Pre school speech and language assessment

[fezzesarecool]

Help and guidance needed please, any links to websites and documents gratefully received

I’ve posted recently about concerns about my 2 year’s behaviour and speech.

A quick background is that he is 3 next month, there is a definite speech delay and concerns over listening to commands and tantrums. He has been at preschool for 5 weeks now.

Since started at preschool I have seen excellent progress in all these areas and while he is now at the level of some children he’s definitely moved forward and I am happy that things will continue this way over time. I’ve also got a speech therapist coming next week to start sessions with him.

Unfortunately the preschool themselves are bad at communicating. Also I’m doing my best to document evidence of progress through my observations, videos, other people (such as his dance teacher etc) However they seem dismissive of having accessing to this information.

My point of view is that my son is a completely different child at the preschool which is normal but I know he’s learning from them already because of the changes I have seen.

My worry is that I feel that whatever assessments they are doing will not provide a whole picture of him. While I accepted they can only document what they observe themselves I do feel my information could help my son in that setting. I have even offered to come in so they can do a observation with me present as he will speak in that environment when I am there.

So right now I’m wondering how to find a code of practice or something similar that I can use to help my son.

I want to engage as much as I can but I just don’t have the support to do so.

TIA if you got this far!

Also posting here for traffic

I wish I could just sit down with someone and have them explain all of this process to me.
Ask for a meeting with your DS's keyperson or pre-school SENCO. However it does sound like there might not really be a 'process' at this point, the pre-school are just doing what they do with every child who has some difficulty settling in - observing, assessing needs and putting support in place.

See how easily I get confused!

Like I said I really will take all of the comments on board and step back. Thank you again, it does actually make me feel better to have a bit of guidance.

I wish I could just sit down with someone and have them explain all of this process to me.

I am a SENCo-this is what I do on a daily basis.

Go and have a chat with the nursery senco?

when my son was assessed I had to fill out lengthy questionnaires about his behaviour/capabilities at home as well as have meetings with the paediatrician involved, I’d seen the SALT, they also saw him without me at nursery and within the nhs centre the assessment was taking place in. They need to see him away from home/safe environment. I would think the advice re getting a portfolio of evidence is for your own records for the future...we all often think “Oh I’ll remember that example of that behaviour” and then forget. Good luck.

A speech therapist should see a child at Pre-school, their own home and in clinic to get a good idea on how the child is in different settings.

Hi OP. We were in the same position with our DS (3) when he turned 3, last year. We have 3 boys and he is the youngest. We at first just thought he had a speech and language issue and attended a SALTS group session which made no difference. 3 months after he turned 3 (and had been at pre-school for this 3 months), we queried the speech issues with pre-school and they asked if we wanted the heath visitor to observe. She did. Within a few days she sat me down in my own home and told me they were querying autism. Could have knocked me down with a feather. I was in denial at first, but once I had taken into account the observations from pre-school and the HV, I couldn’t deny it. Of course they act differently at home to how they do in the pre-school environment. They are challenged much more socially in this setting. ASD is a complex communication disorder. I’m not saying that is the case for your son, but do listen to the advice of the professionals involved. If you see the paediatrician and he doesn’t agree, then you have a base to go from. I would definitely ask for a referral if you haven’t already. The paediatrician will review all areas and take in to account everything you can tell them. They will also ask for reports from the pre-school SENCO and SALTS. I’m so glad that our son is getting the support he needs. The difference in him, in the past year is immeasurable. He is now getting 1-2-1 support at pre-school and within the last week he has actually started answering questions. Just basic ones. But it’s progress. He’ll be 4 in two weeks.

The NHS speech therapist asked me background info, family history and concerns at our initial assessment. The paediatrician did too. So you will get chance to make comparisons between the two environments. Good luck.

They need to observe a child in many different settings as they behave differently in each place. My dd has been observed in clinic, at the hospital, in pre-school nursery, in a group SALT session, in her reception classroom - many many times. I was only present at some of those observations, it’s to get a thorough picture of your child.
All of this helps towards a diagnosis should you end up on the autism pathway. Dd does have autism, she was non-verbal until age 4, she was diagnosed at 4.5. She’s very close to 6 now with speech similar to a 3 year old I would say. She is making good progress, we didn’t think she would ever talk. We initially began our journey thinking she was deaf then to speech therapy and progressed from there.

Speak to the SENCO for information and advice would be a good step I would say. Good luck.

Thanks again everyone for the advice, I think we’re a long way from all the steps that you have all talked me through as my speech therapist is a private one and we’re waiting on the SALT from the NHS which won’t happen until after the hearing test (we’ve already had a private one done)

We did attend a group called Ready, Steady, Talk five months ago which I was told a step before speech therapy referral and at that time at the end of the course they said he didn’t need to be referred and there wasn’t any behaviour concerns despite some epic tantrums

The speech therapist I’m in contact with was recommended by the preschool, but she doesn’t have a clinic so not sure what I can do about a clinic setting. Perhaps I can suggest a meeting at a neutral place like a library? (Which funny enough I had a nursery assistant do a observation for me there today)

I wasn’t aware that the preschool has a senco, this is why I’m so lost about everything

I’ve requested a pedition referral but the GP and HV said they thought it’s not necessary at this point as they believe its speech and language delay affecting the behaviour Which 5 weeks in from implementing strategies of speech and behaviour at home I’m leaning towards as I’ve seen a massive improvement

Thank you again for all the advice, I’m definitely just going to step back for now and see what the preschool suggests when they are ready and in the meantime track progress and concerns on my own

I’m really not sure though where to ask the speech therapist to do the actual speech sessions as the advice from the autism centre was not to do it at preschool as it’s too simulating But obviously I suppose the speech therapist will give her recommendations

Sounds like you are keeping yourselves well informed. That’s all you can do for now.

We queried issues at our sons 2 1/2 year check and the same HV said no issues and he was fine. A lot happens between the ages of 3-4 and it’s then clear if there are any developing issues. This is why they don’t really have concerns until after that point as you will be well aware, all children develop at different rates. Hopefully it won’t take long for the SALTS appointment to be sent.

All early years nurseries and pre-schools and nursery schools have a designated SENCO as a child with SEN’s could attend their setting or school at any given time and may need support. It’s not something I was aware of or even thought of until we needed their help.

Thank you, that makes me feel less stupid.

Also you’ve said legatos I’ve been trying to put into words but babbling away instead.

This is all new to me, I haven’t got a clue how anything works or how to approach this, who I’m supposed to talk at the preschool or the resources I can access myself.

If he’s only been there five weeks then they will be assessing him for his baseline. Children take a while to settle and show what they can and can’t do.

Take any concerns they have seriously though. They are professionals who see many children the same age and have a good idea what is outside the ‘normal’ development. If they have enough concerns that they suggest extra support is needed then it would be wise to work with them.
They can’t diagnose but they will suggest making referrals to those that can, they will be the people who will look at the whole picture.

Given that a SALT is going to be both in the pre school and at home to see him then you don't need to worry. He or she will see what pre school see and what you see. I think the main thing to remember is that the threshold for a diagnosis of autism will be quite high and is usually done as a multi disciplinary assessment. The SALT will be skilled at assessing whether this is a speech delay or an anxiety issue or an ASD related issue.

I’m definitely working with them (using the private speech therapist they have suggest, doing strategies of speech at home) although this does highlight to me that I really do need to look at how I am coming across not only on here but to the teachers.