Expressive Language Delay

Lila is still struggling with her expressive language.  Oddly enough, Adeline out performs her in this area according to my informal assessments.  While this continues to weigh on my brain, I am reassured by the emphasis on receptive language in children this age.  It is always better for expressive language to lag behind receptive language instead of the other way around.  Knowing that Miss Grace understands and has the cognition of an average 4 year old is reassuring.  However, the expressive language delay continues to drag her down.  Lila talks in circles because she can't quite get to the point.  Being her mother helps when it comes to these conversation because I usually catch on faster than most and can guide her speech while helping her express her thoughts.  It is hard to watch her struggle when it is so obvious the words are in her head but can't make it to the tip of her tongue. 

Here is a classic example.

Lila took her preschool's Friendship Bear home for the weekend.  The children are supposed to let the bear travel with them, take a few pictures, and then come back and share the events with their classmates.  Lila decided to take Friendship Bear sledding.  She zipped him in her jacket and down the hill they went.  We took pictures and come Monday, Lila was ready to share with her peers.  I took a moment to ask her about what she was going to share.  Lila had this to say. . .

L:  I'm going to tell them that I took Friendship Bear in the. . . in the. . . in the snowy day. (she was trying to say sledding.)

Me:  What did you do in the snowy day?

L:  He was in my jacket in the snowy day because he not get snow on him.

Me:  Do you mean that you took Friendship Bear sledding?

L:  Yes, I took him sledding in my jacket.

Something as common as sledding, and believe me there has been a lot of it, was beyond Lila.  She paused, thought about it and could only come up with snowy day.  She wanted to say sledding but just couldn't get there.  Once I said the word sledding, she was all over it.  The conversation continued well beyond what I dictated above.  It was like giving her the word sledding lit a fire under her.  I wish my girl could say what was on her mind.  It must be so frustrating for her.  What four year old struggles when retelling a story about when they went sledding?  Not many!

Prematurity coming back to bite us once again. . .