[Quirk]

DS turned 2 at the end of December. He is the third child, with a 4 year old brother and a 9 year old sister.

As a bit of background, when our other son was 3, we went through hell when a specialist diagnosed him with autism, wrongly so. To cut a long story short, we spent thousands of dollars on specialists to find out that he isn't autistic. After being put through the mill and taking a long time to get over how badly this first specialist cocked up, I am reluctant to put our last DS through anything remotely like that again. Realistically, I know that wont happen, but I am still reluctant.

So, because of that, I have not worried too much about DS's lack of talking and just how very quiet he is.

Now though, I'm starting to wonder. He is as quiet as a mouse, he doesn't shout, squeal, laugh loudly, screech etc. He doesn't really babble either. Other people are amazed at how quiet he is and by that, I don't just mean that he doesn't talk much, but that the noises he does make are also very quiet.

He can't say Mummy, but can say Daddy, but says it as a whisper almost. He will attempt most words but speaks them in a whisper.

What words he does speaks, he can't pronounce. It's almost like it's mechanical, like his jaw or something doesn't work. He talks how a deaf person talks. Like he is repeating what he hears and we are talking underwater, so that's what he hears. But his hearing was tested at birth and was fine. He has never had ear infections either.

Sorry for the epic post, but part of me is hoping that if I just leave things, they will sort themselves out. Everything we went through with our other DS was pretty awful and I am so reluctant to start any ball rolling that might run away from me, hope that makes sense.

I don't think speech therapy would help, it definitely did with our other son, but this seems like a different issue. I spoke to a GP a few months ago, but she blew it off saying that her son doesn't talk much either.

So, where do I start? A paed? An ENT maybe?

[Quirk]

Just to add a bit more on the quietness, DP is a FIFO worker, so all 3 kids talk to him on the phone every night. When DS talks to him, it is the tiniest whisper. That is how he talks to me too, so it is not due to shyness talking to people outside the family, he is as quiet as a mouse with us too.

[becstar101]

How many words would you say he has? I don't want to worry you, but your post makes me think there may be hearing issues. I would return to the Gp (or a different Gp) and request a referral for a hearing assessment.

I understand your previous experiences are influencing your willingness to request help, but remember this is a different child and different situation.

[Quirk]

becstar, that was my thought too, but his hearing test at birth was totally fine. And he has had no ear infections either.

He does speak though just like a person with limited hearing. I can say many words to him and he will repeat them back, but they are all super quiet and muffled.

Mummy is mu-ee
Pizza is pi-a
House is how
boat is bow
and so on. All words are whispered.

He does not initiate any conversation at all. If I didn't speak to him, he wouldn't speak all day.

[InsertAwesomeHer...]

My friends son was exactly like this and has hearing problems despite his newborn screen being perfect.

[Quirk]

Really? Can you share more please? How old was he when they worked it out and what other symptoms did he have? Was he also super quiet, as in volume too?

[becstar101]

I think some children can get ear infections without symptoms. His hearing may have changed over two years... Has the Gp examined his ears?

[Quirk]

No, she didn't, just asked if he had had infections.

[snowflakedoll]

Yep, definitely get his hearing checked.

I used to work for the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP) and we always told parents that if they suspected their child of having any hearing loss in the future to always get it checked out by an audiologist because hearing loss can occur any time, for many different reasons.

[mini mac]

I'd go back to the gp for a second look, or perhaps visit your child health nurse, sometimes they know a good Dr or specialist. Hopefully he is just a quiet boy and will develop more interaction skills in due time.
Good luck