Just been for ds's first speech & language therapy.Any advice please

[millybilly]

Ds is 2.8 and HV refered us because she was concered about ds's speech.
It was his first session today and i'm abit worried myself now.
At first we were asked about ds in general.That was all fine.Then she tried to do different things with him.She had a plastic spoon,fork,plate cup and doll.She asked ds to put the spoon into the cup,but he just picked them all up and put them back into the box.She did this abot 4 times each time he would put them back into the box.He didn't do any of the tasked even when she blow bubbles and asked him to pop them,he was just blowing them.He says afew words but most of them can't be understood,and most of the time he just babbles.
The therapist said she would write up her finding and send us a letter.She did say she thought ds would benefit from group sessions,where he would mostly play with other.But there is a long waiting list so most likely would be til the summer.
Anybody been through the same or have any advice.I didn't relise how bad his talking was till today.Or hom much he doesn't follow instuctions.HELP

[coastalmum]

Did the SALT suggest any activities for you to do at home?

[yurt1]

Gosh waiting until the summer isn't good

Is he going to be reviewed at any stage?

I'd almost want to push for a referral for further assessment tbh (perhaps with multidisciplinary team and or developmental paed) because of the lack of understanding. Further assessments can take years- and having wasted 8 months with ds1 over your sort of situation I think now I'd push for a place on a waiting list that i could always cancel if everything came together.

Has he had a hearing test recently. If not do get on a waiting list for that because at some stage that will need to be ruled out if not.

I'd also recommend buying a copy of sally Ward's "babytalk' which will give you something to 'do' whilst you wait.

[coppertop]

It sounds like the usual assessment they do to assess understanding.

It might be useful to start speaking to your ds in very simple language. Instead of saying, for example, "We're going to the park now" you break it down to " go park". It helps them to focus on the important bits of the sentence and helps reduce misunderstanding.

Has he had his hearing tested lately?

[coastalmum]

Its really sad but with current funding issues your child will not be a priority case. I'm SENCO at a nursery and kids that

[coastalmum]

sorry my 3 yr old was helping !!!

I was trying to say that IME the majority of funding in Early Years is aimed at children approaching school age. Its sad, but I've seen a number of children who've needed help have to wait unacceptable lengths of time.

I agree about getting on the hearing test waiting list asap. I'd also get your gp to refer you to a paed who specialises in development, even if this inly results in the paed pushing you up the SALT waiting list.

[CaptainUnderpants]

Get HV to get you referred for hearing test -many speech & understanding are down to hearing problems. Been there , done that with DS.

[millybilly]

It was the first assessment which i know they need to do.
He won't be reviewed again until the appointment comes through for the group sessions.
To be honest i didn't relise how much he didn't understand til day.Which i feel upset about.
He hasn't had a hearing test apart from the one done at birth.
I have been given a leaflet with things to do.I.E. Comment on what your child is doing,using short,simple sentences.
Follow what your child wants to do-let him choose.
Talk about everyday things like making the bes and washing up.
To be honest i already do these kind of things.In the day time it just ds and i,so i spend alot of time with him.

[coastalmum]

Where i live the SALT dept run evening sessions for nursery teachers and childminders (parents can attend too) where they explain how children learn and how to teach them things like comprehension. I found the courses facinating. Might be worth asking if your local SALT's do the same.

[coastalmum]

Might be worth finding out if your children's centre run any groups your ds can join. Some centres buy in SALT services.

[millybilly]

making the beds

Can anybody give me some examples what ds should be understanding.If i ask him to come to me he will.

[millybilly]

Thanks coastalmum.I haven't heard about anything like that in my area,but i'll ask my HV.
I feel abit stuck,i want to help ds but don't know what to do.
I knew his speech was slow but didn't relise about him not understanding.
I feel like a bad mommy.

[coastalmum]

I'd start by copying the activities the SALT did (try and remember the language she used). Make sure its fun and stress free.

[coastalmum]

Your not a bad mum, kids are good and pretending they understand because they're really good at picking up your visual clues.

[millybilly]

Thanks again coastalmum.
I have just asked him to close the door.Which he did do,but i think that was because he is used to hearing that said.lol
I will be testing him with different things now.

[gagarin]

Just posted this on the other thread..!!

Try not to worry - now he's in the system he'll get followed through until he's doing what he should be doing.

Group sessions prob means he's NOT got a serious case of delayed speech - those children get one to one sooner I think, PLUS group sessions in the holidays.

Look at this website?

www.ican.org.uk/home/Resources.aspx

[millybilly]

Thanks gagarin.

[TotalChaos]

sorry to be all doom and gloom - but some SALT department are so underfunded that group sessions/long waits aren't necessary a good sign that the problem is trivial. <br />
Have to say I agree with Yurt about looking for a paediatrician referral and hearing test now.

Ask your SALT department if they do a Hanen course (these are courses that teach parents how to help their kids with communication). The SALT department course should include a couple of extra SALT visits too, so well worth doing for that alone. If you are anywhere near a Surestart or Children's Centre, then they often run Hanen courses (NB these aren't quite as good as the SALT run courses, as not always SALT who teach them, but still worthwhile).

(Hanen is an organisation (www.hanen.org) based in Canada who specialise in how to help kids with speech problems).

Specific tips re:understanding

kids with language problems can be amazingly clever at working out what you are saying from surrounding circumstances/watching what everyone else is doing. so don't feel guilty about not picking up on it straightaway

support what you say by gestures/signs/photos - to give him extra clues to 1)understand and 2)retrieve the word
3)Agree with Coppertop about simplifying language to the bare minimum - e.g. Park now or get dressed now, or bath now rather than "would you like to/would it be nice to"

[millybilly]

Thanks TotalChaos for all the info.

Now that it has been brought up i can see things.Like him looking round for his potty when it's right by him,when i have said sit on your potty.
Or when i ask him to pass something like a book.He just looks round him and i have to say it afew times and point to what ever it is before he will get it.

If nothing else,today has made me relise ds needs abit more help with communication and speech.
Another thing that may or may not be important.Ds plays for a long time on his own,without communicating with anybody.When anybody tries to talk to him he isn't interested.He does have alot of contact with children but likes to be by himself.

[TotalChaos]

speech problems can have knock on effects on socialising, particularly if he doesn't understand what the other children are saying. DS (who has receptive speech problems) tends to be most comfortable with playground and physical play with other children. talk to SALT about the play issue, and if you do look for further referrals, discuss that with the paediatrician (as not being keen on socialising can be a separate problem from the speech).

[TotalChaos]

other books you might find useful for practical advice about helping bring on communication are:-

You make the Difference by Ayola Manolson (about £13)
and
It takes two to talk (about £25).either by Ayola Manolson or Pepper/Weitzman, depending on which edition you get, don't think there is much difference between editions. These are the books that the Hanen course are based around.

[millybilly]

TotalChaos thanks again.You have given me lots to read and think about.
I'm going to phone my HV on monday and see what she thinks about getting him referred.

[TotalChaos]

something else you might want to consider is doing a bit of signing with your DS (if he can imitate OK). If your DS is struggling with spoken language, then he should find it easier to remember words if he has the signing movement to help jog his mind (the signing is along with speaking the same word to him, not just something you do by itself). Sing and Sign DVDs are pretty good, or the Something Special programme on Cbeebies.

Also in the realm of videos/DVDs, a company called BabyBumbleebee produce videos or DVDs to help with very basic vocabulary, so if your boy likes TV that might be something to consider/ The dvds aren't really availble in shops in UK, but you can get them quite cheaply via amazon marketplace or ebay.

[millybilly]

Thank you TotalChaos you have been great.You have given me loads of info my heads spining.

Another thing that came to me last night.I remember trying to get ds to wave bye bye when he was small,and he never would.He does now but i'm not sure if he waves when we do or if he understand when to wave.So that's somethig else i will test him on.