Too early to be concerned?

[Guest guest]

Hi, I've spent the last two weekends seeking information and believe I've

finally found the place to help me find answers, so I joined your group.

I have 6 grandchildren, with the 5th of the 6 being my concern. I don't want to

be the overly concerned Nana, and have never fit that description, but have been

afraid to say anything to my daughter in case I was overly concerned about

nothing.

My 9 month old grandchild has been the one we call the 'sweet' baby. She is not

(and never has been) one to be interactive with all of us, but we thought it was

just her temperament. However, we were all together in October and again at

Christmas, and are concerned because of the following:

She rarely has her tongue in her mouth, as it hangs out the left side of her

mouth over her bottom lip;

She drools a lot, and constantly;

She does say 'mama' (usually when mad), but she does not babble and coo like her

little cousin who is 3 months younger;

She seems to have difficulty eating from a spoon as most of it ends up back

outside her mouth instead of being swallowed.

Other than this, she is right on track or above schedule on development.

Should we be concerned, and if so, where is the best source of help in Texas?

Thank you,

Vicky

[Guest guest]

Where in TX is she?

Warmest wishes,

Barbara A , M.S., CCC-SLP

Executive Director, Help Me Speak, LLC

410-442-9791

[Guest guest]

This sounds somewhat like my oldest son (with apraxia). I remember him being so

lassez-faire as a baby. He was completely content to sit and watch. At about 9

months the only words he used were animal sounds - which he was fabulous at by

the way. As an infant he was slow to make eye contact but developmentally he was

right on. As far as the drool, it's so hard to know at that age becuase of

teething... my lil guy had his tongue out a lot too and that may be poor oral

tone. I can imagine it would be a very sensitive to bring up with your daughter,

but as a mom Im sure you'll know in your heart the right thing to do. If this is

your daughter's first child, the advice may be welcome; If not maybe just

planing an idea may be enough to get the gears turning.... I wish you the best

of luck. Im sure others here will have great advice for you.

[Guest guest]

Hi....I have been in that same " sensitive " spot bringing up speech concerns with

relatives and friends. One great suggestion is using The Big Book of

Exclamations....The book is a fun educational childrens book designed by a

pediatric speech pathologist. It is filled with fun, beautiful illustrations

and on the last two pages of the the book it lists developmental milestones and

a section on " what to do if your wondering about your childs skills " . It

positively encourages parents to consult with a slp instead of adopting that

terrible " lets just wait and see what happens " policy they often hear from

doctors, friends, and family. Sharing the book with your daughter would be a way

to open the door to discussing your concerns! It has worked for many in my

community - you can go to the website to get a better feel for the book

http://thebigbookofexclamations.com/ Best Wishes!!