Expert: Valerie Herskowitz - 11/26/2010

Question
HI Valerie,

I am concerned about my 25 month old. He has about 10 words total(5 of them not being very clear, but I can get what he is trying to say). He has recently just started saying mom, his first word was car, and uses that word to describe many objects, it seems like everything is a car. I don't know if this is an issue as well but he still drools alot when trying to talk? He is also a bit socially withdrawn, I take him to playgroups twice a week and frequent play dates with other children his age, but he likes to play on his own alot, and if he does notice the other kids he just kinda stands back and watches what they are doing. In the past couple weeks I have been really trying to get him in to imitating play, like hoping like a frog and playing monkeys. As well as ride on toys that you push with your feet, he can get on but doesn't know how to get it to work, even if we get on a show him, or move his feet for him. He is trying but sometimes it he just can't grasp the concept.

He is a very smart and affectionate little boy, he knows everything you tell him, points to objects you ask him about, or can go find the toy (i.e. blue truck), I just don't want to see him held back from developing if there is something I can do to help him along.

Thank You

Krista

Answer
Hi Krista

I'm glad you are starting to recognize that there is something not quite right in terms of the development or lack there of that your child is making. Certainly, he is very delayed in terms of his expressive language. A child his age should be expressing well over 250 words rather clearly and be putting some of them together to form short phrases. That said, I think there is more going on, however, then just the language delay as you mention his social inadequacies as well. If you put both of those issues together, we have red flags for a developmental delay. And then add the motor issue for his riding toys.

So, you need to get him evaluated by the Early Intervention Team in your area. And find some speech therapy for him as well. The sooner the better. You want to figure out what is going on and get him the help he needs.

Keep me in the loop and let me know what happens