No idea where to start

[YeahBut]

Not really sure what to write - still a bit confused by everything. DD1 started school last September and almost immediately her teacher picked up that something wasn't quite right. I was shocked but not really surprised, iykwim. I've felt for years that she wasn't quite like her peers but whenever I mentioned it to people like the GP or HV, they've always dismissed it because she hit all her developmental milestones.

She's been assessed by the SENCo at her school and by a speech and language therapist and we finally had our meeting to discuss the results. Her IQ is completely normal for her age but she has quite severe language problems. However, they do not fit in with any recognised SAL disorder so they can't really give us any indication of what the problem is. They've recommended speech and language therapy during the next school year until the spring and if things haven't improved, a referral to an educational psychologist.

DD isn't stupid - she knows that she doesn't "get" stuff in the same way other children in the class do. It's beginning to cause some behavioural issues in the classroom and she is becoming very anti-school. She has also been picked on by a couple of other kids because her relationship skills within her peer group aren't brilliant. This breaks my heart - I just want her to be happy and I know she isn't. I also want to be able to fix what is wrong and I can't do that either.

The SENCo and the speech therapist keep talking about her birth history (extrememly traumatic) and I get the feeling that they think this may be as the result of neurological damage. If that is true, she is going to have to cope with this forever and the stuff that we had hoped for her may not be possible. God, this is such a ramble and I'm really sorry, I know some of the posters on this board have far bigger issues to deal with. All the info (or lack of it) just keeps going round and round and I don't know what to do with it.

[crystaltips]

I have no advice - but just wanted o let you know that I am thinking of you (((((hugs)))))

[jayzmummy]

YB....did the SALT tell you in which areas your DD is having problems with her speach? Semantics? Pragmatics?

TBH if they are talking about assessing ith an EP in a years time I would be insisting on it to be done now.

I had similar experience with my DS and listened to the SENCO....wish I hadnt and that I had requested the EP to come in a lot sooner.

Keep posting and the others will be about soon to add their wonderful advice.

[jenkins88]

YeahBut - your post has really struck a chord with me. My DS (3.5yrs) has very similar problems. We are waiting for him to see a dev. paed. and to be assessed by a SALT.

I have no advice as we a bit further behind in the diagnostic/treatment process, but I will be thinking of you.

Do you know how much SALT your DD will be getting throughout the next school year? I second what JM say's about pushing to get DD seen by an EP sooner.

[milge]

If there is any question of birth trauma being involved, i would recommend that you take your dd to see a cranial osteopath - they have worked wonders with my dd and regular treatment has helped her both physically and mentally.here is the website

[YeahBut]

Thanks for your replies, it helps a lot - sometimes it feels as though we're fumbling along completely on our own.

dd1 has poor receptive and expressive language skills, very poor auditory perception and pragmatic skills. As I mentioned, the SAL therapist could not identify at this stage a particular disorder.

The SAL therapist and SENCo both agreed that it would be a better idea to see if SAL therapy would improve her performance in these areas before going to see an ed psych - he or she would most likely want to see what (if any) effect a SAL therapy programme had on her issues before making a diagnosis, particularly as dd is so young. DD (as well as the birth trauma) had terrible ear infections as a child which may be complicating the picture. Also, we are living in Holland atm - we would have to travel back to the UK to see a native english speaking ed psych (we're perfectly happy to do so). I don't want to see someone to be told the exact same thing - see how the SAL therapy goes and come back in 6 months. I'd rather go with some information for them to work on. Does that make sense?

Much as I want a definitive diagnosis, I accept that we may have to try a few things out and discount others before we do. I think we're a lucky family compared to some of the others I've read about on this board. I have a lot of confidence in the professionals working with my child. I just feel a bit lost. It's not in my nature to wait and I know that a lot of my fears are for things that won't happen for years, so I AM going to have to wait and see how she copes with things. She is my baby and to me she is perfect and I want her life to be perfect and if it isn't, to be able to fix it. And I can't. I just hate that it makes her unhappy and so anxious. She gets so stressed that her eczma is going beserk. Sorry to ramble.

[Davros]

I agree with others, don't wait around, try to at least get on the list to see an EP and Dev Paed. What about seeing a speech therapist privately? They will be much more likely to commit themselves and you can go at least weekly, I doubt if you will get 1:1 speech therapy weekly otherwise.

[mum38]

hi I would also agree seeing a ed. pschy. would def. help. Our ds2 (nearly 6) has severe speech and language difficulties and it was the ed. psych. that really could see where his strengths and weaknesses lie. We have no definite diagnosis either but ds2 has problems with both expressive and receptive language, poor auditory memory, poor attention etc. His fine motor skills are also weak. We had a meeting with the Ed. psych. last week and she has finally said maybe verbal dyspraxia.

ds2 also has a history of ear infections (still on-going) that I feel has had some impact on his problems. Has your dd had a recent hearing test? If not it might be worth checking out again.. Just a thought. Our ds2 after passing 2 tests in a row (after after his tonsils out and grommets in)failed one a few weeks ago & it co-incided with another ear infection. It came back moderate loss in one ear and low loss in the other which we are told would make it difficult to hear acorss a busy class-room and also might be missing sounds in everyday speech so ear infections can have a big effect.

Sorry to be so rambling.

P.S. Might be worth asking the SENCO to use a visual timetable for your dd. It's something that really helped my ds2 -to know what was coming next. Also for the teacher to keep instructions simple so she understands what she is supposed to be doing.

[YeahBut]

Davros, we aren't in the UK so our speech therapist is in the private sector (although vetted and approved by the school). DD1 will be seeing her for a session once a week. I think we're in a slightly different situation because the school is not tied by LEA procedure, although it does follow the English national curriculum. I get the impression from some other threads that the whole statementing policy is designed to make it as difficult as possible for children to get appropriate help and save LEAs money. Our school doesn't have that issue - they don't have to foot the bill at the end of the day so I think I'm getting more impartial advice.

DD's issues are complicated by her history of ear infections. No-one is sure how much a part this has to play in her issues. If it is causing a delay, this will become obvious with the speech therapy. If the speech therapy isn't helping dd make progress, they can discount this as a factor. The school have had an advisory chat with an ed psych and the advice was that until she actually does have the SAL therapy for a period of about 6 months, no-one would be able to give us any more useful information.