ASD Twins age 3... Non verbal... hope for speech?!

[Onedayatatime13]

Hi, my twins were both diagnosed with ASD. 5 days after their 3rd birthday. They are both non verbal. Ds1 babbles but really doesnt have any speech at all. Ds2 will imitate when wants to and will say yes no will repeat names etc but again no speech. We are under pead. Salt. But just wanted to ask those with experience did anyones little ones with ASD and non verbal go on to speak and conversate well? I know that non verbal communication is very important and theres so many ways for them to communicate and we are working hard with it all but i cant help this longing for them to express themselves verbally they are both so frustrated recently. They attend nursery but cant help but think if they start a good SEN school next year with SALT within it and experienced staff that maybe we will see further development with speech/communication then? I appreciate hearing anyone elses experiences x

Hi! I want to start off and say, I can’t imagine how hard it is to have 2 with ASD and non verbal! How are you coping? and i’m sure your doing a fantastic job so well done!

My son is 5 with ASD and GDD his speech is very delayed but slowly processing! He speaks like a 2- early 3 year old now. At 3 he could only say a handful of single words and they weren’t functional.

He started mainstream reception last year with a EHCP ( I would definitely get that process started sooner than later as its long and draining) he has honestly blossomed since he started, being around children with advanced speech to him, has helped, he echos them so has built a better vocabulary.

but we are in the process of getting him moved to a special school as it will definitely be a better environment for him and I wish I had when he left nursery x

Thanks so much for your reply @Poppy160 yes it is really hard but we just get on with things 😊 i believe nursery are collacting information now for the EHCP. i have absolutely no idea of the process or if i will need to go anything in regards to that. Glad your boys speech is improving. I try not to put all my hopes on them talking and we work on communication in general but i cant help that in my heart i hope for speech so much for them. Attention is a really stumbling block for ds1 as he just likes to be on his own alot and when he is with you he always leads he doesnt really let you try and input anything new. Ds2 is complete opposite and very very sociable which can make things easier for us with regards to tips and stratagies from SALT

You should request EHCNAs now. The process takes 20 weeks if you don’t have to appeal, but many do, some more than once, and the waits for appeals are long. If you want DTs to start special school next September you need to request EHCNAs now as if you need to appeal you need all the time you can get.

Thanks @Onedayatatime13 but they arent due to go to school until september next year. They turned 3 in March so they will be Sept 2024 intake 😊 nursery have started the process for an EHCP though x

By next September I meant Sept 2024. Not this September, September 2023. If it was this September there definitely wouldn’t be time, even without appealing.

If the nursery have formally requested EHCNAs that’s fine, but if not you should. You should also make sure the LA stick to the statutory timescales as if you need to appeal you need all the time you can get.

Thats great Nursery seem to be starting the process incase you have to appeal. I would look on IPSEA or sos sen websites to understand the process and what legally the LA have to do within timeframes. My Local Authority love to break the law with timeframes and other awful stuff. Hopefully your luckier than us!

My son sounds like your DS1 so yes it was very hard to implement speech strategies, but the difference between him being 3 and 4 is amazing he actually interacts with us now (no so much other children) we still can’t have a conversation but he can tell us what he wants and answer simple questions. When he was 3 he couldn’t do any of that and didn’t even notice us. so don’t give up hope 😊

I echo starting the ehcp now. It's a long process which rarely goes as planned, particularly if you are looking at an Sen school. Some Information about how this works and your rights is below. Unfortunately LA's like to break the law and tell parents absolute garbage.

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans

DS was diagnosed around the same age. He was non verbal till 9 years old. He's a teen now and has some functional speech to get his needs met. He also uses a communication device which he is able to use for everything else he needs. We are big advocates for total communication. He can't functionally communicate with the small amount of speech he has but combined with his communication device he is a very functional communicator. Whatever you find that works run with it, communication is communication. For experience you are going to have to do most of the work. Salt is exceptionally limited if you can't go private. I would absolutely push for a salt requirement within your ehcp if you have the evidence from reports to support this.