Hanen courses - should they be run by SALT?

[mummytosteven]

Just after reading a post on another thread by LGS, where she mentioned doing a Hanen course, and having home visits from a SALT, I wonder why the Hanen course I'm attending ISN'T run by a SALT. (it's run by a child psych and a lady who has lots (i.e. decades) of experience working with kids with SN )

The one I'm doing is "You make the difference" btw/

[moondog]

Usually run by slats.
Are where I work.

How are you finding it?

I haven't sat though it myself but among salts like me who work with kids with severe ASD there is a sense of irritation in that it often leads parents of kids like this to believe that if they only sit and try and get 'in tune' with their kid,all will be well.

That is misleading and damaging.

Great for other issues though like DS or general developmental delay.

[mummytosteven]

I'm finding it helpful, in terms of helping me develop the non-verbal communication with S- waiting/turn taking - I can be a bit eager with bombarding language and repetition at him. And it gives me the illusion of having some sort of professional support . I'm sufficiently desperate that I'll probably do the Webster Stratton course, even though I realise it's not designed for parents of children ASD/speech disorder etc. DS referred in March, allegedly due for a joint clinic appointment in Jan/Feb (but no appointments issued until the month before [angry}). And SALTs are instrumental in referrals to ICAN nursery and language units.

DS is sufficiently responsive for the tuning in thing not to be a massive issue (though he does have attention/concentration etc problems). But I could imagine that the suggestions for getting involved with children with severe ASD are a bit lightweight, it seems to take more of a floortime approach than an structured ABA approach. (that was my impression from my reading about the ASD specific course, More than Words, on the Hanen website).

[moondog]

Yes,quite.
You see what I am driving at.
Sounds like you are getting something useful at it though asnd in my professional experience,parents who demonstrate that they are eager and committed in this fashion are listened to more carefully.

[mummytosteven]

snort at listened to more carefully.

week 1- I carefully explain DS problems to the child psych - limited speech, echolalia, lots of single words, some phrases.

week 2 - after she has seen him for 2 X 5 minute sessions while videoing him she asks me "so does he speak then"

week 4 - after she has now seen him for 4 X 5 minute sessions she says "do you understand whta he says". at this point it had to be really or go mad!

[moondog]

Oh,I have sat in meetings where an ed psych has greeted a child warmly,assuming it is the child we are meeting to discuss with parents only to be told by the mother' It isn't X, it's his brother.'

Priceless!!!!

I caN'T THINK OF ONE eD pSYCH WHO REALLY KNOWS A CHILD WELL ENOUGH TO COMMENT CONFIDently on them.They have however perfected the art of sitting in a lot of meetings and nodding in what they imagine is an intelligent and informed fashion.

As I have said many times, trust no one 100%, including salts.

[mummytosteven]

Indeed. A far better way would have been for her to say "so how much speech does have" and "how much do you understand". A bit of tact and empathy goes a long way with me.

[moondog]

Yes.
I would have been very pissed off.

[mummytosteven]

oh well must stopping nursing this grudge at some point, so I guess it should be now .

[frascati]

mts ~ can I just say please do not do webster stratton. It is so not right for sn/communcation type probs.

[moondog]

Thing is to be firm and clear of your goals without being bitter.
Nonoe of it is personal remember that.

Easy to say it though but harder to abide by it.

[mummytosteven]

would it be positively counter productive then Frascati, even if I go into it with the awareness that it's not 100% suitable iyswim? or will I end up feeling like crap over eating/toilet training etc?

[mummytosteven]

yes I agree MD. I need to channel my energies into composing a letter and visiting my local MP, rather than bitching online.

[frascati]

mts ~ well I walked out of mine and so many other people I know with similaer probs did the same. If your child is not "nt" as such then it's no good. I was told that by someone that runs it by the way!

[mummytosteven]

hmmm. in that case sounds like my time would be better spent trying to bagsy a free massage/relaxation treatment then (they have that sort of thing down at the Children's Centre, amazingly!).

[frascati]

Also just to cheer you up and give you some hope. I know dd has an asd but when she was same age as your ds she had language age of 11 months old and was in bottom 3% for her language skills. At nearly 8 she is now in the top 15-5% for her language now and has been discharged from SALT but will be receiving social skills by SALT still
Not boasting honest just wanted to share with you things can change (if you were on msn I would have told you on that!)

[moondog]

Webser Stratton can be useful and relevant to kids with ASD but in needs to be adjusted and modified by someone who knows what they are doing.

It is used by a lot of school in my area and run by Sure Start (which I am on the board of,so i get ot hear all the feedback,most of which is overwhelmingly positive).

I know what I am doing in terms of using traditional s/lt, ABA and WS,but as Frascati says,in hands of those who don't understand the issue,it can be damaging.

[moondog]

Well done your dd Frascati!
Brilliant news!

[frascati]

Thanks moondog Only thing that is a bit of a downer is she definitely won't get a place in the local high school with a language unit and I was kind of banking on that!

[moondog]

Bummer

[mummytosteven]

great to hear how well your DD has come on. It's so nice to hear positive stories like that.Hope that you find a high school for her that suits you both. As I have said before on MSN, I think a mixed school would suit her better than a single sex one.

Thanks for your views on the Webster-Stratton Moondog