Why are schools for the deaf/hard of hearing good for apraxic kids?

[Guest guest]

Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I

would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

[Guest guest]

My son (who is now 5) is at a deaf school. He IS hard of hearing (but his

hearing is almost normal with his hearing aids). We started him there

because he needed language and he needed it NOW and nothing else was working

except for sign (even though he has been getting early intervention services

since he was 9 mos). The deaf school was the one that diagnosed him as

apraxic. The public school seemed to be unable to get around the fact that

he was hard of hearing. I think deaf schools work because they are so

VISUAL. The curriculum, the communication, the work in class is all

visual. The assess in ways that are less spoken language dependent (this is

what they do). They are used to dealing with kids with multiple

disabilities. Our school has very small classes (the teacher at the deaf

school last year kept complaining because the class was " so big. " She had 8

students and, including her, there were 4 adults in the room. This year my

son is in a class of 4 with a total of 2 adults!! I think the ratio is

good, the visual environment (vocab is always paired with a visual

stimulus...picture, drawing, acting it out, and of course the sign) is

beneficial to kids who are struggling to communicate!!

Good luck!

Noelle

On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 9:51 AM, luckymom987 <eileenduffy999@...>wrote:

> Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

> children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I

> would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree Noelle!

Eileen below is a very long archive I don't have time to read -but

I'm sure in it is at least one answer to what you are looking for!

If not let me know and I'll search tomorrow:

Re: Summit Speech School

Hi ,

I personally weighed the pros and the cons -much like you are doing -

and without a doubt in my mind I chose Summit Speech School for

Tanner. The misconception is that a child that attends a school for

the hearing impaired must also have some type of hearing impairment -

nope.

Almost all the 'apraxic' children that attended the Summit Speech

School in New Providence, NJ -a state of the art facility -had

normal hearing. There were a handful of hearing impaired apraxic

children there too. My nephew also attended SSS -he has a mild

hearing loss from frequent ear infections and a speech impairment -

and he too is doing amazing.

Talk to the director of the Summit Speech School - Kanter

about Rotheweiler's son - a true success story. is

still a member here -however like most of the parents who's children

are doing so well -they don't post as often. In fact most of the

children I know that put their kids on the right EFAs and in the

right therapy/programs are doing amazing and mainstreamed today -

's son being one of them. Why do I bring up 's son?

Because he too had behavioral problems (head banging for example) -

not from PDD or autism -but from frustration. The EFAs were the

first to stop the behavioral problems -and then he got the right

therapy - (like many parents in our group) is an awesome

advocate -and like Tanner -her son attended the Summit Speech School

until he was six.

Most of the children I know that were given and taught to use a

complex augmentative device were much older than your child -even if

they were nonverbal. I don't know your child -however I know that

will not hesitate to give you her opinion once she knows the

situation and your child -and off the cuff I'd say the answer is to

wait with the complex augmentative for now and take the Summit

Speech School.

When on an old apraxia list when Tanner was first diagnosed (another

rebel thing I brought up back then) I brought up the question about

teaching hearing apraxic children in schools for the hearing

impaired because " if they teach deaf children to communicate -then

maybe they can help Tanner " I figured that like our kids -deaf

children need a multisensory way to learn to speak since our kids

don't just " pick it up " from other children -or from anyone. I was

told by that list owner it was not a good idea because Tanner

wouldn't be getting sign language in the class, and he wouldn't have

good role models.

-since you saw the Summit Speech School -I don't have to tell

you what the classes are like -it's like a state of the art much

more beautiful than any you could imagine " normal " school - and yes

the children are talking. About two years after I brought up my off

the wall thought, and after Tanner was thriving there and more and

more children through the CHERAB group attended either Summit Speech

School or Lakedrive school (another school for the hearing impaired -

but not an oral based one) and also thrived -Dr. Joan Sheppard from

Columbia and others did a presentation at the ASHA conference about

teaching hearing apraxic children at schools for the hearing

impaired -deaf. Unfortunately for some unknown reason -ASHA only

allows members to view their articles -so not to worry ASHA -any

important information like this will be kept secret from the world

(and the point of that is?...)

told me the reason that they don't allow sign in the school

is that a child who is deaf that does not communicate verbally by

five will most likely never talk -where they can learn to sign at

any age. And as says - " It's a verbal world " On the other

hand -the school day is not all day -you can still sign with your

child the rest of the time -and it's not like the

teachers/therapists will not acknowledge sign -they just don't

encourage it.

Whatever they did -it worked and it's the best school Tanner ever

went to -and all the parents I know who have a child that went there

say the same. I wish they had a K-12 program. There were so many

children that attended the Summit Speech School with apraxia -that I

joked to they should rename the school to Summit Speech

School for Hearing Impaired and (hearing) Apraxic Children. Of

course the funding for the SSS is for the hearing impaired and deaf -

so " ssshhhh " -we have to be a bit quiet about that fact. As always -

apraxics get the short end of the stick.

Below are some archived messages to hopefully answer a bit more -

and I hope others answer as well!

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Thu Sep 26, 2002 11:34 pm

Subject: difference between two types of hearing impaired schools

" And also in what ways the programs at the 2 schools for the hearing

impaired differed "

Sorry -just going to close my computer down and found I forgot to

add this to my last email!

Summit Speech School is an oral based school for the hearing

impaired and Lake Drive is a traditional school for the hearing

impaired.

Lori Deforest and other parents that have hearing impaired apraxic

children can fill us in on the crazy strong politics of " deaf

culture " against oral based schools like SSS. Here's what my

understanding is the difference.

Oral based schools do not use sign language -not that that's great

for our kids that are hearing apraxics, but didn't appear to hurt

them. The philosophy is not for apraxics that are hearing -it's for

the deaf - a child that is deaf that doesn't learn to talk by five

will most likely never talk where a person can learn sign at any

age. Summit Speech School has an amazing track record with teaching

deaf children to talk -and even before I heard about schools for the

deaf from anyone -I thought " If they can teach deaf children to talk

and people like Helen Keller they have to be able to teach Tanner

somehow. Maybe his brain will learn it different but there's got to

be a way to teach him. " At that time Tanner was one of the only

children with apraxia being schooled with hearing impaired

children. At SSS other than the rising amounts of apraxic children -

the deaf children mostly have had implants of cochlear implants from

a very young age -so they hear and are taught to understand what

they hear and to talk!

The deaf community -which is a world in itself and a whole culture -

considers cochlear implants mutilating the deaf children. I'll

never forget the answer to a " signed " attack (which I hear is not

uncommon) from a deaf person against this one Dad's son's cochlear

implant.

(most of the kids know sign too -and the parents -they are just

taught not to depend on this since the rest of the world doesn't

know it) This dad defended what they did by signing back " so if your

child had a problem with his heart you would just let him die or

would you get surgery to correct it? It's our choice and right to

correct our child's deafness - this is a hearing world "

The Lake Drive school follows principals of in teaching language in

blocks " Links to Language " -and they do sign language. I don't know

as much about this school except out of the children I know that

attended there -they were more severe -and in two cases the school

systems considered the children cognitively impaired even though

that was debated by the parents. Most of the parents that I know

had children at SSS. At SSS if you were to observe the classrooms

you wouldn't know the difference between what they did during the

day and any other awesome preschool was doing.

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Fri Sep 27, 2002 8:09 am

Subject: Re: Speech IEP/what to look for

Hi Kim!

You know before I answer your question there is one thing I left out

about oral based schools for the deaf that may be another very

important reason that apraxic children do so well in these

classrooms. In Tanner's school -the Summit Speech School -they used

an FM system in the classrooms -which amplifies the teacher's voice

throughout the room. I've read that this system may also be useful

for those children with auditory processing disorders.

http://www.judithpaton.com/

I don't believe there is any research on apraxic children learning

to speak in a classroom that utilizes an FM system vs. one that

doesn't ...I of course write this very tongue in cheek since there

isn't much of any research, talk, or awareness about apraxia (even

though it's more common than autism because it can be found in many

with autism -but is in addition found in a large number of other

disorders and also stands alone -or with mild " soft signs " -then

typically viewed as the child that ranges from " just a late talker "

to PDD)

A language based preschool is in a nutshell where the learning is

through the activities. For example -if the child is painting -the

teacher or aide or SLP or OT etc. could be sitting right by the

child saying " blue! you chose blue! can you say blue? bluuuue? "

The teacher then may ask the child which color they want to paint

with next, and give them a choice between yellow or red. However

of course if the child is nonverbal the aide accepts nonverbal ways

of communication -or verbal attempts -praises the child and then

will repeat the word that was attempted back correctly.

In a language based preschool they will work on certain themes

-and

all activities will revolve around core words of that theme. Those

words (and the pictures that go with them) will be sent home with

the child so that they can be reinforced by the family. For

example -in October almost all over the place in preschools the

theme is Halloween -so the activities may be making masks -or

ghosts, or bats, etc. and the books they read and the snacks -well

you get the point.

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/themes/Halloween.shtml

http://www.123child.com/fall/hall.html

Here is some information on the web on language based preschools.:

http://www.iub.edu/~s110/preschool.htm

" The Indiana University Speech and Hearing Center conducts a special

program for preschool-aged children. In general, the program

focuses on development of language skills as a key to learning.

Thus, the program is designed to enhance the language learning of

preschool children, whether they are typically developing, learning

English as a second language or exhibiting communication delays.

Philosophy

We believe that children are active learners. When given a language-

rich learning environment, children will actively construct language

from their experiences. All children are viewed as candidates for

language enhancement. Language teaching is most effective when it

focuses on the interests of individual children during natural

interactions in the classroom setting. Since language crosses all

areas of development, we believe in an integrated approach where

cognitive, social-emotional, motor and other learning occurs

throughout the day and in the context of meaningful activities.... "

(this whole page is about language based preschool programs so a

good one to look at)

http://www.iub.edu/~s110/preschool.htm

" What is the distinction between the TCOE preschool programs and

VUSD preschool programs?

The child who will benefit the most from VUSD preschool programs

will be within the average range in two or more developmental areas

(social, cognitive, receptive/ expressive language, self & #8209;help

skills

and fine/gross motor skills.) Often, but not always, the child's

primary handicapping condition will be in the area of speech and

language. Typically, these children have a communication system

indicating the need to express themselves. These are also children

who are able to learn classroom structure and organization. In other

words, these are children who are ready to progress and learn. The

classrooms are language & #8209;based but rely on a structured,

organized

curriculum that children can developmentally " navigate. " Although

experiential play is a part of the curriculum, there are more

demands made upon the child to express knowledge and learning in an

organized, sequential manner. This does not preclude children with

other handicapping conditions. We have made substantial gains in

children diagnosed with a variety of disabilities. All referrals and

placements are given consideration on an individual basis and

placement is determined by the IEP process. "

http://www2.visalia.k12.ca.us/health/pre-school.htm

" The Language-Learning Early-Advantage Program (LEAP) is an

individualized communication enrichment preschool program. It

features a strong language-based curriculum and a very small teacher-

child ratio designed to maximize each child's speech and language

development. This program is open to children between the ages of

three and five years, and especially welcomes those with speech

and/or language delays only or children who are learning English as

a second language. "

http://www.bsos.umd.edu/hesp/kidbroch.html

" Kyrene Preschool offers a developmental curriculum consistent with

the philosophy. The program is language based with a strong emphasis

on language acquisition and development.

The goals are to provide many experiences for enhancing

communication skills, guidance and support in the development of

self-control and independence, and a positive preschool experience;

to encourage development of a positive self-concept and an accepting

and caring attitude toward others; and opportunities for development

of appropriate interactive skills between peers, creative

expression, making choices, developing problem-solving skills,

growing intellectually, and developing fine and gross motor skills. "

http://www.kyrene.org/resource/preschool/preschool_program.htm

=====

[Guest guest]

>

> Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

> children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I

> would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

>

My son Ethan is in a preschool program at a school for the deaf. There is

another mother

or two on this list whose apraxic children are enrolled there as well. I think

Lori can better

explain the nuts and bolts, but I can tell you what our experience has been.

Ethan is in a preschool classroom designed especially for apraxic kids. There

are also deaf

and hard of hearing children as well as " typical peers " in the classroom. They

use the

Montessori approach, they have an OT on staff who builds OT exercises into the

daily

curriculum, and they have SLP's trained in PROMPT who work with our children

individually

as well as in groups. The environment is basically the equivalent to being

bathed in

language as the teachers and aids all use the Total Communication approach and

sign

everything that they say.

I was talking to another mother about the program last week and we agreed that

it has

changed our children's lives. Her son and mine are in the same class and just

started in

August and we've both seen tremendous leaps and improvements since they've been

in

school. I can't explain why, but I can tell you for sure that this program is

working

miracles.

Hope this was helpful,

Innis

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I am happy to hear your son has such wonderful support.  Is this a public school

or private? I just want to vent a little as I'm going out of my mind with the

IEP process and the insurance claims denied etc. What's a parent to do?

 The local schools for the deaf. both private and public refuse to take non deaf

kids in our case. San CA--Bay Area.  I tried, called begged, threatened, no

dice if she's not deaf--so it's not for apraxic kids with hearing loss, it's

only for hearing loss it seems. The school offered a pitiful special ed program

in a class with 6 boys on the spectrum and half hour of inclusive play with NT

kids. The speech that came with it was also inadequate and sounded like the SLP

did not know apraxia because she explained how she gets on the floor with the

kids and works with them as needed for 2 half hour sessions individually and the

other session in group.  To me this sounded like she just does group and when

she decides she can take the time she focuses more on one child than the other

and that's as 1:1 as it gets, plus no knowledge of motor planning. We're not

accepting this offer of course, especially since from 3-4 they made no offer

what so ever and

we were forced to go private for everything--which they've agreed to reimburse

now for that year, but for continued appropriate services we're going to

mediation. 

The problem is the district has NO appropriate placement for an apraxic child

without autism or other more serious neurological problems. We barely found

something more or less affordable but not if the school district doesn't pay for

it--it's a special needs class with inclusion  at Abilities United.  It's not

ideal, but it's the best we could find.  I say it's not ideal because speech is

not their strong point, not their focus, i think it's more sensory OT stuff that

they specialize in, but my daughter has some of that too and at least they

understand and are sensitive to special needs while at the same time providing a

normal preschool environment.

And something like you're describing actually exists in the area, far away in

Red Wood City, but it's there, the problem is it costs an arm and a leg and the

rest of body too..It's a freaking $30K a semester for 3 h of preschool a day!! 

It's perfect as it has all the speech support you're describing, but the cost is

unbelievable! --even if I went back to work and had 3 jobs I still couldn't

afford to pay it.  I still don't understand who can, and therapies are on top of

this, charged separately by the clinic.  My 6 years graduate degrees didn't cost

as much as a year of preschool for a speech challenged child!!!

Anyway, just thought I'd vent a little and enable you to see how good your son

has it--not that you're doubting it, but it really is a miracle pretty much as

most of us cannot even hope for a private school to meet our apraxic child's

needs. I now take her to 2 preschools and juggle in the therapies as best as I

can and lose my mind trying to figure out how to pay for it all on one

salary...not fun!  Our children deserve support, they deserve a true FAPE, not

just on paper and a mock system that very often provides nothing or the bare

bones and parents are forced to forgo their retirement to help their

children--if they;re lucky that is, many can't even do that.   All the best to

you and make sure you keep your son there as long as you can!

-Elena

From: eboysmom <heather@...>

Subject: [ ] Re: Why are schools for the deaf/hard of hearing

good for apraxic kids?

Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 8:08 AM

>

> Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

> children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I

> would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

>

My son Ethan is in a preschool program at a school for the deaf. There is

another mother

or two on this list whose apraxic children are enrolled there as well. I think

Lori can better

explain the nuts and bolts, but I can tell you what our experience has been.

Ethan is in a preschool classroom designed especially for apraxic kids. There

are also deaf

and hard of hearing children as well as " typical peers " in the

classroom. They use the

Montessori approach, they have an OT on staff who builds OT exercises into the

daily

curriculum, and they have SLP's trained in PROMPT who work with our

children individually

as well as in groups. The environment is basically the equivalent to being

bathed in

language as the teachers and aids all use the Total Communication approach and

sign

everything that they say.

I was talking to another mother about the program last week and we agreed that

it has

changed our children's lives. Her son and mine are in the same class and

just started in

August and we've both seen tremendous leaps and improvements since

they've been in

school. I can't explain why, but I can tell you for sure that this program

is working

miracles.

Hope this was helpful,

Innis

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Elena,

I'm wondering if you're speaking of the Bridge School in Hillsborough/Redwood

City?

The 30k year preschool, that is.

I hope not, because -- if so -- where the heck does all of the concert money go?

Yikes,,,,,30k a semester!! Amazing.

I live in Sacramento, and we have nothing either. In fact, most kids here get a

PDD/NOS diagnosis (it seems), and then thrown into group therapy. I see many,

many nonverbal school-aged kids around here. It's so sad.

As far as I can tell, my area is an apraxia wasteland; noone seems to know much

about it here at all. The therapists seem to be as much in the dark as the

parents. If I hadn't done the footwork myself, I'd certainly be pretty

frustrated by now.

I know you were at the fall presentation by Dr. (as was I).....are you,

by chance, going to the Kaufman Training in Fremont/San ? I plan to go.

Let me know.....

@...: edanaila@...: Tue, 25 Nov

2008 15:50:38 -0800Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Why are schools for

the deaf/hard of hearing good for apraxic kids?

Hi ,I am happy to hear your son has such wonderful support. Is this a

public school or private? I just want to vent a little as I'm going out of my

mind with the IEP process and the insurance claims denied etc. What's a parent

to do? The local schools for the deaf. both private and public refuse to take

non deaf kids in our case. San CA--Bay Area. I tried, called begged,

threatened, no dice if she's not deaf--so it's not for apraxic kids with hearing

loss, it's only for hearing loss it seems. The school offered a pitiful special

ed program in a class with 6 boys on the spectrum and half hour of inclusive

play with NT kids. The speech that came with it was also inadequate and sounded

like the SLP did not know apraxia because she explained how she gets on the

floor with the kids and works with them as needed for 2 half hour sessions

individually and the other session in group. To me this sounded like she just

does group and when she decides she can take the time she focuses more on one

child than the other and that's as 1:1 as it gets, plus no knowledge of motor

planning. We're not accepting this offer of course, especially since from 3-4

they made no offer what so ever andwe were forced to go private for

everything--which they've agreed to reimburse now for that year, but for

continued appropriate services we're going to mediation. The problem is the

district has NO appropriate placement for an apraxic child without autism or

other more serious neurological problems. We barely found something more or less

affordable but not if the school district doesn't pay for it--it's a special

needs class with inclusion at Abilities United. It's not ideal, but it's the

best we could find. I say it's not ideal because speech is not their strong

point, not their focus, i think it's more sensory OT stuff that they specialize

in, but my daughter has some of that too and at least they understand and are

sensitive to special needs while at the same time providing a normal preschool

environment. And something like you're describing actually exists in the area,

far away in Red Wood City, but it's there, the problem is it costs an arm and a

leg and the rest of body too..It's a freaking $30K a semester for 3 h of

preschool a day!! It's perfect as it has all the speech support you're

describing, but the cost is unbelievable! --even if I went back to work and had

3 jobs I still couldn't afford to pay it. I still don't understand who can, and

therapies are on top of this, charged separately by the clinic. My 6 years

graduate degrees didn't cost as much as a year of preschool for a speech

challenged child!!!Anyway, just thought I'd vent a little and enable you to see

how good your son has it--not that you're doubting it, but it really is a

miracle pretty much as most of us cannot even hope for a private school to meet

our apraxic child's needs. I now take her to 2 preschools and juggle in the

therapies as best as I can and lose my mind trying to figure out how to pay for

it all on one salary...not fun! Our children deserve support, they deserve a

true FAPE, not just on paper and a mock system that very often provides nothing

or the bare bones and parents are forced to forgo their retirement to help their

children--if they;re lucky that is, many can't even do that. All the best to

you and make sure you keep your son there as long as you can!-Elena>> Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic>

children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I> would also

love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!>My son Ethan is in a

preschool program at a school for the deaf. There isanother mother or two on

this list whose apraxic children are enrolled there as well. I thinkLori can

better explain the nuts and bolts, but I can tell you what our experience has

been. Ethan is in a preschool classroom designed especially for apraxic kids.

Thereare also deaf and hard of hearing children as well as " typical peers " in

theclassroom. They use the Montessori approach, they have an OT on staff who

builds OT exercises into thedaily curriculum, and they have SLP's trained in

PROMPT who work with ourchildren individually as well as in groups. The

environment is basically the equivalent to beingbathed in language as the

teachers and aids all use the Total Communication approach andsign everything

that they say. I was talking to another mother about the program last week and

we agreed thatit has changed our children's lives. Her son and mine are in the

same class andjust started in August and we've both seen tremendous leaps and

improvements sincethey've been in school. I can't explain why, but I can tell

you for sure that this programis working miracles. Hope this was helpful,

Innis------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Were you at Dr. 's presentation Sept 6th? Anyway, no it's Arbor Bay

preschool or Associated Learning something and I asked for a brochure and my

face dropped when I saw the price, my husband thought for sure that it must be a

printing error and had me call for confirmation.  It wasn't, it really costs

about $100K per year for year round preschool for a speech child and it's not

even full day, only 3 hours a day 5 days a week so 15 h a week really, or 60 h

per month, or per semester it comes out to what somewhere around 200h and they

take $30K from you just like that!

I am sure other districts have better programs, more inclusive etc. but San

has the worst reputation unfortunately. The most they cater to is autism and ESL

and that's about as special needs as they ever get.

I actually know someone who sends her child there at Arbor Bay after their

school district messed up pretty bad with the initial placement in an autistic

program as you said, group therapy, mostly if not all boys, and if you've got a

girl, so much for normal peer interaction, plus it's not inclusive etc.  So

sad...

I too had a pediatric neurologist try to push the PDD NOS diagnosis on me for

lack of a thing to do as he knew NOTHING about apraxia and said without an MRI

could contribute nothing, but he said PDD NOS gets better services.  No thanks!

the wrong services if your child is NOT on the autistic spectrum which my

daughter clearly isn't and would NOT benefit from ABA etc. She has her quirks,

but that's the frustration and sensory issues. It's really a neurological

spectrum continuum as far as I am concerned.  Addressing the metabolic issues

has been almost miraculous for us. But now we do need a goos educational program

and continued good speech therapy--something we can actually afford--ideally

what the school should provide, at least meet us half way as insurance only

covers 60 sessions and that's 3 months for an apraxic child. We'll get there

somehow, our kids will learn,we just need to keep searching for better answers.

Thanks.

All the best to you!

Elena

From: Hanagan <hanagan_8@...>

Subject: RE: [ ] Re: Why are schools for the deaf/hard of

hearing good for apraxic kids?

Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2008, 11:55 PM

Elena,

I'm wondering if you're speaking of the Bridge School in

Hillsborough/Redwood City?

The 30k year preschool, that is.

I hope not, because -- if so -- where the heck does all of the concert money

go?

Yikes,,,,,30k a semester!! Amazing.

I live in Sacramento, and we have nothing either. In fact, most kids here get

a PDD/NOS diagnosis (it seems), and then thrown into group therapy. I see many,

many nonverbal school-aged kids around here. It's so sad.

As far as I can tell, my area is an apraxia wasteland; noone seems to know much

about it here at all. The therapists seem to be as much in the dark as the

parents. If I hadn't done the footwork myself, I'd certainly be pretty

frustrated by now.

I know you were at the fall presentation by Dr. (as was I).....are you,

by chance, going to the Kaufman Training in Fremont/San ? I plan to go.

Let me know.....

[Guest guest]

I think summed it up pretty well the preschool program our

children attend. There is actually a powerpoint the program presented

at the school back in September explaining how and why they got

started in teaching children with apraxia despite being a school for

the deaf. I'll hve to see if I can got a copy of it and post it on here.

Basically, the concept is that teaching these kids sign language

gives them both a " voice " and a " tool " to communicate while they are

working on their verbal skills. Many of our kids are given the

additional label " behavioral " when in fact they are frustrated because

they can't express themselves or they are not being understood by

their family members and others. Signing allows kids to tell those

involved with them what they are thinking, learning as well as their

needs and wants. At the same time, signing also allows children, my

daughter for example, to practice speaking. Its almost like signing

puts the connection in their brain to say the word with the sign. She

is now talking in sentences (not perfect mind you some almost right

and some very close approximations) and she appears to use her signing

to help her put her mouth and voice together, if that makes sense?

Right now as I type this, she is practicing with her dad counting

1-10, using her fingers (manual alphabet numbers) and saying the

numbers and she is close to saying it all correct. She still needs to

be reminded to bite her lips to make the " f " sound for four and five,

and her " three " sounds more like " thee " but what a huge difference

compared to 3 months ago. I also started teaching her and her twin

rhyming sounds, i.e. pen and hen, which and witch etc. Hannah can

participate in this game by signing the words she knows sounds the

same. This would be very difficult with an apraxic child that has no

means to tell you if their speech is still unintelligble.

Now, mind you, she has been exposed to signing since birth, her

explosive growth these last three months has been from a combination

of starting her on proefa/proepa, the montessori preschool program,

and increasing her therapies of ot, pt and speech to 2x a week each.

One of her pt session is actually aquatic physical therapy. So, its

not one thing by itself, but a combination of all the above.

In her school, as mentioned, the program is designed with the

apraxic child in mind. My daughter's teacher uses the program " Brain

Gym " with all of the kids in class, they do yoga and numerous other

things to encourage motor planning. SLPS are trained in Prompt and

Kaufman.

This school is a private school which allows them the leeway to design

programs in their building.

So, for myself, and the other mom she mentioned, signing has

been extremely helpful in giving our children a " voice " and a means

for us to communicate and bond with our children.

the school's website is www.srsdeaf.org if you wish to read more about

them.

I hope that answers some of your questions.

Lori

> >

> > Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

> > children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing. I

> > would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Wow - just wanted to thank you all for your replies - they have been

extremely helpful!

> > >

> > > Would love any links to articles / sites explaining why apraxic

> > > children can do well in schools for the deaf and hard of

hearing. I

> > > would also love to hear your personal experiences. Thank you!

> > >

> >

>