Delay in speech - woud it imply more?

Hi friends...
Is it true that kids who start talking late, are slow everywhere? be it grasping what is told at school, general intelligence and all that...

I heard one of my neighbours (who is supposed to be working as a v principal in a reputed school) commenting on another neighbour kid referring to him as a 'special' child (child with special needs), because he is now around 2.7 years of age and just starting to talk (no other probs with him, and he has undergone all tests and started to talk too). I was shocked.. as my kid wasn't fast in speech either (started meaningful 1 word only when she was 19 months, and 2 words when she was 2, and now in expressive full sentences at 2.5, that too, in baby language).

Such a strong statement, that too, from a person associated with education and children for around 2 decades now, making a comment of this nature, left me appalled. but ladies, just clarify this point pls. hasn't there been cases of ur kids, nephews and nieces, who were slow to pick up speech, but could catch up with the rest of the crowd? Would the child lag behind thru out his/her lifetime? Feel free to say whats in ur mind, that will help.

Originally Posted by asha_karthik

I heard one of my neighbours (who is supposed to be working as a v principal in a reputed school) commenting on another neighbour kid referring to him as a 'special' child (child with special needs), because he is now around 2.7 years of age and just starting to talk (no other probs with him, and he has undergone all tests and started to talk too).

What utter and complete nonsense,to label a child "special" only because of delayed speech! My husband, his mother and her mother all started talking only in their fourth year, i.e. after they turned 3. So in her reckoning they are all "special"?
DH has a Ph.D. and is one of the up and coming young talent so to speak. He is well read, writes much better than me and has a ear for music. His mother was a gold medallist in M Sc Maths and cleared the entrance for a Ph.D. in IIT (or whatever selection they had then), but her grandfather would have nothing of a girl child staying in a hostel. Grandmother in law at 80 now is one of the very well read and a sophisticated ladies I've met.
I am not surprised at how the students are labelled quickly and sent off to special schools.

Such a strong statement, that too, from a person associated with education and children for around 2 decades now, making a comment of this nature, left me appalled. but ladies, just clarify this point pls. hasn't there been cases of ur kids, nephews and nieces, who were slow to pick up speech, but could catch up with the rest of the crowd? Would the child lag behind thru out his/her lifetime? Feel free to say whats in ur mind, that will help.

Asha, please stop worrying about your kid. She is doing fine. I am in the same boat as you as far as language is concerned. DS is just starting two word sentences and Headstart was not even concerned about his lack of language skills. Neither was our paed.
I really think it inappropriate of the VP to talk such utter rubbish, that too to another parent on the basis of hearsay - I doubt if she has any insider information on the evaluation of the child? I think this is the problem with our education system... the child is not the centre of it, just the teacher's and parent's conveniences (and I do know you are NOT like that). So, take it easy.

Relief krithika..
dont get me wrong.. i wasn't really worried abt that kid or mine. its only the perception of others that concerned or rather irritated me in this case. she sees that child who still hasn't just started expressing himself well as a 'different' child. she was telling me that he could get thru in a good school (BVM) thru a 'special' child quota as every class there had 1 seat for such children. seeing my reaction, she tried to correct herself saying "he is slow, but they can try the quota seat". would any parent want to do that?

Good to hear about ur DH's family.

you are true that its not a child-centric education system here in most schools. the ratio of teachers-students itself is so annoying in most schools. with no proper attention, any child will continue to treat 'going to school' as yet another 'work' for the day. and how many of us parents say this often to our children "naalaikku saturday , school illai.. so jolly". i hate this statement. if attending school is felt so burdensome for the child, might as well stay at home and do what one likes to do.

now that this has come up, krithiks.. what is the ratio of teacher:student in headstart?

hi
just to add a bit to the reply...
every child is different and he or she reaches the milestone at his or her own pace. hence you cannot compare two children based on how they have reached their developmental milestone. true some are fast. it does'nt mean that the slow and steady ones are special. in your case if feel the child is perfectly normal as she has already started speaking. some children don't even say few words till upto ,say, 4 years of age. but they are intelligent and normal. when you need to get worried is if the child cannot hear. they say speech and hearing are linked. if the child starts recognising sounds from 6 to 7 months onwards.. there is no reason to worry.
just relax your, and don't bother half baked info
bhagya

Originally Posted by bhagyakrish

hi
just to add a bit to the reply...
every child is different and he or she reaches the milestone at his or her own pace. hence you cannot compare two children based on how they have reached their developmental milestone. true some are fast. it does'nt mean that the slow and steady ones are special. in your case if feel the child is perfectly normal as she has already started speaking. some children don't even say few words till upto ,say, 4 years of age. but they are intelligent and normal. when you need to get worried is if the child cannot hear. they say speech and hearing are linked. if the child starts recognising sounds from 6 to 7 months onwards.. there is no reason to worry.
just relax your, and don't bother half baked info
bhagya

thank you bhagya. that helps..

Headstart teach to pupe ratio varies from 1 to 18 to 1 to 5, yeah, in the higher classes the numbers are still sparse. Right now the 10th exam is in the Cambridge board and they are trying for ICSE certification. Whether classes XI and XII will be started is still unsure. After meeting the founding principal, I can see how HS is not for all and what I consider plus points need not appear so for others, but I got a good feeling of openness and accessability from her. That's what works for me.

yes krithika.. though what you hv been telling abt headstart sounds good, i wud be worried abt (a) the distance (b) changing schools even if it is after few years.

this discussion got off-track.. me the culprit.

Well this is totally rubbish, one of our friend son's turn 2 yr old but couldn't speak. But that doesn't mean that he will be slow or something.

Interesting story, einstein can't speak until he was 4 yr old & i don't need to say he was a genius.

Asha, I too don't agree with your neighbour. Children develop at their own pace, some do things faster than others. I can personally relate since my 3 year old didn't start talking until well after 2.5 years. Now at 3 years and 4 months, he does talk in complete sentences, even though his pronounciation and articulation has to improve in comparison with some of his peers.

thank you cheer..

Originally Posted by cheer

Well this is totally rubbish, one of our friend son's turn 2 yr old but couldn't speak. But that doesn't mean that he will be slow or something.

Interesting story, einstein can't speak until he was 4 yr old & i don't need to say he was a genius.