My eldest now seven, was 4 before he could talk (more than three words than he forgot one)and that was with expert help of speech therapist and early education teachers with specialist training at early intervention centre pre school programme .  At the age of 22 before he walked and

at 2 yrs1/2 was diagnosed with Moderate Global development delay.  Was on the waiting list in Public Health system for more than a year before excepted in.  He has gone from a mute slow child that wore nappies until 41/2.  to a child who is attending normal school five days a week attending the special class and singing at school in the choir.  First year of school he won the Jr citizen award and was the youngest child in school.  This year won 2 awards one for English and other for attendance and participation in choir.  To me at one stage I thought he was dispracix.  Took the most expert doctor in Sydney in that field. She stated he was just naughty without even looking at the health dept reports. What a waste of time and money.  He has a fear of doctors and cannot get it into a surgery to be reassessed as he has a major dummy spit (crying screaming lying on the floor stiff as a board).  Patients and doctors run a mile when it happens or look and stare.  They sometimes comment here we can hear  making it a lot worse.  I'm about the only one who can get though to him at that time.  I just wish people just act like nothing was admiss and it will stop.  I believe he is autistic as he has a vey good memory loves numbers puzzles well  beyond his age.  He draws you attendtion to his problem as he repeats same words sentences many times asks the same questions all the time.  Cannot cope if things are not in routine or put the wrong way.  Jumps up and down and flaps his hands when very happy or greeting people.  Has no fear know to run on doggem car field whilst running and stopped in the middle.  Causing the operator to madly stop the ride.  Laugh now however he got frightned and layied stiff on the ground screaming and crying.  My husband had to get him of applogising as he went.  If all this is not autistic  I dont know.  Cos of eldest needed extra help the other two were monitored as well. Lucky our daughter was slower talking but now in normal range going of to mainstream school.  Youngest was found that he was tongue tied.  He had a operation in April last year to release the tongue. Surgeon stated it was bad but not the worse case he has seen.  At the time of operation was rated about 2yrs be hind his peers.  Last couple of months has just started to put more than 4 words together approx 6-12 months behind.  Still has weak mouth muscles and dribbles a lot.  Same speech therapist that taught my eldest his helping our youngest to talk.  With all these problems I have learnt a lot about mouth tongue hearing from these fantastic people, parents of children with similar and other problems.  Most of all have learnt heaps about myself as a person.  Someone else once said Your children teach you love and patience.  I really didn't know what they meant until I had children of my own.  Smile be happy and look out for each other as you never know when you need help yourself. That's my motto in life and try and try to do it each day.