What type of Speech Therapist should I seek?

October 25, 2009

My son is almost 4,completely non-verbal and has obvious oral motor issues..open

mouth,drools constantly,can't blow out candles. I'm in Canada and trying to find

additional therapy for him outside of school as the SLP there is not familiar

with Apraxia. I've read about Beckman cards and PROMPT therapy however cannot

locate any here that know these methods. Should I just look for someone to deal

with Oral Motor Issues? We're starting to see alot of frustration,aggression as

he cannot communicate. The only sign he has yet picked up(after using since 1yr

old)is " more " . Advice please!!

October 26, 2009

I am sorry if you are the same person who emailed me directly last week. If

so, I apologize, I plan to email you back but have been down sick. If you

can't find anyone at all and it is possible for you to travel, maybe you should

consider doing an intensive. I know Debra Beckman is now offering intensives

if you call her office and ask to speak with the office manager. I directed

someone else there and she said the cost was about $1700 for the week which

included several days of sessions for a few hours each day. She is located in

Maitland Florida which is close to Orlando.

She obviously cannot correct your son's problems in a one week visit (it takes a

minimum of 8 weeks typically for mouth muscles to gain new patterns)but what she

does is offers the intensive so she can show you all of the techniques over the

course of a week and help work with you so you can do these things at home with

him. She offers this so parents who can't come in regularly and have no

trained therapists in their area can learn. Having been to Debra, she is very

good at explaining everything and having you do it in front of her to practice.

She also allows you to video tape which if you did go this route I'd highly

recommend. I'm not sure if she gives handouts to you or what. I've seen one

of the handouts from the course she teaches and it's very detailed. I know

when I calculated it out myself last time the cost of her intensive in terms of

the rate I pay per hour were the same. of course, it's not as great as

finding a therapist but if you dont' have any other avenues.

If you are the person that emailed me, when I am feeling a little better I will

write you directly and at least give you one of the exercises that we do