Re: Apraxia and Slow Processing

February 5, 2008

Janice,

Is sweat related to pancreatic function? I never actually was one to

sweat until I was in my twenties and I often wonder about that. My

daughter does not sweat enough either.

That environmemtal lesson is so helpful. Any tips on good dishware?

Thanks!

Liz

>

> ,

>

> I have been meaning to write you back about getting the boys in

touch with one another. I broached the subject to Mark the other day

and he seemed curious to talk to another dyspraxic kid even though he

doesn't do well with the telephone. He thought it might be easier if

it were speakerphone? I have been so absolutely ill this past week

that I just have been 'getting through' but we haven't forgotten this

idea.... let me recover and we will give it a shot?

>

> Question: Does Tanner sweat?

>

> This is one of the next things up on our agenda with the

environmental doctor.... getting Mark to start sweating. He rarely

breaks a sweat even after running 4 or 5 kms in a cross country run!

>

> I understood it when he was younger but he should be sweating by

now. The most he gets is a little clammy behind his neck. So to

sweat is to detox..... we must get him to sweat!

>

> Hence.... an infared sauna is the next item on the 'big' ticket

list.

>

> My doctor is so funny. We sit in his office, we first discuss how

Mark is doing, how he is faring, and look at any health protocols

that we should be changing. Then he will slap his hand on a chess

timer, and will say..... are you ready for your environmental lesson

dear? And then we start..... and I learn all about excitotoxins,

mold, water, dishware, Pabain (bad stuff, in the lotions, sunscreen &

creams), and electromagnectic energy and why my son cannot handle

these things and how to reduce his exposure while he is detoxing. It

is actually a very 'cool' experience.

>

> One of the things that I learned is that smelling is worse than

inhalation with regards to chemical sensitivity. When you smell a

toxic substance in through your nose, it crosses the blood/brain

barrier which is why we will often get a headache to noxious fumes.

When you inhale a toxic substance, the bodies natural filtration

system kicks in and you are not as adversely affected; the blood

brain barrier is not crossed. This is why the 'smell' of household

cleaners and such is often very hard on our children. It goes

straight to their head!

>

> Janice

> Mother of Mark, 13

>

> [sPAM]Re:[ ] Re: Apraxia and Slow

Processing

>

> Well said Janice! Thanks for being there as another " old timer " !!

> And you are right - Forrest Gump as a movie is a great example of

a

> mother's belief in her child. " Run Forrest Run! "

>

> My " old timer " favorite of course is Helen Keller -and her story

is a

> testimony to teachers as well.

> " Helen's key achievement the one she craved most of all was

learning

> how to speak " Learn how she did and learn how she says

> (oh this is so profound isn't it)

> " I am not dumb now "

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uBlIDp9CWY

>

> =====

>

February 5, 2008

I didn't take the word " slow " literally as you all did. I took it to mean

Auditory Processing difficulties which my son has along with his Apraxia,

Sensory Processing Disorder & Hypotonia. I am trying the Listening Program

to remedy this aspect of his disability. That's it and that's all. I fully

understand that every case is individual and I hope people are smart enough

to figure things out for themselves & their child. It's just like the

dosage issue...some people give tremendous dosages of supplements and I

choose to just give him a very moderate amount.

February 5, 2008

Accepting a symptom is the only way to get rid of it. And all of

these things -- apraxia, impaired processing, low tone -- are

symptoms of neurological disorganization. If you can label your

symptoms, you can get the proper help to reorganize the brain. If I

insisted that my son was a typical boy, he would not be where he is

today, which is in a mainstream, Catholic school kindergarten with no

services, not even speech! Now that we have identified auditory

processing issues, I am personally able to work with him on our NACD

program so that he can maintain his academic success. Never in all

of this have I or any other adult suggested that he is " slow "

or " mental retarded " or any other cognitive label. In fact, he has

a " superior " IQ and all can see that he is very smart despite these

allegedly damaging labels we have put on the symptoms of his

neurological disorganization.

in NJ

>

> Liz there is much in the archives and in research about self-

> fulfilling prophecies and the research of Dr. Rosenthal. Please

> don't assume that it's OK because your child is younger to say your

> child is " slow " in three areas! There is a huge problem with many

> here assuming that apraxia and processing disorders co exist or that

> children with apraxia have slow receptive/cognitive processing

skills

> which is also a sign of mental retardation. And the fact so many

> today are accepting this is very sad. Perhaps unlike the children

> here from over the years like my son Tanner -the children in the

> group today won't be mainstreamed. Is that the belief? Because

> belief becomes reality and you get to choose now. Your child's

> future depends in some part on your belief. Isn't it a mother and

> father's instinct to raise our child up?

>

> And to answer the question about therapy for another diagnosis

> working. Many here with autistic children found some of the methods

> used for apraxia to work as well. The Kaufman Kit can be used by

any

> late talker- even one that isn't apraxic.

>

> We tried various therapies for Tanner that are used for deaf

children

> including learning sign -that doesn't mean Tanner is deaf. Just

> because a therapy helps doesn't mean a child has the diagnosis that

> therapy was originally designed for.

>

> Please do some homework on the awesome Dr. Rosenthal and the

> work he has done. You will also find much about him in the

> archives. Sadly if you believe your child to be slow..in three

areas

> no less -you 'are' probably going to find out you are right. When

> nobody else believed in Tanner Glenn and I did and guess who proved

> everyone but us wrong -not us -but Tanner did! I loved sharing the

whole

> story with Dr. Rosenthal because he is brilliant and he is the one

> that inspired me. And I saw it work. They could have been right

and

> Tanner would have been in special ed today.

> http://www.cherab.org/information/familiesrelate/letter.html

>

> I know some of you don't understand this -but again don't assume the

> worst and don't underestimate those that can't verbally prove you

> wrong...yet. Sometimes it's best to be wrong and if you believe

> apraxia and slow processing of receptive or cognitive skills go hand

> in hand -then you 'are' wrong. Apraxia is not a cognitive disorder.

>

> And even if in your child's case you were right and for example

one's

> child has co existing mental retardation with the apraxia -you are

> still best to believe in your child and give the benefit of the

> doubt. Look at Robin's daughter -it's a hard pill to

swallow

> to be wrong -or assume others are right with bogus diagnosis about

> your child - years down the road.

> http://www.cherab.org/news/.html

>

> And while for ethical reasons Dr. Rosenthal's research was done in

> the positive -in speaking with him he agrees that it works both

> ways. If that's the case why think anything but the positive?

>

> http://www.facultydirectory.ucr.edu/cgi-

bin/pub/public_individual.pl?faculty=534

> http://www.pineforge.com/newman4study/resources/rosenthal1.htm

> http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_121.asp

> http://www.accel-team.com/pygmalion/prophecy_01.html

> http://www.musicedmagic.com/class-management/classroom-vision-and-

the-self-fulfilling-prophecy.html

> http://www.motivation-tools.com/workplace/social_prejudice.htm

>

> tons more -just google it or search the archives here

>

> =====

>

February 5, 2008

I have really enjoyed reading all the responses.

I have actually heard this from two of my children's teachers, both which, I

believe, have

apraxia (the children, not the teachers!). The younger one definitely does; my

older child

is 16, and trying to get a diagnosis of apraxia back then was very difficult.

My older child has a class in English in which most of her grade is " discussion

based. " Her

grade is lower than she usually gets. When I spoke with the teacher, she told

me that

while my child is always prepared and does exceptional with her " prepared "

statements, as

the discussion evolves, she is not able to contribute as much. (She then said

she thought

my daughter processes slowly. I thought that she was simply saying was that my

daughter

has trouble contributing to a fast moving discussion. That did not surprise me.

I mean,

first you have to follow the discussion (which she can do), understand it (she's

good there),

think of a point to make (we're still good), and then figure out how to

articulate it (she can

definitely do this, but as she can be shy -- and this is not her area of

strength -- she does

take a little longer to do this).

I didn't realize the teacher might be commenting on cognitive abilities and that

does upset

me as my daughter's IQ is good -- above average! I guess I will need to pursue

this as I

think sometimes, even when our children are older and sound pretty much like

everyone

else, these " subtle differences " can cause people to continue to underestimate

their ability.

With my younger daughter, I think the teacher is really just saying that she

works more

slowly! I am pretty sure, as I know this teacher, that she isn't commenting on

cognitive

ability, as she is always saying, " I cannot figure out why she isn't finishing

(when the other

children are) as she clearly understands the material. " I have watched her

work, and she

just seems to take her own good time!

>

> I didn't take the word " slow " literally as you all did. I took it to mean

> Auditory Processing difficulties which my son has along with his Apraxia,

> Sensory Processing Disorder & Hypotonia. I am trying the Listening Program

> to remedy this aspect of his disability. That's it and that's all. I fully

> understand that every case is individual and I hope people are smart enough

> to figure things out for themselves & their child. It's just like the

> dosage issue...some people give tremendous dosages of supplements and I

> choose to just give him a very moderate amount.

>

February 5, 2008

Sorry Myra,

I do know what you mean but after all of the 'stuff' you go through from the

system people..... you get jaded!

It becomes a reflex to retaliate. To say that someone has slow processing

without clarifying or identifying which process, they are being far too general

for a professional and it really does signify their intent to say MR.

Professionals are usually extremely succinct and 'clear' on these issues. When

they are not, I get suspicious (perhaps unreasonably so....).

I had to fight really hard at one point for Mark. One gal decided that he was

to go to an opportunities class. This is a class for severely MR kids and

teaches them life skills.... like how to be a janitor's assistent or sweep the

floors at the grocery store. It was horrifying. One the one hand, Mark tested

incredibly high verbally but his non-verbal scores really tanked him.... they

were bottom of the barrel. This gal was extremely determined that my son was to

go to this class in NowhereLand to NowhereVille! I had to write letter after

letter advocating on his behalf. His nonverbal test scores put him at risk for

being subjected to whatever this gal wanted to do....!!!! And she didn't want

him in the highly expensive Strategies program for kids who were incredibly

bright and intellectual since a lot of kids were on this wait-list. She wanted

to shove him off and seal his future in grade 4!

Thank goodness I fought for him! Today, he is in regular school (no aids, no

IPP, no nothing), and holding down a solid B average (with grades in English in

the high 80's). I think he can do better than this overall and need to push him

a little harder on the academic front. His study skills and test taking skills

are pretty weak from spending too many years in special education. He uses a

Dana alphasmart as a writing tool but he is almost at the point where he doesn't

need it anymore since his hands have improved tremendously through therapy.

Usually our kids have some processing issues but not always and it is not

usually a 'global' problem. Usually their processing will be hindered in the

realm of auditory processing OR visual processing but rarely both. I quite

enjoyed The Listening Program for my son and you may want to think about doing

digit spans to work short term memory as well. Those two, together, were

necessary to resolve all of Mark's auditory issues. Once resolved, the slow

processing was completely eliminated for him!~

We still do have some 'energy' issues which results in fatigue and poor

attention at times but this is improving as we tweak my son's diet and work to

eliminate a lot of his toxicity.

Good luck.

Janice

Mother of Mark, 13

[sPAM]Re:[ ] Re: Apraxia and Slow Processing

I didn't take the word " slow " literally as you all did. I took it to mean

Auditory Processing difficulties which my son has along with his Apraxia,

Sensory Processing Disorder & Hypotonia. I am trying the Listening Program

to remedy this aspect of his disability. That's it and that's all. I fully

understand that every case is individual and I hope people are smart enough

to figure things out for themselves & their child. It's just like the

dosage issue...some people give tremendous dosages of supplements and I

choose to just give him a very moderate amount.

February 5, 2008

Let me know what happens with the sweating. I personally don't sweat

enough. If I push the double-stroller around the neighborhood on a hot

day, I take two Advil as soon as I get home. Otherwise, it's migraine

time. I really have to be careful not to get over-heated, but I've

never found a reason for this. I would love to know if there is a way

to improve this.

in NJ

February 5, 2008

Friends with no " issues " rarely get it. First they think you're

paranoid and looking for problems, then they think you have a life

sentence of unhappiness (as if all those " normal " people are happy),

then, when things improve, they go back to thinking you were

paranoid.

in NJ

> >

> > In a message dated 2/4/2008 5:28:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> > kiddietalk@ writes:

> >

> > Even to the

> > general public the words " This is why I brought up partial

> paralysis

> > as an example. Again you can't judge one's ability on their

> > disability. So yes an apraxic child may tie his shoe slower, but

> > that doesn't mean he cognitively doesn't understand what

> he 'needs'

> > to do -he has trouble executing the motor skills needed to

perform

> > the task as quickly as he wants. So an apraxic has slow

processing

> > on actions -not slow processing on thoughts. There is a

> difference.

> >

> > I agree with this statement, but just wanted to point out that

> there are so

> > many different things that people may be referring to when they

> use the term

> > " slow processing " in reference to our kids.

> > I don't think that most people MEAN to offend with this term, but

> rather

> > lack ANOTHER term to use that might describe the thought behind

> what they are

> > referring to.

> >

> > I know that I sometimes think of Asa as having " slow processing "

> even while

> > the child is literally a genius and I KNOW he has no problem with

> processing

> > the THOUGHTS of things, but of course, since it's a motor

planning

> problem, I

> > know he has the problem of EXECUTION to those tasks-- so it can

> actually be,

> > depending on how a person is using the term-- can be, in fact,

slow

> > processing. (even though we know it's not the processing on the

> thoughts or brain)

> > I dunno if I'm saying this to make sense, because I AGREE with

what

> you've

> > said above, because my son has Global Apraxia/Developmental

> Dyspraxia, so I've

> > seen those looks people give when they assume he's " not all

there "

> and that

> > he's " slow " , and there's nothing further from the truth! But I

> think they

> > just lack the FULL UNDERSTANDING of the condition, so the terms

> can sometimes be

> > misused or used in an incorrect situation.

> >

> > Becky

> >

> > **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

> Music.

> > (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?

> NCID=aolcmp003000000025

> > 48)

> >

February 5, 2008

There are great programs to help even older kids with this. Maybe

teachers too:)

> >

> > I didn't take the word " slow " literally as you all did. I took it

to mean

> > Auditory Processing difficulties which my son has along with his

Apraxia,

> > Sensory Processing Disorder & Hypotonia. I am trying the

Listening Program

> > to remedy this aspect of his disability. That's it and that's

all. I fully

> > understand that every case is individual and I hope people are

smart enough

> > to figure things out for themselves & their child. It's just like

the

> > dosage issue...some people give tremendous dosages of supplements

and I

> > choose to just give him a very moderate amount.

> >

>

February 5, 2008

You do not have to comply. The only reason I would have another

ultrasound if it would not affect your decision to have the child

would be if whatever info they glean now would affect delivery. I

refused every extra test and don't regret that though the genetic

testing for celiac might have helped my kids and me. However my genes

are so messed up I'd likely have stressed myself into losing the

kids, who inheriited very little of my stuff Thank God.

>

> In a message dated 2/5/2008 9:40:30 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> lizlaw@... writes:

>

> I had a similar reaction when a friend at lunch the other week

> said " is almost normal now, right? " This is a woman, a

> scientist, who is pregnant and recently overreacted to a

prematurely

> done ultrasound and almost aborted her child because there was a

> suggestion of shortened femur.

>

> Oh my!!! I can't even go there with this sort of mom who thinks

this ways

> let alone makes that sort of comment to another mom of a special

needs

> child!!!!

> Good thing she said it to YOU and not ME, because I'm not so sure I

would

> have been as patient as you were with that comment.

>

> for the record-- according to my last U/S about 3wks ago, the

baby's femur

> was measuring shorter in length than they wanted. They spent an

INORDINANT

> amount of time looking at every single detail of the baby's heart,

and the U/S

> was well over an hour and half almost! I was just slightly

annoyed, because I

> feel they over react with this sort of thing, and that the femur

length is

> NOT a marker for down's syndrome but is simply something

they " look for " . Of

> course I have to go back next week so they can measure the length

again, but

> seriously-- they just worry moms so unnecessarily so!

> And the thought of going in for yet ANOTHER Ultra Sound, REALLY

bothers me

> greatly. I do NOT buy the whole " they're perfectly safe " thing-- I

just don't

> agree and I can't stand that they are putting the baby at MORE

risk, I feel,

> to continue having all these ultrasounds.

> <sigh>

>

> bek

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

> (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?

NCID=aolcmp003000000025

> 48)

>

February 5, 2008

Oh ....I thought of you at a family party recently when someone

said " They seem fine now. " This was my cousin, the drs, hubby, a

chiro. I almost blew a gasket. I am glad they seem well but they were

undermining the efforts it took to get this far. I'd have never

stayed calm had I not remembered your words " Once you get them well

they think you are paranoid. " In the end I win as the kids are

well...all that matters really.

> > >

> > > In a message dated 2/4/2008 5:28:04 P.M. Eastern Standard

Time,

> > > kiddietalk@ writes:

> > >

> > > Even to the

> > > general public the words " This is why I brought up partial

> > paralysis

> > > as an example. Again you can't judge one's ability on their

> > > disability. So yes an apraxic child may tie his shoe slower,

but

> > > that doesn't mean he cognitively doesn't understand what

> > he 'needs'

> > > to do -he has trouble executing the motor skills needed to

> perform

> > > the task as quickly as he wants. So an apraxic has slow

> processing

> > > on actions -not slow processing on thoughts. There is a

> > difference.

> > >

> > > I agree with this statement, but just wanted to point out

that

> > there are so

> > > many different things that people may be referring to when they

> > use the term

> > > " slow processing " in reference to our kids.

> > > I don't think that most people MEAN to offend with this term,

but

> > rather

> > > lack ANOTHER term to use that might describe the thought behind

> > what they are

> > > referring to.

> > >

> > > I know that I sometimes think of Asa as having " slow

processing "

> > even while

> > > the child is literally a genius and I KNOW he has no problem

with

> > processing

> > > the THOUGHTS of things, but of course, since it's a motor

> planning

> > problem, I

> > > know he has the problem of EXECUTION to those tasks-- so it

can

> > actually be,

> > > depending on how a person is using the term-- can be, in fact,

> slow

> > > processing. (even though we know it's not the processing on

the

> > thoughts or brain)

> > > I dunno if I'm saying this to make sense, because I AGREE with

> what

> > you've

> > > said above, because my son has Global Apraxia/Developmental

> > Dyspraxia, so I've

> > > seen those looks people give when they assume he's " not all

> there "

> > and that

> > > he's " slow " , and there's nothing further from the truth! But

I

> > think they

> > > just lack the FULL UNDERSTANDING of the condition, so the

terms

> > can sometimes be

> > > misused or used in an incorrect situation.

> > >

> > > Becky

> > >

> > > **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

> > Music.

> > > (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?

> > NCID=aolcmp003000000025

> > > 48)

> > >

February 5, 2008

My sister had 13 ultrasounds because of basically this same

situation. She kept measuring too short, so they kept making her

come back. Why, I don't know. It's not like they could do anything

about it anyway. They suggested that the child might have dwarfism

(is that the correct term?), etc., but then she popped out and she

was average all the way -- except she had the pointiest head ever!

in NJ

>

> In a message dated 2/5/2008 9:40:30 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> lizlaw@... writes:

>

> I had a similar reaction when a friend at lunch the other week

> said " is almost normal now, right? " This is a woman, a

> scientist, who is pregnant and recently overreacted to a

prematurely

> done ultrasound and almost aborted her child because there was a

> suggestion of shortened femur.

>

> Oh my!!! I can't even go there with this sort of mom who thinks

this ways

> let alone makes that sort of comment to another mom of a special

needs

> child!!!!

> Good thing she said it to YOU and not ME, because I'm not so sure I

would

> have been as patient as you were with that comment.

>

> for the record-- according to my last U/S about 3wks ago, the

baby's femur

> was measuring shorter in length than they wanted. They spent an

INORDINANT

> amount of time looking at every single detail of the baby's heart,

and the U/S

> was well over an hour and half almost! I was just slightly

annoyed, because I

> feel they over react with this sort of thing, and that the femur

length is

> NOT a marker for down's syndrome but is simply something

they " look for " . Of

> course I have to go back next week so they can measure the length

again, but

> seriously-- they just worry moms so unnecessarily so!

> And the thought of going in for yet ANOTHER Ultra Sound, REALLY

bothers me

> greatly. I do NOT buy the whole " they're perfectly safe " thing-- I

just don't

> agree and I can't stand that they are putting the baby at MORE

risk, I feel,

> to continue having all these ultrasounds.

> <sigh>

>

> bek

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

> (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?

NCID=aolcmp003000000025

> 48)

>

February 5, 2008

pat your self on the back daily, please. Do you know how many people do not

go to the lenghts you have?

[ ] Re: Apraxia and Slow Processing

I had a similar reaction when a friend at lunch the other week

said " is almost normal now, right? " This is a woman, a

scientist, who is pregnant and recently overreacted to a prematurely

done ultrasound and almost aborted her child because there was a

suggestion of shortened femur. Not trying to stir up the abortion

debate here at all and was not trying to stir it up with her. Instead

I spent the weeks between her early ultrasound and the gentic testing

results (that came out fine and the femur is now the correct size)

encouraging her to recalculate dates, look at the promise and hope of

NACD kids, etc. I also asked her to get a water filter (shameless I

know but she is doing it because she grew up in fluoridated Canada

and lives in a particularly toxic part of NJ and works in a

pharmaceutical plant where all the goodies are manufactured) and I

pointed her to more expansive research on the femur issue that was

encouraging. She told another friend that I supported her in ways she

thought not possible. I am not saying that to pat myself on the back

(it was my job as a friend) but rather to express that despite how

annoying I can be she received the info well. (I also gave it to her

piecemeal after assessing if it was appropriate...there was no master

plan to bombard her, it was about support). So, she was not the first

person I was expecting to drudge up the whole " normal " comment.

Still, I think it was her way of saying " He's doing well isn't he? " I

won't lie though, it still hurt.

>

> In a message dated 2/4/2008 5:28:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> kiddietalk@... writes:

>

> Even to the

> general public the words " This is why I brought up partial

paralysis

> as an example. Again you can't judge one's ability on their

> disability. So yes an apraxic child may tie his shoe slower, but

> that doesn't mean he cognitively doesn't understand what

he 'needs'

> to do -he has trouble executing the motor skills needed to perform

> the task as quickly as he wants. So an apraxic has slow processing

> on actions -not slow processing on thoughts. There is a

difference.

>

> I agree with this statement, but just wanted to point out that

there are so

> many different things that people may be referring to when they

use the term

> " slow processing " in reference to our kids.

> I don't think that most people MEAN to offend with this term, but

rather

> lack ANOTHER term to use that might describe the thought behind

what they are

> referring to.

>

> I know that I sometimes think of Asa as having " slow processing "

even while

> the child is literally a genius and I KNOW he has no problem with

processing

> the THOUGHTS of things, but of course, since it's a motor planning

problem, I

> know he has the problem of EXECUTION to those tasks-- so it can

actually be,

> depending on how a person is using the term-- can be, in fact, slow

> processing. (even though we know it's not the processing on the

thoughts or brain)

> I dunno if I'm saying this to make sense, because I AGREE with what

you've

> said above, because my son has Global Apraxia/Developmental

Dyspraxia, so I've

> seen those looks people give when they assume he's " not all there "

and that

> he's " slow " , and there's nothing further from the truth! But I

think they

> just lack the FULL UNDERSTANDING of the condition, so the terms

can sometimes be

> misused or used in an incorrect situation.

>

> Becky

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

> (http://music. <http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?>

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> 48)

>

February 6, 2008

In a message dated 2/6/2008 10:48:20 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

lizlaw@... writes:

Shortened femur is a marker of three things I believe:

1) Dwarfism

2) Downs (but there must be accompanying factors)

3) An ultrasound done too early, a bad view or a bad technician

3 really bad reasons for a child to lose their shot at life if you

ask me.

And this is precisely why I'm annoyed at having to go back. Will I go back?

Yes-- I will-- just because I know my Dr, and I fight him every step of the

way with everything, so this is one way that I know will give him peace. But

this WILL be the last U/S done-- especially for this reasoning. I believe

that babies grow at different times and some grow faster or slower at times--

it's just common sense.

The fact that there are NO OTHER Down's markers tells me that all is fine

and dandy and baby just isn't growing to their specifications for that timing.

All of the other things (nuchal fold, nose bone, heart and etc) for the

Down's markers were perfectly fine.

becky

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5

48)

February 6, 2008

Thank you Janice...I was beginning to think that this forum was getting a

little too sensitive for my taste. I as you all don't want my son

classified as anything that would resemble mentally retarded! I have fought

long and hard to get him to wear he is today and I will continue to try

anything out there that I may deem beneficial to him as in this Listening

Program to address his auditory processing issues. It takes him a little

longer to give you a response and sometimes he will ask you " what " when he

really didn't process the entire statement/request. That delay is what I

hope to clear up with the Listening Program. I've read really good

responses in this forum about it.

" Janice "

<jscott@interbaun

.com> To

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childrensapraxian m>

et@... cc

m

Subject

Re:[ ] Re:

02/05/2008 12:05 Apraxia and Slow Processing

PM

Please respond to

childrensapraxian

et@...

m

Sorry Myra,

I do know what you mean but after all of the 'stuff' you go through from

the system people..... you get jaded!

It becomes a reflex to retaliate. To say that someone has slow processing

without clarifying or identifying which process, they are being far too

general for a professional and it really does signify their intent to say

MR. Professionals are usually extremely succinct and 'clear' on these

issues. When they are not, I get suspicious (perhaps unreasonably so....).

I had to fight really hard at one point for Mark. One gal decided that he

was to go to an opportunities class. This is a class for severely MR kids

and teaches them life skills.... like how to be a janitor's assistent or

sweep the floors at the grocery store. It was horrifying. One the one hand,

Mark tested incredibly high verbally but his non-verbal scores really

tanked him.... they were bottom of the barrel. This gal was extremely

determined that my son was to go to this class in NowhereLand to

NowhereVille! I had to write letter after letter advocating on his behalf.

His nonverbal test scores put him at risk for being subjected to whatever

this gal wanted to do....!!!! And she didn't want him in the highly

expensive Strategies program for kids who were incredibly bright and

intellectual since a lot of kids were on this wait-list. She wanted to

shove him off and seal his future in grade 4!

Thank goodness I fought for him! Today, he is in regular school (no aids,

no IPP, no nothing), and holding down a solid B average (with grades in

English in the high 80's). I think he can do better than this overall and

need to push him a little harder on the academic front. His study skills

and test taking skills are pretty weak from spending too many years in

special education. He uses a Dana alphasmart as a writing tool but he is

almost at the point where he doesn't need it anymore since his hands have

improved tremendously through therapy.

Usually our kids have some processing issues but not always and it is not

usually a 'global' problem. Usually their processing will be hindered in

the realm of auditory processing OR visual processing but rarely both. I

quite enjoyed The Listening Program for my son and you may want to think

about doing digit spans to work short term memory as well. Those two,

together, were necessary to resolve all of Mark's auditory issues. Once

resolved, the slow processing was completely eliminated for him!~

We still do have some 'energy' issues which results in fatigue and poor

attention at times but this is improving as we tweak my son's diet and work

to eliminate a lot of his toxicity.

Good luck.

Janice

Mother of Mark, 13

[sPAM]Re:[ ] Re: Apraxia and Slow Processing

I didn't take the word " slow " literally as you all did. I took it to mean

Auditory Processing difficulties which my son has along with his Apraxia,

Sensory Processing Disorder & Hypotonia. I am trying the Listening Program

to remedy this aspect of his disability. That's it and that's all. I fully

understand that every case is individual and I hope people are smart enough

to figure things out for themselves & their child. It's just like the

dosage issue...some people give tremendous dosages of supplements and I

choose to just give him a very moderate amount.

February 6, 2008

Thank you too ..

" bigcheech91 "

<bigcheech91@yaho

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[ ] Re: Apraxia

and Slow Processing

02/05/2008 10:42

AM