Twins speech development

[Toni]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone had any information on this for me.

I have twins that will be 15 months old next week, and they seem very far behind in their speech. I tell myself that Thomas and Charlotte were 6 weeks premature, and that all babies develop differently but I wish they would talk more, as i am a bit worried about the development. Charlotte says 'Keys', 'big', 'yeh!' and 'mama' and 'dada'. Tom just says complete nonsense in between'yeh', 'mama' and 'dada'!

I read somewhere that twins are slower with speech than singular babies - does anyone know anything about this?

thanks

Toni xx

[Jules R]

Hi Toni!

I wouldn't worry too much at the moment - Thomas and Charlotte are still only young. But as someone whose twins have speech problems, I would recommend that you keep an eye on things and aren't afraid to ask for help. Both of my two are under the speech therapist and Daniel received regular speech therapy over the summer. But it takes a significant time for children to be referred to the speech therapist and, even though Daniel is unable to form most consonant sounds at the age of 4, he is not deemed to have severe enough problems to receive weekly speech therapy. If you are still concerned when they reach 2, it's probably worth speaking to your Health Visitor.

Twins can have speech problems for a number of reasons. My brothers were stereotypical identical twins with their own language and didn't talk properly until they were 3. But they soon caught up with other children. Daniel and Charlotte easily understand each other and I think that they haven't needed to put the effort into speaking clearly so that's held them back with speech.

All the best.

Jules

[Zed2003]

I'm with Jules - children develop at all different times and I bet they know exactly what they're saying to each other! If you are that concerned - just ask the dr about it, if nothing else to set the wheels in motion and get some reassurance for yourself.

Sam was 7 weeks early and it didn't help my sister also had a boy only 2 months earlier so they were always compared (without meaning to be). I look at these books you get that say what they should be doing and saying by a particular age and some things he's 'supposed' to be doing at this stage he isin't, yet he's doing other things for an older age...

Sounds like speaking to someone is the only way to put your mind at rest...

Take Care
Zoe

[Juliana]

Hi girls,
I have been way from the boards for a while busy with moving the family o Italy for 6 months (am I mad or what ) but I am also very interested in the speech development topic. We (Nadia and Alexander - 25 months) are also behind with their speech, although we have the added difficulty of having 2 sometimes, 3 langauges at home. They say about 30 words each (In either their mother or father tongue, depending on which are easier for them to pronounce), but no sentences yet and I wonder when I should really worry. On the other hand, as Zoe says, they develop skills at different times, they are into puzzles at the moment and surprisingly good at them, so I guess learning one thing just takes the place of the other.

Jules, when you say it takes time, when did you know they needed help? What was the sign that made you look for help? I guess at the moment I am just relaxed about it, but maybe I should think about support more seriously...
love and greetings from all of us and the gorgous weather in Tuscany,
Juliana

[Toni]

Juliana

how dare you come and post on here from your sunny side of things in Italy while its raining here!!????

Only kidding!! Im just jealous!

25 months eh? Nadia and Alexander must be running rings around you! I am thinking of asking at the doctors about Thomas and Charlottes development and seeing what they say. I think they should be talking and walking by now - they seem so far behind im really getting worried!

Toni x

[Jules R]

Buongiorno Juliana!

I think that I probably knew at the age of 2 that there were problems with Daniel and Charlotte's speech, although I didn't want to admit it because it made me feel like a failure as a parent. Over the next year it became obvious that there was a problem so I asked the Health Visitor to refer them at their 3 year old check. They always formed very simple sentences (and often still do) and their speech sounds were still unclear when I could understand their peers much more clearly. Over here it can take 6 months from a child being referred to them being seen by a speech therapist so I really wish that I'd voiced my concerns earlier.

I've heard that bilingual children can be slower with their speech but that it doesn't stop them from catching up with their peers so I wouldn't be too worried if I were you.

Take care.

Jules

[cinders101]

Hi Toni,

I am a Speech Therapist. While I would not be worried at all, I would definately call your local school district and request a speech/language evaluation (in writing) for both of your children. While many people will encourage you to wait, even your pediatrician, there is FREE help for you. Speech services can initiate in the infant stage and it is never too early to evaluate and get services started. I highly suggest that you write a formal letter requesting a speech/lang evaluation..that way they must do it by law (some districts will recommend not to test but if writing, they are mandated to do so). My nephew was not speaking at all by 2 years of age and within 6 months, with speech therapy, he is now stringing 3-4 word utterances. Good luck and I hope this helps.

[Juliana]

Hi Toni, Jules, and all of you girls,
Yes, the weather in Tuscany is great, but we have paid a high price for our sabbatical - since they joined the creche here in Florence Nadia and Alex have been ill almost all the time! It has something to do with starting at a place where there are kids from all over teh world. Scared me to death I must say, Nadia almost landed in hospital with pnemonia at the start of October. Hope we are getting better now, our nice Italian doctor calls it the year of building of mmunity. hope it won't last that long...
Back to speech development, I cannot tell if we are behind due to the twins factor or due to the bilinguilism (or tri lingusim now we go to an Italian creche). They form two words sentences - just about - but I do hope they will catch up before we are back to the Netherlands where I will have to do something about it. and yes, they are running circles around me - but it has gotten better since the summer when I thought I had lost the battle for discipline forever (as in getting them to bed at roughly the same time etc). We had a great routine, but moving to yet another country and illness played havoc with that. Still, they are cuter and more enjoyable than ever and as long as they are healthy I feel we can sort all else out.
greetings to you all - another sunny day here - and if we are disease free by the end of it I will feel that I am offically eligible for being envied or shall I make this a week and push my luck,
juliana

[Toni]

Juliana

yes don't worry about the illnesses. i know its easier said than done and when your little ones are poorly you just feel so useless and unhappy for them - and sometimes as you say scared to death!! When my 2 started nursery they got a horrible chest infection the first week and for 3 days Thomas just whimpered - he didnt even have the strength to cry properly bless him! Charlotte was a lot braver and just pushed thru it!

but thats what its like unfortunately. Even over in England they get constant colds and coughs right now. Its all to do with building up their immunity so although it hard at the time i tell myself its for the best in the long run. im a big fan or nurseries etc for this reason and for also teaching them to socialise with other kids and developing this skill before school.

Our neighbour has a 2 little boys - her eldest has just started reception (thats 4 yrs old), and her little un is 1 in December (i think......!!) When her eldest was at playgroup early in the summer a batch of Chicken Pox went round. innevitavbly her eldest caught it and passed it on to her 7 month old baby..........that must have been hell. but at least both her kids have had it and its out of the way now. And I think thats the only way to look at it really - otherwise us mums would go a little bit stir crazy!!!

Its another Grim day over here in England. We had a rare treat of a beautiful day yesterday - warm and sunny!! Lovely - especially for October!!

Take care all

Toni x

[Juliana]

Hi Toni,
It is cheering to read your mail and, as with so many experiences shared on the boards, I am encouraged to hear that others have struggled with the same problems. Yes, the idea that the litte ones have to build immunity is the only way to look at it, otherwise I have to keep them at home and then they wll get sick when going to school. It has to happen some time. You are so right, socializing with other kids is important - I was very curious how that would go, with them being used to each other only - but it goes well, they seem to go off and play separately with others and do not stick only with each other as I imagined they would do. How have yours done it at the nursery?
I hope you still get some decent weather in England, here it is coldish but bright which I much prefer to the Dutch rain.
love and greetings,
juliana

[Toni]

at the moment they only go one afternoon a week. I would love to be able to put them in nursey more often but as I don't actually have a job at the moment (I fell preg with the IVF just as i started a new job so had to quit as i had such a bad preg and kept fainting) i can't afford the childcare costs. i am currently looking for a job that pays high enough to cover the costs, its so expensive!! i only want to work part time as i dont want to miss out on time with Charlotte and Thomas either.

But they are getting on fantastically. all the nursery staff comment on how well behaved they are and how well they play with others, they even wish they could have them more often - tho how much that has to do with me paying them more money i dont know (lol!)!! i think they do tend to spend time with each other playing but they have always got on well with other children, too.

It was funny that when they first started at nursery i used to get upset that they didnt seem to miss me or be particularly happy when i came to pick them up! thats changed now and they both try to climb up my legs when i get there! when we arrive however they dont even want to wave me goodbye - i put them on the floor and they are off - in diff directions usually!

i think Charlotte almost took her first steps yesterday. she sort of slid her feet across the floor and moved!! she will be running rings round her brother soon, hes been standing for ages but hes not really been brave enough to try and walk!! My guess is that once Thomas sees his sister at it he'll decide he wants a piece of the action too!!!!

the cold snap is completely here now - the big winter coats are out, the hats too. how do your cope with gloves/mittens. mine WILL NOT put them on. But their hands get so cold when we are out and we leave the house at 8.30 every morning to walk my friends little girl to school as a favour. Thomas has started crying when his hands get cold - i wish i could explain to him how important it is that he wears his mittens, but they just dont understand at that age. I have just bought some bigger ones so im gonna try and pull them onto his hands in the morning and then put his coat on over it so he cant pull them off. at least thats the theory ............................

Hope to hear from you soon

take care

Toni xx