Just a little background-- LO is 2.5 and since around 18 months, I have been worried about his lack of speech. I waited a few more months to see if he would have a "language explosion" but it never came. At two years, we decided to have him evaluated by our country EI program. After the evaluation, they found he was about a year delayed in both receptive and expressive speech. Even after our evaluation, we kept waiting to get matched up with a speech therapist and after many, many phone calls it turns out they had such a huge shortage. So, we waited nearly 6 months of referrals, evaluations, waiting, and waiting for nothing. We finally decided to go the private route (I feel like a dunce-- I had no idea you could do that.) He is going once a week.

Like I said, DS is 2.5 and is a stubborn and reserved child. He is so smart (I know I am supposed to think that,) but he would rather look at how things work than talk about it. Doesnt appear to be on the autism spectrum. That I know of, he has 50 words and some inconsistent. He doesn't pair words. He approximates a lot, is very nasaly, swallows his words. I know he is saying something, I just don't know what it means. The SLP says he is the "strong, silent type." I asked her if he has a shot of "catching up" and she was not reassuring at all. She basically said that every kid is different-- some will always be behind their peers. I don't know how to take that. Can she not make a prediction because every thing is uncertain? Or she thinks there's no way he will communicate like his peers? I just want the best for my son and for a professional to tell me he can catch up.

I don't know what I am looking for here. I am so worried about my son. I feel guilty about not doing something sooner and letting the county keep us waiting for nothing.