Speech and language evaluation/ Speech questions (long sry)

missyjg

B had her 18 month appointment yesterday. She is looking great and right on or above her milestones except for her speech development. Expressive speech to be exact. She has only 1-2 words that she uses consistently with encouragement, but she understand a vast amount of language that we use. Receptively, she is really on track but expessively is where she struggles.

Her pediatrician recommended a speech evaluation b/c it's free and they would give us some strategies for home. I worked in EI, I've done hundreds of CORE/inital evaluations and know that B will not qualify right now for services. Her pediatrician basically told me the same thing but said that it wouldn't hurt to have it done to get ideas. If I wait until she's just shy of 2, she would have a better chance of qualifying, a much better chance. And if we wait, it would give her a chance to catch up.

B is also very focused on her motor skills. She's always hit her motor milestones really early (she was standing independently at 7 months and walking at 9 months etc.). I think she's just focused on motor skills. B has also had fluid on her ears until recently so I'm thinking that this also has something to do with her lack of language.

I am comfortable waiting but DH wants the speech evaluation done. I'm not sure that they will tell me anything that I don't already know. The evaluation is free but I almost feel like I'd be milking the system a little if I do go through with this evaluation knowing what I know. I donno, maybe I'm overthinking things here. 

But... I have to be honest here, I encourage language but when B points or signs something, I usually don't demand she uses language but just get it for her. Honestly, it's better to just give it to her then watch the meltdown that follows. This is HARD for me, I just stuggle with watching her struggle. I know she can make all different sounds, but she refuses to try to use them as spoken language.

So here's my questions:

1. Would you get a speech evaluation done or wait?

2. When your LO was learing to talk, did you just let language develop by encouraging it or did you really demand that they use language instead of non-verbal signs (pointing, grunting etc.)