You know what they say: boys tend to talk later than girls. At first, I accepted this notion as the reason my son, Oliver, was lagging behind in speech. But then I started hearing toddlers younger than my 18-month-old rattling off sentences like little prodigies. “Look at those gifted kids!” I thought, as my heart sank just a little. Friends would share adorable anecdotes of their little ones’ conversations, and I felt a twinge of jealousy creeping in.
I kept reading books to Oliver, even when he seemed to be more interested in chewing on the pages than listening. I imitated every sound he made, hoping he’d catch on. We even tried baby sign language—he was in charge of flipping the pages, while I clung to the hope that he’d absorb some language through osmosis. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.
During a routine check-up, our pediatrician suggested we look into Early Intervention (EI) services. They connected us with an exceptional team at 606 Speech in Chicago, who diagnosed Oliver with a specific speech delay. As he grew older, his frustration mounted. He screamed, he yelled, and honestly, I shed a few tears myself. When he hit a wall, he’d go completely stiff, protesting our attempts to leave the park. It became his go-to defense against anyone trying to communicate with him—parents, grandparents, aunts, you name it. After all, everyone deserves to be heard, and my sweet little boy was struggling to find his voice.
Despite attending therapy sessions twice a week, progress felt agonizingly slow. I hated those speech exercises just as much as he did; I didn’t want to push my baby to blow a whistle if he wasn’t ready. I craved fun time with him and felt as though things would never improve. Was it because I worked over 40 hours a week? Was it in my genes? Maybe it was all that sleep training?
Then, something magical happened. At around two-and-a-half, Oliver began to mimic everything he heard. Suddenly, he was using sentences and pretending to read! His vocabulary took off like a rocket ship. Friends and family were absolutely right—his language skills were multiplying before our eyes.
Now, it’s hard to believe he ever faced a speech delay. Watching his confidence soar is a joy like no other. I sometimes catch myself giggling as I eavesdrop on his animated chats with friends. I can barely keep up with him as he enthusiastically blows chocolate milk all over the floor during his speech exercises. This entire journey has taught me valuable lessons about overcoming challenges. Life may knock him down, but I hope he always has the courage to stand back up and find his voice.
For more insights on parenting and navigating challenges, check out our other blog posts like this one on advertiser disclosure, or delve into topics like self-insemination with experts at Make a Mom. And if you’re curious about genetics, the Genetics and IVF Institute is an excellent resource.
Summary
This article recounts the journey of a mother, Maria, as she navigates her son Oliver’s speech delay. Initially, she attributed his slow speech development to the common belief that boys talk later than girls. However, as she witnessed other toddlers speaking fluently, she became concerned and sought help through Early Intervention services. With therapy and time, Oliver eventually began to communicate effectively, transforming their struggles into a heartwarming success story.