My daughter has had a SALT assesment I'm a bit concerned.

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, I hade just had a private Speech and Language assessment for my Daughter. She said that Lucy is delayed in her communicative speach and in her speech sounds. She is nearly three. She also said that some more assessment would be nesissaery to rule out any learning difficultys. She is going to write a short report on her findings and recomend where to go from hear. If I apply for speech therapy on the NHS will it be less of a wait as she already has an assessment? I can't really afford for her to have private therapy.
She was concerned that when asked her name she say's Mummy or Daddy as she can't say her on name and repeats the same phrases over and over, but suely learning difficulty can't be picked up that young? She has a good memory and knows her shapes, and colours. I don't know what to make of it really. Has anyone else been in a similar situation ?

First of all much sympathy, I have been in the same place as you, and it is gutting to have someone come in and seem to pick up on all your little one's faults.

Unfortunately it's unlikely to be less of a wait for NHS speech therapy, but always worth a try to make sure the speech therapy department and your HV/GP have copies of the private assessment.

Did the private therapist do a program of work for you to do with Lucy? I am in a similar position with DS - 3.10, who sounds very similar to your DD at that age. I am happy to e-mail you a copy of the written advice that the private SALT gave to me about helping DS with his speech. Has she had a hearing test to rule out any hearing problems? Does she have difficulties with receptive speech (i.e. understanding)?

hi, thanks for that, I would love to see the advice your son was given. Her hearing is fine and she understands simple things. We haven't recieved the report yet but all the things she said to do with her, I do already and have done since birth really. A lot of people say she'll be fine but close family are a bit worried too.

do you have CAT?

Sorry, not sure what you meen.

TBH if they're talking of assessing for learning difficulties your dd needs a more general assessment as well as a SALT (who can only assess in limited areas). Because of the waiting lists (which can be years) worth asking about referrals to a developmental pead as well.

i'm going through exactly the same my ds 2.7 knows all colours shapes and letters and numbers but cannot answer simple questions and does not talk well

he has to have another assessment in 3 weeks

it is worrying but all dc do learn in own time but they think he has problems with communicationa nd not just speech delayed although can do all we ask and understands what we ask but does not understand how to communicate back

does copy all we say but doesnt appear to understand simple questions

I agree with Yurt re:paediatrician assessment. Having been waiting since March 07 for paed appointment for DS, not even got a date.

i had the same with my son, he was referred at 3.5, it was a waste of time for them, he's now 6, children just learn in their own time.

my poor son was referred for so many things before he was even 6. i just went along with it. but in hindsight am angry that he wasn't just allowed to grow at his own pace.

Bubblagirl my DS (now 4.3) was very similar at that age. He "got" questions about 3 months ago and now asks them all day long. Have you ever heard of hyperlexia?

useful books-
You Make the Difference by Ayola Manolson
It Takes two to talk by Ayola Manolson (or there is an updated one by Weitzman_
Parent's Guide to Speech Problems by Debbie Feit

useful websites-
www.ican.org.uk
www.afasic.org.uk
www.speechteach.co.uk

(all above give general info about speech problems).

DS asks "Why" when I tell him he has to do something he doesn't want to do or vice versa . Except that probably doesn't understand my reply [hmmm].

trying to think of what I wish I had know a year ago:-
1)there may be a specialist nursery for kids with language problems in your town (think they are usually run by ICAN). If you want that for your kids, phone up and ask them what there admission procedures are, and try and get on the right waiting lists now.
2)Alternative Augmentative methods of Communication (AAC) really help understanding and learning new words - so if anyone suggest signing (assuming your kids have no problems imitating) or PECs, don't panic, or feel like it's a backward step - signing or PECs help develop spoken language, and work well alongside it to help word retrieval.

also - you may be able to access Hanen courses - either a basic one for kids at risk of speech problems called "You make the difference" via a surestart centre, or a more detailed one called "It takes two to talk" via speech therapy department. Hanen - www.hanen.org - is a canadian organisation that specialises in helping kids with speech problems.

TC, as yet DS has not asked a "why" question. It started with "how fast does that go?", then went on to "how tall is he?" and "what's he feeling?" asked of every single character in the pictures whenever we read a story. We've recently progressed on to "what if?"

DS has never asked any question as complex as that LGS. It's funny the gaps in language they can have. Like when SALT pointed out that DS wasn't saying "Again!"

What's the significance of saying 'Again' ? My son can say 'Again' but cannot ask questions (yet?). To the original poster, I I would strongly advise getting on to NHS waiting list for ST and also pester HV to get a developmental assessment. The problems may well resolve in their own time but you need to get some advice on how to encourage more speech. I found lots of simple repetition and speaking slowly helped DS start to develop more speech

I think learning diffculty can be picked up that early I'm not saying it is LD, but at the preschool where I work, we've had children come in aged just over 2 (2 & 3 months) with a diagnosis of some kind of learning difficulty - what is harder to do for a child of this age is say what specifically the child's difficulty is - has the child got delayed speech, has the child got a physical difficulty in saying some sounds, does the child find it hard to recall the words, etc.

I'd speak to HV (or GP if your HV is as hard to get hold of as mine) to discuss it - take a copy of the SALT's report if you have it by then. The difference I've noticed when children have had repts from private SALTs v nhs SALTs is that the nhs ones can automatically pass the referral onto someone elst to see the child eg hearing tests, peadiatrician, chlid develpoment centre - the private SALTs can only advise you to get the referrals. I'm not saying it happens any quicker.

lgs found hyperlexia on google yesterday and sound similar to my ds but not some of the stuff like poor eye contact and behavioural problems

he does understand if i say go and do this or get this for me or he can point out pictures animals and say them but he cannot say b, s, f, t, d,m sounds in a word but can say seperately

would love to know what your ds was like at that age and to see if myds is the same as is so hopeful knowing your ds overcome the hurdles i think my ds will never reach

last 3 months he has learnt lots of words and will put words together just not in conversation with me still makes noises will ask single words

chocolate, crisps, nilk,naggy change and does try to have conversation but its still babble

does your ds have hyperlexia? if anyones elses child sounds same as my ds then would love to know how they are getting on as such a worrying time

obviously he has a speech delay due to lack of being able to put certain sounds in a word but as able to do individually can be worked on

Thanks every one, I'll get her on the waiting list asap. Our waiting lists are about 1 year though. In the mean time I'll follow SALT's advice and the nursery are helping to improve her vocab too. She is in avery small nursey class which she loves and she gets a lot of attention. It might be an overall developmental delay as she was late to sit up, walk and is not potty traind. I just don't want her to get so far behind that she can't catch up.