Re: how did your speech therapist or neurologist detect...

[Guest guest]

Hi-

My Son Started EI Services for Speech when he was 18 months old. Tyler is

now age 2 years 10 months. We gradually increased the Speech Therapy since

we started- and are now up to 2 sessions per week with EI Services and 2

sessions per week with Private Therapy- (total of 4 per week).

All of Tyler's Therapists suspected Apraxia since he was about age 2 years

4 months-- yet, one of our Therapists told us that diagnoses are not

usually made until age 3. We have been seeing a Developmental Pediatrician as

well for some time- and this doctor also suspected Apraxia.

I took Tyler to see a Speech Specialist in my area (Pittsburgh) when he was

age 2 years 7 months- and we were given " An Official Diagnosis of

Apraxia " . Hammer (the Specialist who diagnosed Tyler) felt that the

following behaviors in Tyler supported the diagnosis.

1. Tyler understands everything that we tell him, but he has trouble with

words

2. Tyler tends to drop the first or last syllable in many words that he

tries to say....

example.... Tyler will say " EE OUH " for " read book " ..... shoes are

" ooes " .....

3. Tyler will seem to have learned a new sound or word, but then he forgets

it later

4. Tyler replaces sounds in words that are hard for him to say with an

" UH " ...... It is interesting-- he gets the amount of syllables correct each

time-- but replaces sounds he can't say with an " UH " ....

Example- he used to say the word " Banana " like this BUH UH UH..... He now

says banana correctly about only 25% of the time.

5. Tyler has no concept about colors yet..... we have been working on this

for awhile-- but to Tyler, everything is BOO (Blue)...

6. Tyler has a hard time repeating words..... we have to split up the

sounds .... he can repeat sounds-- but he can't blend them together.....

ex.... With the Words " All Done " ..... Tyler will say UH for " All " ..... and

with the word " Done " ....

We have to sound out the " D sound " ..... " DUH DUH DUH " ...... Tyler will

then say DUH..... we then sound out the middle sound " UH UH " ..... tyler will

repeat " UH " .... we then sound out the end of the word..... " NNNN " -- Tyler

will repeat this also..... BUT- when it comes to BLENDING these sounds

DUH- UH- NNN to form the word " Done " ..... he has trouble.

I would ask your Speech Therapist if there is someone in your area who

would be able to diagnose or r/o Apraxia. In our case, we wanted to get a

Diagnosis BEFORE our Tyler turns age 3-- only because we will be sending Tyler

to a Special ED PreSchool in our area after his 3rd birthday. EI Services

stop at age 3. We also have Medical Assistance for our Son- (Our EI

Coordinator helped us to get it).... This could potentially go away when Tyler

turns age 3..... so I wanted all the documentation that I could get PRIOR to

his 3rd BD- so that we can keep the Medical Assistance.... this helps with

the bills!

Hope this helps... Our boys are only 5 months apart in age..... maybe we

can compare stories in the future...