Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Henry's Speech Delay

Jessa Seewald and Henry Seewald
Appointment with an ENT

"I feel like, especially as the mom, it's easier for me to kind of stress out, like, 'Oh no, he's delayed. What's wrong with him?' And Ben is a little more level-headed." 
-Jessa Seewald

Last night on Counting On (be sure to check out our recap), we watched Jessa and Ben take Henry to an ENT for an evaluation due to his speech delay. In the scene below, Henry receives an examination and handles it like a champ.

 
Photo/video courtesy TLC

85 comments:

  1. I hope they test him for autism. My youngest son was recently diagnosed, at age 3, as autistic, and the first symptom we noticed was his speech delay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If he only has speech delay i would not be worried already for autism. My autistic son had many more symptoms then speech delay. I m sure Jessa and Ben would know if its more then just speech delay. My son is 18 years now and started talking when he was six years old. I want to say to the seewalds thats they follow their heart with Henry. If he is developing good, only not the speech, all will be okay.

      Delete
    2. One of my siblings children this was first notable difference and is autistic.

      Delete
    3. It seems that if you look at numbers alone, there's a chance that one of the Duggar grandchildren will have an issue like this sometime. One in 40-something or 50-something do.

      Delete
    4. 8:19, that’s not how statistics work. There could be 100 Duggar grandchildren, and it’s fully possible that none of them will have autism.

      Delete
    5. Anon 8:19. I thought that too. Statistics.

      Delete
    6. The doctor said other than speech he was developing normally. Sometimes it’s just a speech delay. My oldest two are both on the spectrum and they had multiple symptoms. My youngest son just has a speech delay and will more than likely catch up to his peers within a couple of years. I’m sure the autism question came up and they are staying on top of it

      Delete
  2. Thats cool they are sharing this with fans. Good he is getting help.

    ReplyDelete
  3. He was like 2 years old in this scene. Kids develop so differently, and especially when they have older kids to talk for them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! My two year old was barely speaking, but then suddenly at the 2.5 year mark, out came ALL THE WORDS!

      Delete
  4. could maybe he be deaf

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was what was checked and he ISN'T deaf. He apparently has some other problem.

      Delete
    2. In the clip they say that his hearing is ok...

      Delete
    3. They said his ears were working correctly. He'll most likely be talking up a storm in a year or so.

      Delete
    4. No, on the show they tested his hearing and said it was normal.

      Delete
    5. No hes hearing n he born w tongue clipped which need quickly cut so he can talk

      Delete
    6. No, the doctor said his hearing was fine.

      Delete
    7. They checked his hearing in this episode and it was normal.

      Delete
    8. The video clip showed he is hearing normally

      Delete
  5. I think its smart they go to a specialist to check up on Henry. Dont worry to much. If Henry is devoloping good aside from talking, i m sure he will be okay. My sister was also delayed but eventually all was good.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am so glad that Jessa and Ben did this, it makes me happy to see that the boys are taken care of so well.

    Happy (belated I think) birthday to Spurgeon too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Continuing with this comment, (its mine), my cousins daughter had pretty severe speech delays. Almost no words at the age of three. Didn’t start really speaking well until she was about 5. She is, I think about 8 now and she speaks totally fine.

      Thats a really severe case but my point is that, most kids will eventually get there. She happened to have an issue with the roof of her mouth, plus she was just a very physical kid. She preferred running around and playing tag to talking. So just. It can be a lot of things. And lots of them can be worked on if given the time and attention. Its all about catching it early so your child can have the best life that they can.

      Delete
  7. The Duggars are very fortunate to be wealthy from a decade-plus of TV income where they can afford doctor's visits without medical insurance tied to traditional employment. I wonder what they would think about the issue of healthcare access and the rising costs of premiums if they were not wealthy?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That’s one thing that bother me about them. They glamourize the lifestyle with lots of kids, but not every one has reality tv money to get by like they do

      Delete
    2. Why do people assume they are wealth and that they do not have health insurance. I'm sure they are impacted by the cost of healthcare. Being on a little....yes a little TV show has not made them rich or most likely they would be living in a bigger house. A two bedroom with three kids gets pretty crowded.

      Delete
    3. I doubt their super wealthy. If they were wealthy I'm sure the Seewald's wouldn't stay in that tiny home.

      Delete
    4. There are many options outside of employer offered healthcare services. In the past Michelle has stated that they used a Christian healthshare option for their family, maybe the Seewald family has followed suit.

      Delete
    5. It is about their son's health. Not about their insurance

      Delete
    6. I’m sure they have to pay for their own insurance, as they are self-employed. We farm and pay our own insurance. It is very costly.

      Delete
    7. Hey if they can pay cash, good on them! People will gripe matter what...smh

      Delete
    8. Nobody in their right mind doesn't carry health insurance and relies on paying cash. One catastrophic illness and even the wealthiest will struggle - or expect the hospital to write it off.

      Delete
  8. I hope speech therapy will help him. I wonder if the problem is related to his previous tongue issue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That could be. My friend had a clipped tongue and to this day has speech issues

      Delete
    2. If he’s not talking at all it’s a language issue. You can’t tell if there is a speech problem (related to clipped tongue) if the child doesn’t have language.

      Delete
  9. so cute and im sorry he has a speech disorder

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unless I missed something, nothing was said about him being officially diagnosed with a speech disorder. They've had him checked out, which is a good thing. His receptive language may be just fine and he's just a late talker for no particular reason.

      Delete
    2. Yes, it's too bad. I think it's unfortunate that he and his siblings are on a TV show and his problem is so public. Many children have speech problems but they're not on public display.

      Delete
    3. Too early to puy speach disorder diagnosis. Til 3years ots normal that kids dose not speak. He will
      Just now he dont see point of talking.

      Delete
  10. I'm glad that Jessa and Ben are seeking professional help for their child.
    As a former special education teacher, I experienced parents who told me their child "would grow out of it" and would not seek professional help/therapy.
    My thanks to Ben and Jessa. They're doing a great public service.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forget the public! They are doing a great service to their child!!

      Delete
    2. What is meant is that Ben and Jessa are encouraging other parents to seek help for their children, if they suspect there's a problem. I applaud them for their openness.

      Delete
  11. I wonder how is he doing now?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you, Jessa and Ben! Early intervention is a smart approach.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jessa, Just want to give you some encouragement if you are reading this. My second son barely said a word until he was three. When he began to talk the words came together in full sentences. He is just a quiet person in general. He is also a straight A student.

    ReplyDelete
  14. As long as nothing is wrong with his hearing, I would've waited until he was three years old before being concerned. Kids develop at different ages..some being slower than others. JMO

    ReplyDelete
  15. He was only two at the time this was filmed. It’s very normal for two year olds to have speach delays (I wouldn’t even call it a delay). Some kids just start talking sooner, and some later.

    ReplyDelete
  16. A delay [of average speaking age] is just that. My youngest didn't really speak until he was almost 3 but when he finally did, we found he was taking it all in and then tested 2 years ahead in vocabulary. Once we made him start talking for himself (instead of everyone answering for him), it happened. Each child is different. When he has something to say, he will. As long as you keep encouraging him and there is nothing physically wrong to prevent it from ever happening, it will...in his own time. In the meantime, simple sign language alongside of spoken may help with frustration he may have at not being understood. Hang in there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While i think your advice comes from a good place it’s not very helpful for parents who are worried about their kid. Sometimes it is just a delay, but there are many children where it’s more than that and early intervention is key. It’s much better to work with professionals and err on the side of caution then it is to “wait and see”.

      Delete
  17. Lots of second born children have speech delays. Especially if they are close in age to the first born, who likes to talk for them all the time! Chances are, he has no need to talk!

    ReplyDelete
  18. My grandson has that similar issue, he will be 2 next month, but doesn’t speak any words, just randomly, but he understands what we say, he just doesn’t say actual words, except “uh oh” and occasionally dada and mama.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think every child just develops differently, I don’t think it always means they have a problem, they just develop at different rates, just as potty training, my first child wasn’t fully potty trained till almost 4, but my 2nd child was fully potty trained at 3. And then my 3 year old grandson is fully potty trained and talks up a storm, but my 2 year old grandson barely says 2 words, so they all develop at their own rate! I’m sure by the time they are in kindergarten they will be able to communicate and be potty trained...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would say it's very American. I live in a country where 2 is the normal average age to forget diapers. My kids were out of them 1.6 and 1.8 which is absolutely usual there.

      Delete
  20. each child develops at their own rate but 2nd borns seems to be slower than first borns because they do everything for them! my youngest son didnt walk until he was 18 months old. the drs said there was nothing wrong with him, he was just being stubborn cus his brother did everything for him and when we put a stop to it, he got up and walked, just like that! (of course it didnt help my husband always was holding him)
    anyway, i'm sorry henry is having problems but i'm so glad jessa is talking about it publicly. it good to know that you are not alone when you have things like this come up

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ok it should go both ways ... men change diapers and women learn to build a deck

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don’t think the diaper thing was a guy thing. I don’t like changing kids who aren’t my own and will avoid it at all costs. I haven’t seen one Duggar dad who doesn’t change diapers. But i don’t blame the uncles for not wanting to deal with poop...and I wouldn’t hold it against the aunts either.

      Delete
  22. I'm sure TLC paid for this doctor visit. Anything that is filmed for the show is picked up by the network. None of them pay for any of this out of personal funds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is that the first thing that came to your mind? As a parent, your child comes first. By that comment I can see you have no children.

      Delete
    2. And you know this, how?

      Delete
    3. 4:05 you don't know who paid for the doctor visit....I believe TLC pays the tab for honeymoons but not the doctor. Be realistic this is a small show with a limited budget.....Jessa and Ben would not allow TLC to direct the healthcare of their children.

      Delete
  23. I commend the Seewald's for being proactive about Henry's development and having him checked out. Early diagnosis and intervention is key. Chances are he will be just fine and his speech will work itself out over time. It's not unusual for boys to take more time in this department. As parents, it can be intimidating to seek help for your child, for any reason. We feel judged or that others are critical of our parenting skills. Some of the judgmental and condescending comments about Spurgeon not being potty-trained at 3 1/2 are really uncalled for. Every child is different and I think that for the most part, parents are doing the best they can. My son was speech delayed, received speech therapy through second grade and managed to graduate high school and college with honors... oh, and he wasn't potty trained until he was 3 1/2! Contrary to what some naysayers thought at the time, he's a well-adjusted and productive adult.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you hit the nail on the head! i couldnt agree more! because they are public figures, people feel its ok to judge them. each child is different and learns at their own pace, you'd think people would remember how it was with their own children and wouldnt be so quick to judge someone else

      Delete
  24. The book, "Late-Talking Children", by Thomas Sowell is an insightful read that I'd recommend to any parent concerned about their child's speech and language development. The painful and baffling mystery as to why some obviously bright children do not begin talking until long after the ”normal” time is explored in this book through personal experiences of the author and the findings of scientific research. Sowell also gives practical advice on navigating the testing and diagnositc process in clinical settings and the public schools. The Seewalds are doing the right thing by being proactive.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Henry is so cute. It could be just how he is developing. I'm not sure a speech pathologist can help if he doesn't want to talk. I applaud Jessa and Ben for being pro-active parents. I didn't talk until I was three. I did what Henry's doing. My oldest daughter didn't talk much either at that age. She knew her abc's at 2 but she was choosing not to talk like I did. At that point, I told her she had to ask for what she wanted instead of pointing and she could talk just fine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agree with you henry is very cute second to my oldest Henrik who is the same age and dosent speak much either then some words like papa,mamma,nei (norwegian for no his favourite word currently)i do like yours telling him to ask when wanting something instead of pointing and i to applaud jessa and ben

      Delete
    2. Hes really cute

      Delete
  26. This is real life and so much more meaningful to watch than the silly parties, staged conversations/events and "what flavor chocolate is your spouse" interviews. Thanks for stepping up Jessa and Ben!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Children develop speech at different rates but most say at least a few words at age 2. I think there may have been other issues that weren't discussed in the segment that had caused Jessa and Ben to be concerned about Henry's hearing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a standard procedure: first they check hearing in case of any speech delay.

      Delete
  28. I'm glad Jessa and Ben are getting Henry help with his speech delay.
    Fuzzyferet

    ReplyDelete
  29. Good to learn Jessa is on top of Henry’s delay. I work in a school and seeing all types of speech problems. The earlier it’s caught; the better-the outcome!

    ReplyDelete
  30. They check a 2 year old for "speech problems", and they find it normal that a 3.5 year old does not go potty while being very verbal about his dirty diapers? Kids don't even talk until 2.5 years old.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've known girls who talked earlier than 2; not saying boys can't, I just have not known boys to talk that young. My 3 year old would hide to dirty his diaper and was also a late talker. He is now a bright man with a vocabulary that some would envy and has amazing writing skills. Kudos to you Jessa & Ben for checking Henry out for issues. Please, let's avoid using the word "normal" as each child is an individual with his/her own set of skills and sometimes delays.

      Delete
    2. Kids can talk long before 2.5 years. Mine was 9 months old saying single words; by 15 months reciting the alphabet; by 24 months saying complete sentences and even reading books. I did the normal mom speech and reading things with him, and there were excellent reading and phonics programs on TV that were part of our daily viewing. This was long before a computer or internet. I would imagine kids these days can learn these things even faster with parental and electronic help. (One does not replace the other BTW.)

      Delete
    3. Each child is different in how they develop. For instance, our second daughter was standing up and walking while holding onto furniture at 6 months while our youngest spoke in sentences at 15 months old.

      Delete
    4. It's not true that kids don't even talk until 2.5 years. Our daughter had 500 words at by 15 months- I tracked them because my pediatrician asked me how many she had and I had no idea. I was a stay at home mom, she was our only, we read to her regularly, and talked to her about what I /we were doing as we went through our day. Obviously, the more children you have the less one-on-one time you have with each of them (not a slam, just a fact). We've known quite a few other parents with 1-3 children, who spent a lot of time talking to their children and reading to them and they had larger vocabularies earlier also. Not everyone is able to do that though (we worked really hard to get debt-free so I could stay home with our child and committed to doing without some things for awhile). My fourth nephew was also tongue-tied for awhile, had very few words (not very clear)- his mom taught him sign language. He had his tongue clipped, followed by speech therapy for a few years. He's a very intelligent, talkative, funny 18-year-old young man today. Kudos to Jessa and Ben for taking their doctor's advice and having Henry examined by an ENT. It's likely Henry has had some trouble nursing all along, as well as being frustrated trying to communicate.

      Delete
    5. Depends on the child, all children are different. Some kids talk earlier than 2.5; some do not. Some children are potty trained by 3.5. some still have accidents.

      Did it dawn on you that the little boy may have had an accident,after eating two ice cream sandwiches?

      Delete
    6. I was thinking the same thing-LOL!

      Delete
    7. Ah yes 2 year olds do talk. My 2 Yr old talks up a storm usually in small phrases/one word and gestures. Can also sing nursery rythmns and count. My son was speech delayed and has since been diagnosed with a speech sound disorder. I was fobbed off by many wel meaning people when I raised my concerns. Early intervention is very important! I had a very tough year or so with epic tantrums due go communication issues. We really could of done with help! My son now never stops talking but still needs speech therapy due to ongoing issues. Doing basic checks like hearing tests at 2 will help parents know that it's a development delay and not something that is seriously wrong. Dr's can also assess other aspects of development to check for autism etc Many children are not toliet trained at 3.5 yrs and while it's not the way I'd do things myself she did have two children very close in age and potty training might of been very daunting to her.

      Delete
    8. Um, kids most definitely talk before they are 2 1/2! I work in our church nursery and have five kids, so I hear little people talk all the time. Look up the average age when babies begin to say their first words.

      Delete
    9. Lol. Your comment just shows that all children are different. My oldest could say literally anything at 18 months. She could say her ABC’s, planets, count to ten, and sing full songs. My niece spoke in full sentences at 18 months.

      Potty training can be very difficult when there is a younger child around in diapers. As my doctor said, don’t worry too much about the age the kids potty train. You don’t see any in college still in diapers. You can teach them, but they have to do it. You can’t make a child use the potty. Some kids just take longer than others.

      Delete
  31. Henry is only two so he still has a little time to start talking. God Bless.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

    ReplyDelete
  32. Henry should also be checked for Autism, my nephew had a similar speech delay. He was recently diagnosed with Autism, as parents they need to be proactive with their ch I'll dren's development. Also isn't 3.5 yrs a bit too old to still be in diapers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I agree that 3.5 yrs is too old to still be in diapers. Spurgeon talks fine and he is aware when his diaper needs changing, all signs that he should not be wearing any diapers. As a mother I know potty training is difficult, but it is necessary, Jessa and Ben need to focus attention on getting sturgeon out of diapers, as soon as possible.

      Delete
  33. My son didn't talk until her was 4. He's 17 and hasn't stopped talking. Some kids just don't talk right away. It isn't a big deal.

    ReplyDelete
  34. My sister is a speech pathologist. I live away from her so I asked her to check my son at age 3 because he just was not speaking a lot of words. He would grunt, point, a few words but not where he should be. His hearing was fine. She came and she said it was an issue with the muscles in his face that control movement in the mouth to form words. She worked with him for the week- saying phrases over and over with pictures of moon in different colors that she drew on a chart- Blue moon, Red moon, Yellow moon, Purple moon. He would drool as he worked so hard to say these words but guess what? It worked! I was told to keep up the work after she had to go home. Within the month he was talking more and more and then he was talking all the time! If your child is behind on speech GO to a SPEECH pathologist teacher. They are amazing and know just what needs to be done to help your child with their speech.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving your comments! We answer as many of your questions as we can, but due to the number of comments we receive daily, we are unable to answer every one. Our aim is to post all points of view, but we do not post anything that is profane, insulting, derogatory, or in poor taste.