OT or SALT?

[Badtrampoline]

DD is 3.5 and had some private speech therapy last year. She has come on so much, but I believe the underlying issue to her delay is her noise sensitivity which causes her to go into 'cope' mode at nursery, so she does not speak at all while she is there, and often avoids joining in more boisterous activities. She attends full time, so there is 40 hours a week where she is NOT talking, which I think is contributing to her delay.

Is it worth occupational therapy to help her with coping with this? Or should we persevere with SALT?

We are on an ASD pathway.

Could you consider changing to a childminder? If my child wouldn't talk in a setting, I couldn't have them there 40 hours per week.

Noise sensitivity tends to be managed rather than cured. You could get a sensory assessment to determine if this is contributing, but it won't change it. Noise cancelling headphones are brilliant and she would still be able to hear voices.

Have you applied for an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)? An EHCP would give her the support she needs.

Thanks! Her noise issues are generally other children screaming and crying - the current nursery can manage this because they have staff to take her to a quiet sensory room or to play in the garden when she needs the break. My fear is a childminder will not have the space to give her away from other children - especially if they have younger toddlers or babies. She also wouldnt cope with being taken out on school runs/softplay etc.

We have started the EHCP process and also the nursery have applied for inclusion funding so fingers crossed that will also provide some help.