Re: [SPAM] Re: We're at the beginning of our journey and needing some advice

[Guest guest]

Dysarthria

here is the wikpedia version of a description. Mark had this diagnosis as well

as apraxia when he was a kid. I could never really figure out which was the

apraxia and which was the dysarthria! It was all really hard to understand when

he was a little tyke....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysarthria

Please take heart, those with little ones. Speech really does get better

especially if you do some really good oral-motor work and strengthen jaw tone.

Work it and it will come.

My son was really, really severe though he did speak and now he converses quite

well. Most days you don't notice his apraxia anymore. I do because I am his

mom but the kids at school don't notice it this year. Soon, I won't notice it

either and it will be completely gone.

It can be a long slow process if you don't get the right therapy to fit the

child.

Janice

[ ] We're at the beginning of our

> > journey and

> > > needing some advice

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Most of you moms (and dads) probably don't remember us. We've

> only

> > > posted once or twice back in July/August when we were just

> > beginning

> > > our EI journey. My son, , is almost 27 months old now and

is

> > > receiving speech/OT services once/week and and OT with an EI

> > > preschool teacher once/week. At 19-20 months he wasn't using

any

> > > words to communicate his needs, but would repeat 3-4 words when

> > > asked. He wasn't making much eye contact and would just point

and

> > > grunt when he wanted something. Many of you very nice ladies on

> > this

> > > board encouraged me to call EI and have him evaluated now,

rather

> > > than wait until his second birthday. Thank you for that

> advice!!!!

> > >

> > > I set up an appointment and had him evaluated by an

audiologist,

> > > speech therapist, and psychologist. They told us he clearly

> > > qualifies for special education services. I'm not sure I agree,

> but

> > > they said he might have a cognitive delay as well as an obvious

> > > speech delay. At the time, he wasn't following simple one-step

> > > commands or requests. For example, if I asked him to go get his

> > > shoes, he would just look around and/or ignore me. I'm not sure

> if

> > > there truly is a cognitive delay or if he was just being

> stubborn.

> > > (He has proven that he is stubborn in the past) In my mind

> though,

> > > it didn't matter because having a cognitive delay would mean he

> > > qualified for another hour of service/week. The more help

> > available,

> > > the better. right? At that age, it's so hard to know what

> > > is " normal " development and what they " should " be doing. Back

> then,

> > > I suspected he might have mild autism, but after having him

> > evaluated

> > > by a pediatric neurologist, I learned that most of his

tendencies

> > > were most likely the result of his frustration with not being

> > > understood and his limited ability to communicate. The

> neurologist

> > > said he had a developmental speech disorder and that I should

> just

> > > continue with the speech/OT. I left his office thinking " great

> > > news! will catch up. " However, then I started wondering

> about

> > > the word " disorder. " Isn't that a lifelong condition? Could he

> have

> > > given me a diagnosis for apraxia? Would he have recommended an

> SLP

> > > if there was cause for concern?

> > >

> > > I think the EI services are really helping him. By mid-October,

> he

> > > began using about 6-8 signs to communicate needs and once in a

> > while

> > > would put two of them together. Lately, he has been saying more

> > > words, calling me " a momma " and my husband " dada " and even

naming

> > > several shapes and almost all the letters in the alphabet. He

> will

> > > follow one-step commands and some that require him to move to

> > another

> > > room. (I'm not sure what it all means, but it sounds pretty

> good.)

> > > However, I am concerned about the amount of actual " speech

> therapy "

> > > he is getting. I'm not sure how speech therapy works at this

> young

> > > of an age and how much is needed to get the best possible

> results.

> > > Most of what they do with him is OT. I am just now beginning to

> > > understand the reason for the OT and how it relates to speech.

> But

> > > how much speech is enough? The program he is won't provide a

> > > diagnosis. They " treat the child, not the disability. " But I am

> > > concerned that he is receiving a broad umbrella of " treatment "

> and

> > > want to be sure it is enough. All the research states that

early

> > > intervention is so important and that if a child has apraxia,

> > he/she

> > > would require intense speech therapy as early as possible. He

> > hasn't

> > > been diagnosed with anything except a speech delay as of yet,

but

> I

> > > don't want to lose any precious time here.

> > >

> > > Would anyone mind telling me about her child's diagnosis? How

and

> > > why did you " get the ball rolling? " Is apraxia only diagnosed

by

> an

> > > SLP? At what age was your child diagnosed? Did you simply get a

> > > referral from your PED and set up an appointment with an SLP? I

> > have

> > > heard it cannot be diagnosed until around age 3. Am I jumping

the

> > > gun here? And what sort of speech therapy do you receive? How

> > > often? What do they do? Any suggestions, advice, or comments

> would

> > > be appreciated. Thank you so much for reading!

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >