Re: Apraxia? (Austin Texas help needed!!!)

[Guest guest]

Hi Hillary!

You wrote here a few months prior to your child's 3rd birthday and said that the

SLP told you that your child is too young for a diagnosis and he or she was

waiting for the magical number 3 to diagnose. Well...your child is over 3 now.

I'd say it's time for...a new SLP or at least a second opinion.

Yes as parents we can all share what we did with our children and say if we

suspect it sounds like apraxia, but that's not helping your child with her

immediate need of appropriate diagnosis so that you can secure appropriate

placement and therapy. Your child is now transitioned out of the state Early

Intervention program -and who is assisting you with your child's IEP for the

school Early Intervention program -or has anyone shared that with you? Please

let us know!

If your child is apraxia it's highly unlikely he's only dealing with motor

planning deficits of speech. Today most present multifaceted and a neuromedical

exam from either a pediatric neurologist or developmental pediatrician is highly

recommended to confirm or rule out diagnosis of hypotonia/weakness of the muscle

as well as sensory and/or motor deficits in the body or anything else.

Have you read the book I co authored; The Late Talker?

Here are some new to the diagnosis messages from the discussion board that may

help too

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=115029735601 & topic=7329

and

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=115029735601 & topic=13085

The fact that your child is saying anything, and that he knows his letters and

letter sounds is great news. I just don't want you to continue with the wait

and see SLP- and find out now if you are dealing with a child with a simple

delay in speech (which means that the therapy may stimulate speech sooner but

with or without therapy your child will speak just fine- just later) which is is

in 75% of the cases of late talkers- or is it an impairment.

You don't provide enough information for anyone to know that answer. And

honestly -I wouldn't recommend taking a chance that your child is in the 75%

over the 25%. Because odds are good it's a simple delay -but if the odds are

against your child and he's in the 25%- you don't want to waste another minute

and want to secure appropriate therapy and placement ASAP

I put your state at the top so others can help from your area as we have (like

NJ and Ohio and a few other states) tons of members all over Texas But here are

some support sources which you can contact as well perhaps for referrals for

second opinions which again I highly recommend.

BTW -before I put the list just wanted to let you know to let your SLP know that

apraxia CAN be diagnosed prior to the age of 3 if there is oral apraxia present.

And even without oral apraxia if a child has speech issues together with any

other " soft signs "

http://cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/parentfriendlysoftsigns.html then

it should be diagnosed as " suspected apraxia " and appropriate therapy should be

provided.

Support Groups*:

Houston Area Support Group for Developmental Apraxia of Speech

Contact: Mimi Branham MA, CCC-SLP

E-Mail: teala@...

Phone: (713) 807-1131

Support Contacts*:

Contact: Robyn

Southlake, Texas

E-mail: mysticcreek@...

Contact: Marilyn May

Northwestern Texas

E-Mail: marilynsgm@...

Contact: (Liz) Morabito

Marshall, Texas

E-Mail: MBALiz@...

Phone: (903) 934-9046

Contact:

Dallas, Texas

E-Mail: lapw@...

Contact: Cheri E. , M.S. CCC-SLP

Oklahoma and Texas

E-Mail: C@...

=====

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks so much, your reply is really appreciated! Our SLP does not think he has

Apraxia, and I tend to agree based on his lack of the soft signs. He did not

blow out his birthday candles, but that's really the only sign he has other than

speech. When I read The Late Talker I felt like he definitely did not have

Apraxia, but as he gets older and sequencing is SO difficult for him, I started

to go back to that question in my mind. He has always had a ton of jargoning and

babble, not a quiet child in the least!

He did see a neurologist when he was 2.5 and he had an MRI. They said he did

not need to be seen again, but didn't really give me much more than that. He was

also evaluated by a group of developmental specialists (twice, once at 18m and

once at 2.5) and both times they said he showed no signs of ASD but had a " mild

global delay. " Elias does seem younger than other children his age but his motor

skills (fine and gross) are right on target, and he's definitely not got any

sensory issues. He doesn't have a cognitive delay in that he knows all his

colors, numbers, letters, and can read. He taught himself to read in that he

sounds out words on paper. It's only basic stuff like " cat " or " dog " but he will

say " duh aw guh " yet he cannot blend the word to just say DOG. Odd, right?

He's in the middle of a huge surge right now, giving us word attempts and

imitation and he NEVER did that before this month. He would imitate actions but

never sounds. He recognizes that it's hard for him to imitate sounds and will

get upset if he's asked to do it, but lately he just keeps trying until he gets

it right.

He sort of sounds like a baby learning to talk right now. He said " READY? " last

night and it sounds like " Rayay? " I don't know if this is a good thing or a sign

that he has something really serious going on with the muscles in his mouth. He

does eat perfectly normally, so I never took that too far.

Oh, one other motor thing he doesn't do is nod his head " yes. " He has never

done that, although he will nod his head " no " if he doesn't want something.

I'm definitely interested in having the opinion of a therapist in my area who

could give us a thorough evaluation to rule out or diagnose Apraxia so we can

give Elias the best treatment possible. Any recommendations on who to see are

greatly appreciated!

I'll definitely get in touch with some of these support groups, it would be

great to connect with others who get it!

Thanks again!

Hillary

>

> Hi Hillary!

>

> You wrote here a few months prior to your child's 3rd birthday and said that

the SLP told you that your child is too young for a diagnosis and he or she was

waiting for the magical number 3 to diagnose. Well...your child is over 3 now.

I'd say it's time for...a new SLP or at least a second opinion.

>

> Yes as parents we can all share what we did with our children and say if we

suspect it sounds like apraxia, but that's not helping your child with her

immediate need of appropriate diagnosis so that you can secure appropriate

placement and therapy. Your child is now transitioned out of the state Early

Intervention program -and who is assisting you with your child's IEP for the

school Early Intervention program -or has anyone shared that with you? Please

let us know!

>

> If your child is apraxia it's highly unlikely he's only dealing with motor

planning deficits of speech. Today most present multifaceted and a neuromedical

exam from either a pediatric neurologist or developmental pediatrician is highly

recommended to confirm or rule out diagnosis of hypotonia/weakness of the muscle

as well as sensory and/or motor deficits in the body or anything else.

>

> Have you read the book I co authored; The Late Talker?

>

> Here are some new to the diagnosis messages from the discussion board that may

help too

>

> http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=115029735601 & topic=7329

>

> and

>

> http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=115029735601 & topic=13085

>

> The fact that your child is saying anything, and that he knows his letters and

letter sounds is great news. I just don't want you to continue with the wait

and see SLP- and find out now if you are dealing with a child with a simple

delay in speech (which means that the therapy may stimulate speech sooner but

with or without therapy your child will speak just fine- just later) which is is

in 75% of the cases of late talkers- or is it an impairment.

>

> You don't provide enough information for anyone to know that answer. And

honestly -I wouldn't recommend taking a chance that your child is in the 75%

over the 25%. Because odds are good it's a simple delay -but if the odds are

against your child and he's in the 25%- you don't want to waste another minute

and want to secure appropriate therapy and placement ASAP

>

> I put your state at the top so others can help from your area as we have (like

NJ and Ohio and a few other states) tons of members all over Texas But here are

some support sources which you can contact as well perhaps for referrals for

second opinions which again I highly recommend.

>

> BTW -before I put the list just wanted to let you know to let your SLP know

that apraxia CAN be diagnosed prior to the age of 3 if there is oral apraxia

present. And even without oral apraxia if a child has speech issues together

with any other " soft signs "

http://cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/parentfriendlysoftsigns.html then

it should be diagnosed as " suspected apraxia " and appropriate therapy should be

provided.

>

> Support Groups*:

>

> Houston Area Support Group for Developmental Apraxia of Speech

> Contact: Mimi Branham MA, CCC-SLP

> E-Mail: teala@...

> Phone: (713) 807-1131

>

>

> Support Contacts*:

>

> Contact: Robyn

> Southlake, Texas

> E-mail: mysticcreek@...

>

> Contact: Marilyn May

> Northwestern Texas

> E-Mail: marilynsgm@...

>

> Contact: (Liz) Morabito

> Marshall, Texas

> E-Mail: MBALiz@...

> Phone: (903) 934-9046

>

> Contact:

> Dallas, Texas

> E-Mail: lapw@...

>

> Contact: Cheri E. , M.S. CCC-SLP

> Oklahoma and Texas

> E-Mail: C@...

>

>

> =====

>