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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Primary age child with language delay

19 replies

megmums · 17/04/2018 19:53

Did you primary age child with a language delay catch up?

Feeling worried about our 5 year old at the moment. He’s a quiet child around other children and they don’t appear to relate to him very well. He’s recently been diagnosed with mild expressive and receptive language delay which seems to be affecting his ability to form friendships.

Just wondering what other people’s experience of parenting a child with language delay, how best I can help him, and if your child ended up reaching their full potential?

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Queenofthedrivensnow · 17/04/2018 19:58

Hi there. I'm not a salt but based on my experience of lots of children with delays the more socialising the better. Lots of play dates if you can where he will build confidence and chatter one to one with another child

Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:00

meg, my dc was a bit younger but had a delay and has now caught up a lot. Had limited cooperative play still at 4 but now really enjoys playing with others and has friends.

Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:01

Flowersand Brew as I know it’s hard

Have you spoken to Ican speech charity helpline? They are SO supportive

Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:02

Thanks for replying. Unfortunately I work full time so regular play dates tricky to organise although the ones we have had have gone well. I’ve signed him up to groups outside school which he’s happy to go to.

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Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:05

I will call the ICAN helpline. Thanks for recommending. He will sit and watch other children playing with interest and amusement but so hesitant to join in!

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Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:05

Sorry to do so many posts. I would say:

  1. Make sure salt happens at school and salt is liaising with teacher. get appointment with Senco for school based targets to be set now and arrange a further meeting for end of term to get progress on targets reviewed.
  2. Consider private salt if you can afford it as top up
  3. If there is Lego therapy club in your area sign him up - really good for social skills
  4. Read with dc a lot and ask salt advice on what to read and what to emphasise eg asking child to tell the basic story back.
  5. Play board games to boost language and interaction. Like shopping list by orchard maybe
user1498854363 · 17/04/2018 20:05

What additional support or intervention have school offered to help his speech?

Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:07

I think weekend play dates may help them and you can help by modelling sine of the interaction eg suggesting how he can start - what’s your name? Can I play? You can get social stories online to help with these skills and could make your own about joining in with book creator app

Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:09

School arranged a salt assessment where the mild language delay was picked up. He’s now under a therapy plan with weekly 1:1 sessions with a trained TA.
School do lego therapy but only from year 2 but senco has said there will be programs she can include him on as he progresses up the school. He’s currently in year 1 but summer born, which doesn’t help!

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Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:10

I’d like to understand more about social stories. What would be the best website to use?

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Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:12

I can’t remenber the hat I used but maybe others will know - you can find them on google I think.

Will have a look now

Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:16

Here’s an example that might be worth a look:

connectability.ca/2010/09/23/joining-in-play/

Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:17

I found that my googling social story joining in play

Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:17

Thanks. Will take a look tomorrow. He’s keen to learn new things so hopefully with encouragement and support his social skills will improve.

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Onceuponatimethen · 17/04/2018 20:19

my child now has good friends so it’s amazing how they can come on in just a few years. Hopefully you will be posting the same to someone else a few years from now

Kandboys · 17/04/2018 20:30

My son started Reception with delayed and disordered speech, he's year 1 now and doing so well! They put a lot of intervention in which started at nursery (attached to the school) and started school on the SEN register. He had a lot of 1:1 work with one of the TAs which really helped. S&L discharged him a few months ago and, because of doing so much S&L work with sounds etc, he is a very good reader, way ahead of year 1 level (not a boast!). The change in him is amazing but luckily he has a willingness to learn which really helps

Original poster
megmums · 17/04/2018 20:56

That’s good to hear kandboys
I wish the delay had been picked up sooner but it was always a case of ‘wait and see’. I’m spending lots of time reading with him which he loves to do. He’s definitely one of the children at the bottom of the class but hopefully with lots of extra support at home he will start to thrive. Senco describes him as a potential ‘late bloomer’ which fits in with other areas of developmsnt such as his walking at 19 months, although nothing late enough to be a huge concern until now.

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Original poster
megmums · 21/04/2018 14:30

Just checked out the link you kindly provided onceuponatimethen . It's exactly what I was looking for, thanks!

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Onceuponatimethen · 21/04/2018 15:08

Meg really glad Smile

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