Re: WHEN DOES SPEECH KICK IN? Sorry this is so long!

[Guest guest]

Sharon,

We were on the diet about 6 months and finally started responding

to receptive and expressive instructions. He was completely non-verbal,

but now will repeat (or attempt) to repeat almost anything. He has

learned to sing a bunch of songs and is just now (almost a year later)

acquiring some self initiated speech. One thing that we have been trying

just in the past month is sign language. I was totally opposed to the

use of sign language, but decided to give it a try. When we do the signs

and pair it with the words, almost always will say the words and

not do the sign. The visual seems to help him understand the language.

I am very excited about the progress that we are seeing.

also, have you been doing any discrete trial therapy. I attribute much

of our success to our 2 year Discrete trial program. We are moving this

(slowly ) into the classroom and Josh is loving it. Is your child able

to imitate you or anyone? This is the first part of speech. Don't get

discouraged. at 2 years old, josh acted deaf, was COMPLETELY MUTE, would

not look at us, could not play with toys and spent a great deal of time

tantruming, making messes and stimming.

In order for you to understand just how far Josh has come, I'd like you

to read a report that I wrote to our school district

in August. Since I wrote this report, has made gains in all of

his prgrams. In addition, we have added a Object to word card program

and he is doing great with this. He can match about 10 objects to the

correct word with 4 on the table. He is acutally able to read the word

as he places the object behind it. He is also showing an ability to read

some words on some of our computer programs and in some books.

has also begun to participate in games at school and played duck

duck goose (with language and everything) independently! He also was

able to give an object to the correct person without having to be shown

who that person was. The other night he got a pear out of the fridge and

took it to his sister and said " Pair? " like he was asking if he could

have it! I cry everytime something like this happpens because 3 years

ago, I thought for sure that he was never going to be able to talk or

interact with us.

The road to recovery is often times a LONG AND HARD ONE. There are many

days with no improvements and some where he seems to be totally

regressing. But, when I look at where he came from and compare that to

where he is now, I am truly amazed at the child that he is becoming. We

have much still to do and many treatments yet to try, but by the Grace of

God we are holding on and taking it one day at a time. Whatever you do,

DON'T GIVE UP. If you are seeing any improvements at all, stay with it

and continue looking for ways to help your child. is the true

hero in all of this. He works so hard!

One more thing.... KEEP A LOG so you can actually SEE the improvements.

Sometimes when your in the middle of the storm, it's hard to see those

small but VERY significant improvements.

Progress Report for Meyer

August 9, 2000,

At the time of our last IEP meeting had achieved the following:

Receptive Language: was responding to approx. 9 1-step

instructions

Expressive Language: was unable to discriminate among 2 object

labels.

Alphabet: had begun to say and recognize approx. 7 letters of the

alphabet

Verbal Im: was able to imitate 20 sounds and approx. 25 words.

Finger plays and songs: was learning to sing a few songs out

loud.

Since the IEP meeting in Feb. has continued to make steady and

consistent progress. This progress was achieved by the continuation of

the intensive one-on-one discrete trial therapy his attendance in the

summer school program at Grant Elementary School, and the implementation

of a Gluten/Casein Free Rotation Diet.

enjoyed his mornings at school and was able to participate in

activities with the assistance of a " shadow " associate. did need

to be directed to activities, but participated in a very appropriate

manner. Tantrums and aggressions during this time at school were

minimal.

In the Discrete Trial Program 's progress to date is:

Receptive Instructions: has mastered 12 1-step instructions.

Receptive Labels: has mastered 15 labels and responds w/ 90% or

greater accuracy when

told to touch these objects.

Expressive Labels: has mastered 15 objects and responds w/ 90% or

greater accuracy

when asked " What is it? "

Alphabet: recognizes the entire alphabet receptively and

expressively.

Numbers: recognizes numbers 1 to 10 receptively and expressively

Verbal Imitation: continues to learn to properly imitate many

words.

Finger plays and Songs: continues to amaze us by his ability to

quickly learn songs that he hasn't heard allot. He knows the tune and

some of the words to the following:

The Barney Song (I Love You... You Love Me..)

Itsy Bitsy Spider

London Bridge

Deep and Wide

Zaccheus

5 Little Ducks

Head and Shoulders

If your happy and you know it

The ABC song

Baby Mine (song from Dumbo)

Jimmy Crack Corn

All of the above singing gives us hope that spontaneous language is just

over the horizon.

Drawing: has mastered approx. 5 lines and shapes

Cutting: can independently cut along a thick black line.

On Mon, 5 Feb 2001 10:56:18 -0500 sharon.morris@... writes:

> When does the speedh kick in? My 4 year old has only been on the diet

> 3

> months, but I see improved eye contact and emotional abilities. But

> when

> speech?

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