Guest guest Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Noelle, We got our diagnosis in a round about way. at the time was 3yrs old he was apart of an early intervention program in our county and during that time one of the speech therapists that was working with thought he fit the bill.  We did see doctors/speech therapist at Kennedy Krieger and Hopkins (developmental) both gave him the diagnosis of PDD/NOS. If I remember right know one (drs) was comfortable giving him that diagnosis at such a young age. It was not until he started to work with the Kaufmann program at school that he  started to speak and then it was more apparent.  At this time sees a neurologist at Hopkins in their epilepsy center. And his same development ped. from when he was three. She is in private practice but did work at JHMC. Sorry I don't think this helped you with you answer. Alyssa  ________________________________ From: Noelle Brillant <noellebrillant@...> " " < > Sent: Tue, January 26, 2010 6:26:57 PM Subject: [ ] Alyssa's post  Alyssa, I was wondering what Drs you see at Hopkins. Did one of them diagnose apraxia/dyspraxia for your son? Noelle Sent from my iPhone __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Alyssa, Thanks for your response. We have been to Hopkins and Krieger. My had a diagnosis od PDD NOS when he was younger nut we can't find anyone to medically state that he has apraxia/dyspraxia. We are fortunate in that his school SLP and private SLP agree on the apraxia and school is fine with it. It would be nice to have a medical Dr diagnose him so it is unquestionable but I don't know where to go for that where I dint have to pay out of pocket. Again, thanks for the willingness to help! Noelle Sent from my iPhone On Jan 26, 2010, at 7:47 PM, Alyssa Nagy <aw_nagy@...> wrote: > Noelle, > > We got our diagnosis in a round about way. at the time was > 3yrs old he was apart of an early intervention program in our county > and during that time one of the speech therapists that was working > with thought he fit the bill. We did see doctors/speech > therapist at Kennedy Krieger and Hopkins (developmental) both gave > him the diagnosis of PDD/NOS. If I remember right know one (drs) > was comfortable giving him that diagnosis at such a young age. It > was not until he started to work with the Kaufmann program at school > that he started to speak and then it was more apparent. > At this time sees a neurologist at Hopkins in their epilepsy > center. And his same development ped. from when he was three. She > is in private practice but did work at JHMC. > Sorry I don't think this helped you with you answer. > Alyssa > > > > ________________________________ > From: Noelle Brillant <noellebrillant@...> > " " < > > > Sent: Tue, January 26, 2010 6:26:57 PM > Subject: [ ] Alyssa's post > > > Alyssa, > I was wondering what Drs you see at Hopkins. Did one of them diagnose > apraxia/dyspraxia for your son? > Noelle > > Sent from my iPhone > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 The apraxia diagnosis is made by a knowledgeable SLP who treats apraxia. Doctors then have to agree to it---it is NOT their specialty and if an SLP's eval finds apraxia and explains why---NO doctor is ever going to go against that--it's not their field. If on the other hand you go to a pediatrician who may never have heard of apraxia or have misconceptions about it--and who is afraid to let on that he's so ignorant--he may just avoid such a diagnosis afraid he may be challenged and afraid becuase he doesn't know it anyway. The problem with ASD diagnsois is that everyone assumes it just comes with speech problems and doesn't search further, doesn't treat the real speech problem that the child may have. But as I said, a knowledgeable SLP will tell the difference between apraxia and not even in an ASd child--there are standard ways to differentiate, and any decent and non-egocentric pediatrician will just second that in a letter of medical necessity--and be sure both SLP and pediatrician write the ASHA diagnosis definition for apraxia as well as recommended treatment --frequent, 1:1 3-5 sessions per week--motor planning expert SLP etc. Very important if you want coverage and services appropriate for apraxia. Some doctors and SLPs who know estimate that roughly 40--50% of ASD kids also have apraxia--it's part and parcel of the neurological damage and apraxic kids and ASD kids share some common characteristics in terms of their brain damage--the so called apraxic " soft signs " are in general among the ASD characteristics--the sensory stuff, the low tone especially upper trunk, the toe walking etc---all indicative of neurological damage. But not all apraxic kids are ASD of course--however many ASD are apraxic--chances are more than the percent listed but no one bothers to check, diagnose or treat because they are just autistic and it's considered part of that diagnosis. Most unfair and the child has no chance to improve if apraxic and the speech therapy only focuses on phonological or artic problems and group therapy. Anyway, good luck and find a therapist who knows apraxia and a pediatrician who has the decency to do right by these children. I know that can be hard unfortunately since they are so used to just follow guidelines and not risk anything that would make anybody question their alliance with mainstream dogmas. Elena > Noelle, > > We got our diagnosis in a round about way. at the time was > 3yrs old he was apart of an early intervention program in our county > and during that time one of the speech therapists that was working > with thought he fit the bill. We did see doctors/speech > therapist at Kennedy Krieger and Hopkins (developmental) both gave > him the diagnosis of PDD/NOS. If I remember right know one (drs) > was comfortable giving him that diagnosis at such a young age. It > was not until he started to work with the Kaufmann program at school > that he started to speak and then it was more apparent. > At this time sees a neurologist at Hopkins in their epilepsy > center. And his same development ped. from when he was three. She > is in private practice but did work at JHMC. > Sorry I don't think this helped you with you answer. > Alyssa > > > > ________________________________ > From: Noelle Brillant <noellebrillant@...> > " " < > > > Sent: Tue, January 26, 2010 6:26:57 PM > Subject: [ ] Alyssa's post > > > Alyssa, > I was wondering what Drs you see at Hopkins. Did one of them diagnose > apraxia/dyspraxia for your son? > Noelle > > Sent from my iPhone > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I agree that a SLP is better with this. I have also found that the label be it ASD or PDD doesn't make a difference. It is just a label because in our case they did not know where else to lump him. With that said, I can see how he tested like that on paper. Poor speech and language w/ slight sensory seeking and poor social skills = the specturm disorder However in our county they only use the diagnosis of autism, I wish there was a code for Apraxia as speech and language is not covering enough ground. This is all apples and oranges, as long as you are getting proper services that is what matters. Treat the issues not the diagnosis. If you need a diagnostic code for therapy for insurance coverage you can get that from your SLP. And I don't think a doctor would have a hard time with writting a script for therapy. Sorry writting fast, trying to get us out and drink my coffee at the same time Alyssa Sent from my iPhone On Jan 27, 2010, at 12:26 AM, Elena Danaila <edanaila@...> wrote: The apraxia diagnosis is made by a knowledgeable SLP who treats apraxia. Doctors then have to agree to it---it is NOT their specialty and if an SLP's eval finds apraxia and explains why---NO doctor is ever going to go against that--it's not their field. If on the other hand you go to a pediatrician who may never have heard of apraxia or have misconceptions about it--and who is afraid to let on that he's so ignorant--he may just avoid such a diagnosis afraid he may be challenged and afraid becuase he doesn't know it anyway. The problem with ASD diagnsois is that everyone assumes it just comes with speech problems and doesn't search further, doesn't treat the real speech problem that the child may have. But as I said, a knowledgeable SLP will tell the difference between apraxia and not even in an ASd child--there are standard ways to differentiate, and any decent and non-egocentric pediatrician will just second that in a letter of medical necessity--and be sure both SLP and pediatrician write the ASHA diagnosis definition for apraxia as well as recommended treatment --frequent, 1:1 3-5 sessions per week--motor planning expert SLP etc. Very important if you want coverage and services appropriate for apraxia. Some doctors and SLPs who know estimate that roughly 40--50% of ASD kids also have apraxia--it's part and parcel of the neurological damage and apraxic kids and ASD kids share some common characteristics in terms of their brain damage--the so called apraxic " soft signs " are in general among the ASD characteristics--the sensory stuff, the low tone especially upper trunk, the toe walking etc---all indicative of neurological damage. But not all apraxic kids are ASD of course--however many ASD are apraxic--chances are more than the percent listed but no one bothers to check, diagnose or treat because they are just autistic and it's considered part of that diagnosis. Most unfair and the child has no chance to improve if apraxic and the speech therapy only focuses on phonological or artic problems and group therapy. Anyway, good luck and find a therapist who knows apraxia and a pediatrician who has the decency to do right by these children. I know that can be hard unfortunately since they are so used to just follow guidelines and not risk anything that would make anybody question their alliance with mainstream dogmas. Elena > Noelle, > > We got our diagnosis in a round about way. at the time was > 3yrs old he was apart of an early intervention program in our county > and during that time one of the speech therapists that was working > with thought he fit the bill. We did see doctors/speech > therapist at Kennedy Krieger and Hopkins (developmental) both gave > him the diagnosis of PDD/NOS. If I remember right know one (drs) > was comfortable giving him that diagnosis at such a young age. It > was not until he started to work with the Kaufmann program at school > that he started to speak and then it was more apparent. > At this time sees a neurologist at Hopkins in their epilepsy > center. And his same development ped. from when he was three. She > is in private practice but did work at JHMC. > Sorry I don't think this helped you with you answer. > Alyssa > > > > ________________________________ > From: Noelle Brillant <noellebrillant@...> > " " < > > > Sent: Tue, January 26, 2010 6:26:57 PM > Subject: [ ] Alyssa's post > > > Alyssa, > I was wondering what Drs you see at Hopkins. Did one of them diagnose > apraxia/dyspraxia for your son? > Noelle > > Sent from my iPhone > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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