or other developmental delays has wide range types...My son is having a articulation problems...my son's understanding of languages is 100%, BUT express is not there yet! So you have to focus on what your son's need, so you can measure the right therapy for him.
Is he, or her just having a speech delay? or other problems..like behaviour problems?
The books that I mentioned:
1. Teach me how to say it right
2. Childhood Speech, Language & Listening problem
If your child has behaviour problems...Trying to have a look:
ABA Therapy (called, Applied behaviour Analyst)
Note: Whatever developmental delay for your child, the therapy's are pretty much same. Its about: Floor time (another word, playtime..Its all about playing and engaged with your child.
if you want to know more about, feel free to email me!!
Love and support your loving child...
I can share about my experiences on my son's treatment, playtime, research play groups, Specialist available in Hong Kong and book that helps the parents.
My advice is, as a mother instincts, if you feeling something is not quite right about about child, DON'T sit and wait, get a proper specialist to look at him, and get HELP!!
Speech delay, is another developmental delay it might link to other area....these days, it is so easy to label and diagnosed the child..but it depends mild to severe. Speech delay or other developmental delays has wide range types...My son is having a articulation problems...my son's understanding of languages is 100%, BUT express is not there yet! So you have to focus on what your son's need, so you can measure the right therapy for him.
Is he, or her just having a speech delay? or other problems..like behaviour problems?
The books that I mentioned:
1. Teach me how to say it right
2. Childhood Speech, Language & Listening problem
If your child has behaviour problems...Trying to have a look:
ABA Therapy (called, Applied behaviour Analyst)
Note: Whatever developmental delay for your child, the therapy's are pretty much same. Its about: Floor time (another word, playtime..Its all about playing and engaged with your child.
if you want to know more about, feel free to email me!!
Love and support your loving child...