new to group and seeking advice

April 3, 2008

Hello. I am relatively new to the group due to the Late Talker Book. I

have never posted but have gathered so much info. from just reading

all the postings. Thank you so much.

My son will be three in June and has been receiving speech

services for almost a year now. We are up to 3 private sessions and 1

group session per week through EI. When we started he had maybe 5

words (that I could understand) and now we are up to 3-4 word phrased

with great clarity. I know we owe a lot to his Nordic Naturals because

we did have a huge burst after using those for just a week. His

therapists were amazed at the results.

Both of our speech therapists suspect is apraxic but we have

not gotten a formal diagnosis. We actually have our long awaited eval.

scheduled next week with the Developmental Pediatrician.

Are there any recommendations or info. I need going into this

evaluation?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I have had my first meeting with our special ed. co-op and it

appears is one of those kids that will fall through the cracks.

Because we suspect he only has verbal apraxia he will qualify for

speech only services. They have stated that even with the diagnosis of

apraxia he will most likely receive group therapy only, not one one.

My question is do I have the right to demand one on one? Is it a

documented fact that apraxic kids only benefit from one on one therapy??

As of now, the director said he most likely will not qualify for any

of the preschool programs they have to offer. His speech is too

delayed for one program and not enough for another. He doesn't qualify

for a third program because his delay is speech only. When I asked

the director where he fits in then (because he certainly doesn't

belong in any of the regular preschool programs in the area). she said

honestly doesn't know.

Do I have the right to demand that they find a fit for him? Is that

their responsibility? One of my speech therapists works in our school

district and she has told me that they just don't offer the right

class for . She said she has been telling the district for years

they need to design another program for kids is 's situation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. As with every other parent on

this sight, I just want to make sure I am doing everything I can to

get the help he needs. Thanks.

April 3, 2008

The law says they have to offer a continuum of services. If they

don't have a classroom for him, they have to find a place that does

and provide the education there. That may mean an out-of-district

placement or a private placement. I recommend reading about

a " letter to a stranger " at www.wrightslaw.com and document the

conversation as suggested by . This letter could help

you if they suddenly decide one of the inappropriate programs is

suddenly appropriate for your son.

>

> Hello. I am relatively new to the group due to the Late Talker

Book. I

> have never posted but have gathered so much info. from just reading

> all the postings. Thank you so much.

>

> My son will be three in June and has been receiving speech

> services for almost a year now. We are up to 3 private sessions and

1

> group session per week through EI. When we started he had maybe 5

> words (that I could understand) and now we are up to 3-4 word

phrased

> with great clarity. I know we owe a lot to his Nordic Naturals

because

> we did have a huge burst after using those for just a week. His

> therapists were amazed at the results.

>

> Both of our speech therapists suspect is apraxic but we have

> not gotten a formal diagnosis. We actually have our long awaited

eval.

> scheduled next week with the Developmental Pediatrician.

>

> Are there any recommendations or info. I need going into this

> evaluation?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

>

> Also, I have had my first meeting with our special ed. co-op and it

> appears is one of those kids that will fall through the

cracks.

> Because we suspect he only has verbal apraxia he will qualify for

> speech only services. They have stated that even with the diagnosis

of

> apraxia he will most likely receive group therapy only, not one one.

>

> My question is do I have the right to demand one on one? Is it a

> documented fact that apraxic kids only benefit from one on one

therapy??

>

> As of now, the director said he most likely will not qualify for

any

> of the preschool programs they have to offer. His speech is too

> delayed for one program and not enough for another. He doesn't

qualify

> for a third program because his delay is speech only. When I asked

> the director where he fits in then (because he certainly doesn't

> belong in any of the regular preschool programs in the area). she

said

> honestly doesn't know.

>

> Do I have the right to demand that they find a fit for him? Is that

> their responsibility? One of my speech therapists works in our

school

> district and she has told me that they just don't offer the right

> class for . She said she has been telling the district for

years

> they need to design another program for kids is 's situation.

>

> Any advice would be greatly appreciated. As with every other parent

on

> this sight, I just want to make sure I am doing everything I can to

> get the help he needs. Thanks.

>

April 4, 2008

i am grateful for this information.

> >

> > Hello. I am relatively new to the group due to the Late Talker

> Book. I

> > have never posted but have gathered so much info. from just reading

> > all the postings. Thank you so much.

> >

> > My son will be three in June and has been receiving speech

> > services for almost a year now. We are up to 3 private sessions and

> 1

> > group session per week through EI. When we started he had maybe 5

> > words (that I could understand) and now we are up to 3-4 word

> phrased

> > with great clarity. I know we owe a lot to his Nordic Naturals

> because

> > we did have a huge burst after using those for just a week. His

> > therapists were amazed at the results.

> >

> > Both of our speech therapists suspect is apraxic but we have

> > not gotten a formal diagnosis. We actually have our long awaited

> eval.

> > scheduled next week with the Developmental Pediatrician.

> >

> > Are there any recommendations or info. I need going into this

> > evaluation?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

> >

> > Also, I have had my first meeting with our special ed. co-op and it

> > appears is one of those kids that will fall through the

> cracks.

> > Because we suspect he only has verbal apraxia he will qualify for

> > speech only services. They have stated that even with the diagnosis

> of

> > apraxia he will most likely receive group therapy only, not one one.

> >

> > My question is do I have the right to demand one on one? Is it a

> > documented fact that apraxic kids only benefit from one on one

> therapy??

> >

> > As of now, the director said he most likely will not qualify for

> any

> > of the preschool programs they have to offer. His speech is too

> > delayed for one program and not enough for another. He doesn't

> qualify

> > for a third program because his delay is speech only. When I asked

> > the director where he fits in then (because he certainly doesn't

> > belong in any of the regular preschool programs in the area). she

> said

> > honestly doesn't know.

> >

> > Do I have the right to demand that they find a fit for him? Is that

> > their responsibility? One of my speech therapists works in our

> school

> > district and she has told me that they just don't offer the right

> > class for . She said she has been telling the district for

> years

> > they need to design another program for kids is 's situation.

> >

> > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. As with every other parent

> on

> > this sight, I just want to make sure I am doing everything I can to

> > get the help he needs. Thanks.

> >

>

April 4, 2008

When my son was being evaluated for the disabled preschool

they tried to blow off his OT/PT evalations even though he was

receiving those services through EI and has low tone and sensory

issues. When it got to the point that they wanted to write an IEP

without specifically indicating those services, I hired a child

advocate. All I had to do was tell them that she was involved and the

school all of a sudden changed their tune and gave him PT/OT services

to start with and finally took reports from his current EI therapist.

They had these reports for 2 months and all of a sudden when an

advocate was involved they were 'good enough'. My advice is push push

push and if you can afford it, hire an advocate to help you negotiate

with the school. The one I saw offered a sliding scale if you

couldn't afford her rates. Good luck and don't be afraid to fight for

the services you feel he needs.

> > >

> > > Hello. I am relatively new to the group due to the Late Talker

> > Book. I

> > > have never posted but have gathered so much info. from just

reading

> > > all the postings. Thank you so much.

> > >

> > > My son will be three in June and has been receiving

speech

> > > services for almost a year now. We are up to 3 private sessions

and

> > 1

> > > group session per week through EI. When we started he had maybe

5

> > > words (that I could understand) and now we are up to 3-4 word

> > phrased

> > > with great clarity. I know we owe a lot to his Nordic Naturals

> > because

> > > we did have a huge burst after using those for just a week. His

> > > therapists were amazed at the results.

> > >

> > > Both of our speech therapists suspect is apraxic but we

have

> > > not gotten a formal diagnosis. We actually have our long awaited

> > eval.

> > > scheduled next week with the Developmental Pediatrician.

> > >

> > > Are there any recommendations or info. I need going into this

> > > evaluation?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

> > >

> > > Also, I have had my first meeting with our special ed. co-op

and it

> > > appears is one of those kids that will fall through the

> > cracks.

> > > Because we suspect he only has verbal apraxia he will qualify

for

> > > speech only services. They have stated that even with the

diagnosis

> > of

> > > apraxia he will most likely receive group therapy only, not one

one.

> > >

> > > My question is do I have the right to demand one on one? Is it a

> > > documented fact that apraxic kids only benefit from one on one

> > therapy??

> > >

> > > As of now, the director said he most likely will not qualify for

> > any

> > > of the preschool programs they have to offer. His speech is too

> > > delayed for one program and not enough for another. He doesn't

> > qualify

> > > for a third program because his delay is speech only. When I

asked

> > > the director where he fits in then (because he certainly doesn't

> > > belong in any of the regular preschool programs in the area).

she

> > said

> > > honestly doesn't know.

> > >

> > > Do I have the right to demand that they find a fit for him? Is

that

> > > their responsibility? One of my speech therapists works in our

> > school

> > > district and she has told me that they just don't offer the

right

> > > class for . She said she has been telling the district for

> > years

> > > they need to design another program for kids is 's

situation.

> > >

> > > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. As with every other

parent

> > on

> > > this sight, I just want to make sure I am doing everything I

can to

> > > get the help he needs. Thanks.

> > >

> >

>

April 5, 2008

Thank you for all the advice.

renee_schwartz_1976 <renee_schwartz_1976@...> wrote: