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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

School wants to refer DS2 to speech therapist - what should I expect?

11 replies

scampadoodle · 16/01/2008 12:29

I agree he probably needs it. He's 3.7 & only started talking a year ago & his speech is still very indistinct. He's always understood everything said to him & can be very articulate, just difficult to decipher.

Anyway, once referred, what's going to happen? How do they 'treat' it, & is it done during school hours? Am a complete novice at this kind of thing so all advice/info welcome.

Thanks.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 16/01/2008 12:31

all depends on where you live. I was given "games" to play with dd that involved her saying a couple of words that she find difficult. They also diagnosed exactly what she found diffficult and taught us how to break the words up so she could pronounce them properly for the games eventually this filtered into everyday life.

CarGirl · 16/01/2008 12:33

we were part of a group (about 6 children) one hour per week for 6 weeks and you weren't allowed to take siblings! One of the children was very disruptive and the emphasis is def on you being taught the techniques and practising at home regularly IYSWIM

Original poster

scampadoodle · 16/01/2008 12:35

I'm in London Cargirl.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 16/01/2008 12:44

this is what we were offered in our PCT in Surrey I know someone who was part of a group of 12 children!

Original poster

scampadoodle · 16/01/2008 13:21

No chance of one-to-one sessions then!

I wonder how much it is to go privately...

OP posts:

CarGirl · 16/01/2008 13:23

I think the point is though I think the therapists were right. The identified specific targets to work on, taught me how to help dd work on them and then we got on and did it. We spend a huge amount of time with our children and can help/influence far more than private sessions once per week.

They clearly stated that the more time we put into the home practice/work the quicker improvement would be made/move onto a new target.

Have you had your ds checked for glue ear/hearing problems?

cazzybabs · 16/01/2008 13:24

It is aboyt £60 for an intro session and then £30 an hour round here. Am also looking for a SALT for dd2 .

Tommy · 16/01/2008 13:28

DS1 had one session with a therapist - I was there but not involved IYSWIM - when he was 4 and they discharged him as they said it was just delayed development. When he got to sxhool his Reception teacher referred him a gain and he saw a speech & language assistant once a month or so and the classroom assistant did the exercises with him once a fortnight or so. He did really well and doesn't have it anymore.

My niece who is the same age had the group theapy that someone else mentioned - I think there wre about 6 children in a group and they did games and stuff like that. All seem very successful as fair as I can see but I know from other people's experiences that it vastly depends on where you live

Clary · 16/01/2008 13:48

Firstly, it's great that they are on to the issue and looking to refer. It can be a long fight to get SALT (I speak from experience).

We had games to play to practise particular sounds which were the issue with DS1. A SALT will firstly analyse yr DS to establish what the issue is. Hopefully they will provide school/nursery with some stuff to do on a 1-1 basis with DS, which you can continue at home.

The secret is little and often (sigh) ie try to do it every day, even if just for a few mins. DS1 used to get a bit fed up with it bless him (he couldn't say c or g and the work was quite repetitive) but we used to do it for a bit in the bath or just after breakfast or something.

Good luck and hope it works out. DS1 is now 8 (probs were at 3-4-5 yrs) and his speech is now perfectly clear.

Original poster

scampadoodle · 16/01/2008 14:52

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. I don't think it's a hearing thing as he understands all that's said to him. He has problems with certain consonants so tends to use g for everything!

OP posts:

CarGirl · 16/01/2008 16:13

scampa I would ask to get his hearing tested as something like glue ear can cause problems with how they hear things so they aren't hearing a clear distinction between constantants. Hearing is and ear & brain process and everytime they have a bout of glue ear the brain has to set about relearning how to hear again afterwards.

My dd had speech problems similar to your ds
dog=gog, donkey=gonkey it was glue ear that had caused it and she had to relearn how to talk. At 5 she is having to learn which word have F at the end at which TH as she uses them any old how!

I just think it's worth pursuing hearing tests because my dd's poor hearing was obvious (at times she was relying on lip reading and I hadn't realised) but she is a different child since they inserted grommits and her speech really improved.

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