Speech delay or not?

We've just recently brought Ry to his 18 mth old check up at the Harvard University Health Services - a first time for him since we moved to Cambridge. Since this was a first visit there, it encompassed the routine Q & A session with the nurse about his health, his genetic history and his appetite which were absoutely easy questions for me to answer. But the one question that set me aback was "Can he speak 10 words yet?" I was getting worried, thinking that u mean there's a yardstick to measure toddlers too, besides the future exams and tests that he's going to go through when in school. Since Ry is always a pretty quiet child, I replied and said I don't think so, which followed by a series of more questions about his hearing and verbal skills.

The following examination was a pretty disastrous one, since now Ry is a capable, strong and squealing toddler who can struggle out of my hold easily. Ry ended up crying and pretty traumatised by the whole visit that he had nightmare at night later. The examination ended up with a referral to see a ear and throat specialist in 2 days time since the nurse suspected there was still some fluid left in his left ear due to his prior episodes of ear infection, which could be a result of his speech delay.

The following visit to the ENT specialist again was a pretty traumatising event for us. This time round, K went with us as he knew that in my current condition, I wouldn't be able to hold still the boy for his examination. When the ENT specialist poked his face and his equipments around Ry's ears, Ry struggled so strongly that K had to hold him with brute force. Guess what happened after that?

When I was bathing Ry later in the day, I found that his left eye was bruised due to the pressure from K's wedding ring and later more bruises around his body. Poor boy! The worse thing was the result from the examination was inconclusive to deduce that Ry was suffering from hearing loss and more test on his hearing ability was scheduled today.

I've always thought Ry was just slow in picking up speaking but he can hear pretty well since he likes to dance to music, any music, which was a pretty proud thing for me, especially when I bring him to Toddler sing and dance group as he would be the only toddler swaying to the rythmn of the songs while others are busy wandering around and pay no interest to the songs. Otherwise, he can also listen to instructions very well like throwing his diaper, picking up his shoes and toys when I told him to and responded to my questions too. So maybe, he's just slow in speaking as he is busy refining and learning motor skills like what the nurse predicted. Or maybe, there shouldn't be a yardstick to measure kids, which put the parents through so much pressure and paranoia?

Ry swaying to the music in the sing & dance session.

Librarians leading the song & dance in a room filled with eager parents and energetic toddlers.

So is there speech delay? I really do not know the answer but I know that I should let Ry develop at his own pace and not rush him. Also, maybe I will be thankful in the later days that he speaks more slowly than others like what the doctor and other parents tried to console me by saying, "you will wish that they speak less" when the toddlers are busily bombarding their parents with whys and whats. Maybe...