Can you understand your 2.5 year olds' language?

I'm just curious. My boys are receiving speech "monitoring" for their poor sound production. In listening to my friend's son talk, it's clear as day! My boys have some words that eveyrone can understand but most of it only mom and dad understand. I know, I know...don't compare. I'm just curious. They will sing "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "ABCs" but not a word of it is intelligible. Perhaps it's because it's music? Anyway...just wondering.

 

Mine have been pretty easy to understand since age 2. They have some friends who are almost 3 that I can't understand at all though!

 

Mine are extremely easy to understand. Infact they have a few words I wish others didn't understand!!

 

One of mine was crystal clear, the other one was much slower to get clear consonants (except "L," which she for some reason got first, even though it's typically a later acquisition). It's only been in the last 6 months (between 4.5 and 5) that's she's gotten really clear with her speech. My parents were very worried about this (we are mostly clear talkers on my side), but I knew DH's niece had had this problem and I knew it would clear up and it did.

 

Sometimes I'm not sure what they are saying, but for the most part, I think they are clear. They do have some pronounciation issues like saying "w" for "r" and "l", not saying some blended consonants, Ainsley says "b" in place of "p" when it is this first letter of a word. Bea is just starting to loose some of her baby talk, like saying "water" instead of "wah-ee".
It really is hard to say though if it's just because I am their mother and that's why I can understand them, or if they truly speak clearly. Sometimes I do have to relay an interpretation to others.

 

I find Amy pretty easy to understand, but I still have to translate most of what she says if it's anyone but DH or me.
I can really only understand Sarah from context, or from having heard certain words or phrases a million times. Most of her words still come out sounding like "buh." She's making progress, though.

 

What is speech "monitoring"? My boys were hard to understand at first because they did things like drop 's's, substitute l's for y's, etc. If you knew the "code" you could decipher the speech, but it was hard. Speech therapy really helped my boys. By age 4 they were completely understandable, and I haven't had to interpret for them since around 3. They still have more childish-sounding speech than lots of kids their age, but don't stand out either.

 

My kids are incredibly hard to understand, especially Ben. He leaves off a lot of beginning sounds, and has many, many substitutions. If it does not improve, we will have him tested for speech (for articulation) at the local elementary school when he turns three. I teach kinder and sit in on the IEPs for three year olds, and Ben's articulation is just as poor as some of the kids that qualify.

 

QUOTE(KYsweetheart @ Dec 9 2007, 06:36 PM) [snapback]527220[/snapback]
Mine are extremely easy to understand. Infact they have a few words I wish others didn't understand!!


Ditto for us too!

 

I have one of each....one is not as 'clear' and has poor articulation/eununciation. They both have large vocabularies, but at times it gets lost in translation!!!

I would ask about oral motor testing, my 'mushy' speaker has low tone and can be hard to understand on letters or sounds that require lip involvment....though with therapy she is getting clearer. She is my big talker so I figure sheis practicing all the time!!!

Her sister is clearer and easier to understand, but she speaks slowly and much more clear- she is my more perfectionist and does not talk as much, though has just as large a vocabulary.

 

Hey Alison, let me make you feel better. My boys are barely speaking at all. Josh will say a few words here and there but nothing consistent. We've been on the waiting list for a speach therapist since January.

Holly

 

Meghan has always been pretty clear. It took Nolan a while to catch up with her, but now I understand him.

 

The question really isn't if we can understand them so much as can others understand them. As moms we learn their sounds for words and can understand them, where outsiders don't get that. That said Nathan (3.5) has some pretty bad articulation issues. He is on a wait list for an official speech evaluation but his ENT gave a soft diagnosis by listening to the few words he spoke at the appointment. I can understand 80% of the stuff that comes out of his mouth unless he is mad then it drops to 10%. DH looks at me for translation most of the time (he just never pays enough attention to him to figure out his language). William has much clearer speech, but it is still very young sounding. Since we are going to have to pay for therapy I hope to learn things for all 3 boys.

 

I can understand my girl twins and mostly everyone can eventhough she doesn't talk TONS. Boy twin like a pp said has a mushy speech. I haven't brought for an evaluation because my oldest ds was a very late talker too and eventually came around. My ds says a few clear words but if it involves closing the mouth its usually unrecognizable. He's a big drooler too. We have to tell him to swallow. I"m going to give it a few more months and then see where he's at.

 

QUOTE(Holly Wiebe @ Dec 10 2007, 08:12 AM) [snapback]527439[/snapback]
Hey Alison, let me make you feel better. My boys are barely speaking at all. Josh will say a few words here and there but nothing consistent. We've been on the waiting list for a speach therapist since January.

Holly



Nearly a year on a waiting list! Yikes!

 

Mine have been pretty easy to understand since they started talking.

 

Mine have about 50-100 words clear as day, but like singing you can make out what song but not words. Also some times they are too excited, distracted or what ever and is really hard to understand anything. Also once in a while they try to talk way to fast and cut a few sylables out.

 

I can easily understand mines about their needs and what they just want to say.I love their cackles.

 

I can understand almost everything. DH is getting there. Strangers can understand maybe half. Twinkle, Twinkle and the ABC song are clear enough for a stranger to understand. Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and Old MacDonald are a bit rougher but mostly because those are newer for them.

 

yes, you can understand most everything that comes out of their mouths. Sometimes, I have to ask them to show me but when they do, I get it.

 

not only can i understand but most other ppl can understand them.