What was your experience with ECI speech therapy

Question

At my sons 18month check up they suggested speech therapy. He’s now 20 months and still only says mama. I’ve been hesitant to start speech therapy because I don’t know what to expect and fear the worst. I think their going to show up with cps people and check my parenting skills and blame me for his lack of language skills or find something else wrong like tell me he has a learning disability or that, I will be judged at how I parent like it’s some sort of grade or something. I also have a 6month baby so I’m worried that they’ll both cry when they come to do the evaluation. If anybody can please tell me there experiences and I also want to know if you didn’t have speech therapy how long did it take you’re kid to talk?

Answer

My son will be 4 next month, he's been doing speech therapy since his second birthday. It has been AMAZING! There's so much he can say now but still needs help so he'll be getting pulled from class when he starts school next fall. But the difference from 2 years ago to now is huge he only had 5 words and now we just need to work on sound and pronunciation of some words. CPS never showed up, there's no reason for them to if there aren't any concerns noted by the therapist, we get evaluated every 6 months and until May he had weekly sessions which he aged out of but in the fall he'll start with the school system speech therapy program.

Answer

I would suggest going ahead with the speech therapy. Is there any chance he is neurodivergent? I ask because one of mine is and he has not become verbal yet while my  neurotypical late talkers did become verbal.
ECI is very affordable but speech therapy after they've aged out of ECI is not. My middle son is autistic and was in ECI. It was $22 a month. It didn't work out for us because it was virtual at that time instead of in person. But when he started non ECI speech therapy at an outpatient facility, his speech therapy is $647 for a 40 minute session. I also have a 5 y/o in speech therapy (he talks a lot but isn't super clear) and his is the same price. And my insurance covers neither. I wish I'd have had him in ECI, honestly. 
My 5 y/o was speaking only a few words at 20 months but was fully verbal (although not clear to people besides me and Dad) by 3. 
My 3 y/o was not speaking at 20 months. He's 2 months away from turning 4 and is still nonverbal. But he's autistic and I knew that at 15 months. 
I have a 2 y/o now who says a handful of words but understands everything. I'm putting him in ECI as soon as the school year starts (so I have one less child in the house) because I wish I had done so with my oldest.

Answer

Speech therapy can only help. If your doctor recommends it definitely take his or her advice.

What was your experience with ECI speech therapy

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey