My boy is 2 1/2 and doesn't talk. - Page 7 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

SeattleUte · 07-12-2008, 10:22 PM

FWIW, I found this on the Internet, first hit on Google. Since we're offering Internet diagnoses I though I might as well offer it.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotion.../not_talk.html

CardiacCoug · 07-12-2008, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

So your advice is Levin should do nothing. I'm impressed you've issued your diagnosis already. Did they teach you in medical school how to do that over the the Internet sight unseen? Who's talking about autism other than you and Triplet? Do you think a two and a half year old who can't hardly say yes or no is in theh fifth percentile? The first? The 49th? Cite? Do you know? How do you know this doesn't involve a physiological issue like hearing?

You say you "guess" intervention at 2 is no different than 6. Why are you "guessing" about something so grave? Do you normally do that? I don't care what your "gut feeling" is. Is a gut feeling mainstream? I think they should have real doctors look at the boy in real life.

The irony of your avatar is rich.

Did you read my post? I said they should have his hearing formally tested since that is something that can be corrected.

Nobody is offering a diagnosis -- I'm just saying that a lot of kids start talking late. If the kid otherwise seems normal, then there is probably nothing wrong.

It doesn't hurt to get a formal developmental evaluation and it sounds like Levin and his wife will do that. I guess my main point is that even if they decide there may be developmental delay, autism, or something along those lines, the treatment for that isn't very different from what I'm sure Levin and his wife do with their kid anyway. They'll continue to play with him, talk to him, etc. like they are doing now. Visits to some sort of therapist aren't going to make the kid start talking all of a sudden. If for some reason he did start talking suddenly after seeing a therapist it would in my opinion be completely coincidental.

Parental angst and worry over this kind of thing can be terrible and usually counterproductive. It sounds like Levin has taken him to a "real doctor in real life" not too long ago and he didn't think anything further was needed at the time.

CardiacCoug · 07-12-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

There was a kid in my ward, he was a great baby, never put up much of a fuss, etc.

At about 2yo they thought something was wrong. So they took him in. Turned out he was missing half a brain.

I don't think it was the first time he had seen a doctor.

So what did they do for the kid when they figured out he had half a brain? Did they have him see a neurosurgeon to transplant another half of a brain?

They probably did the same exact things they were doing for their child anyway. They could have taken him in to the doctor at 3 or 4 -- he still would have had half a brain and there still wouldn't have been a damn thing they could do about it.

Levin · 07-12-2008, 11:34 PM

I think a lot of the angst and anxiousness comes from being in the dark; not knowing why a 2.5 year old can't say a word or won't try to form a word. For that reason alone, a doctor's visit is worth it, as is any follow-up that may be required. If the doctor(s) tell us they can't find anything wrong, then that is at least something, and a good speech therapist, if nothing else, will provide further stimulation to the child and peace of mind to the parents.

But if they are able to find something at this stage more serious, then that is something too, and is better than an anxiousness borne of ignorance. Then we can at least start down that road.

The different experiences described by you all have been very helpful to me -- thanks for sharing them. Whatever may be the "answer" from the doctor/therapists at this stage (unless it's something physically serious), I'll continue to be patient with my son, and enjoying him for where he is, knowing that children develop at vastly different rates.

Jeff Lebowski · 07-13-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardiacCoug

So what did they do for the kid when they figured out he had half a brain? Did they have him see a neurosurgeon to transplant another half of a brain?

They probably did the same exact things they were doing for their child anyway. They could have taken him in to the doctor at 3 or 4 -- he still would have had half a brain and there still wouldn't have been a damn thing they could do about it.

Nice logic there, Doc. If you want to pursue this line of reasoning, I suppose they could have waited forever.

FarrahWaters · 07-13-2008, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardiacCoug

If you see a kid who was labeled with autism who makes a lot of improvement it was probably going to happen with or without a formal diagnosis and therapy -- probably the diagnosis was just wrong. Kids with autism have never been randomized to formal speech therapy or no formal speech therapy to see which group learns to speak better, for example. My guess is that the kids would turn out the same way with or without it. That's just my gut feeling and there is no scientific evidence that disproves it -- autistic spectrum disorders are fundamental problems with the brain that can't be fixed with a little bit of extra educational effort from parents and therapists.

With this discussion on my mind, I came across this article today.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/condi....ap/index.html

(btw, this is not about Levin's son, I don't think he is autistic).

MikeWaters · 07-13-2008, 04:01 AM

Yikes.

It's almost like saying, "well, there is no cure for schizophrenia, therefore why do anything about it."

Because sometimes doing something about it eases the burden on child and family. As in, therapy that allows a young autistic man live with his family instead of destroy it. As in empowering someone and giving them some dignity, even if there is no "cure".

What is the downside of speech therapy for a kid? Wasted time and money? Weak sauce.

Jeff Lebowski · 07-13-2008, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Yikes.

It's almost like saying, "well, there is no cure for schizophrenia, therefore why do anything about it."

Because sometimes doing something about it eases the burden on child and family. As in, therapy that allows a young autistic man live with his family instead of destroy it. As in empowering someone and giving them some dignity, even if there is no "cure".

What is the downside of speech therapy for a kid? Wasted time and money? Weak sauce.

No kidding. What is the downside of a thorough diagnosis? A little inconvenience? This whole debate is bizarre.

TripletDaddy · 07-13-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

No kidding. What is the downside of a thorough diagnosis? A little inconvenience? This whole debate is bizarre.

I dont think there is any debate. this thread has become boring.

Everyone agrees on the following: see a doctor, get tested, make sure your kids are ok, have regular checkups.

SoonerCoug · 07-13-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

No kidding. What is the downside of a thorough diagnosis?

People get diagnosed and treated for things that don't require treatment or even benefit from treatment. People also get diagnosed with things that don't even generate symptoms. Downsides=major stress and unnecessary expense and people walking around with a label that negatively affects them (or the parents).

My favorite example is lupus. I've seen quite a few people who had a positive ANA test at some point (which does not necessarily mean a person has lupus), and a doc told them that the ANA meant that they have lupus (even though they don't have any symptoms of lupus). These folks walk around their entire lives teling everyone that they have lupus and that they can't live a normal life, but they don't have any symptoms (other than headaches and stress from thinking they have lupus). 3-4 lupus symptoms are absolutely required for a diagnosis of lupus.

On the other hand, I guess a diagnosis can be reassuring sometimes. It just depends on the person.

07-12-2008, 10:22 PM	#61
SeattleUte fairlds.org Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,665	FWIW, I found this on the Internet, first hit on Google. Since we're offering Internet diagnoses I though I might as well offer it. http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotion.../not_talk.html __________________ Interrupt all you like. We're involved in a complicated story here, and not everything is quite what it seems to be. —Paul Auster

07-12-2008, 11:34 PM	#64
Levin Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,484	I think a lot of the angst and anxiousness comes from being in the dark; not knowing why a 2.5 year old can't say a word or won't try to form a word. For that reason alone, a doctor's visit is worth it, as is any follow-up that may be required. If the doctor(s) tell us they can't find anything wrong, then that is at least something, and a good speech therapist, if nothing else, will provide further stimulation to the child and peace of mind to the parents. But if they are able to find something at this stage more serious, then that is something too, and is better than an anxiousness borne of ignorance. Then we can at least start down that road. The different experiences described by you all have been very helpful to me -- thanks for sharing them. Whatever may be the "answer" from the doctor/therapists at this stage (unless it's something physically serious), I'll continue to be patient with my son, and enjoying him for where he is, knowing that children develop at vastly different rates. __________________ "Now I say that I know the meaning of my life: 'To live for God, for my soul.' And this meaning, in spite of its clearness, is mysterious and marvelous. Such is the meaning of all existence." Levin, Anna Karenina, Part 8, Chapter 12

07-13-2008, 04:01 AM	#67
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Yikes. It's almost like saying, "well, there is no cure for schizophrenia, therefore why do anything about it." Because sometimes doing something about it eases the burden on child and family. As in, therapy that allows a young autistic man live with his family instead of destroy it. As in empowering someone and giving them some dignity, even if there is no "cure". What is the downside of speech therapy for a kid? Wasted time and money? Weak sauce. Last edited by MikeWaters; 07-13-2008 at 04:03 AM.