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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Speech and Language referral age 8?

3 replies

PrincessPotato · 02/07/2024 20:25

My son’s class teacher gave my husband a referral form today at pick-up, explaining to him only that ‘he often does a completely different thing to what I ask him to do’. My husband tried to ask questions e.g. ‘could it be linked to his shyness?’ and the teacher dismissed it and said the senco will be able to explain further.

DS has always struggled with academics generally, but more specifically numeracy - imo he needs for more help with numbers!

He’s quite well-spoken - clear voiced, normal cadence, reasonable vocab, speaks in full sentences. Has always had plenty of friends. Sometimes he seems to not quite understand how he should respond if it’s a stranger speaking to him and looks to me for reassurance. He has a short fuse with family and can get very angry/frustrated if we don’t listen closely or miss what he’s said the first time.

He’s very physically coordinated and has been praised in rugby for having exceptionally good listening/adapting skills.

Nothing has ever been raised re. his language up until this point. He was a little slow to speak but nothing that was considered a problem by authorities at the time - he did show some autistic traits, eg rocking and being hypersensitive as a toddler, and didn’t walk until 18 months (2 days before a ped appt about it in the US where we living at the time). He never cross-crawled before walking, only army crawled.

Anyone have any similar experience or insight?

OP posts:
BrumToTheRescue · 03/07/2024 14:08

SALT is about more than the physical ability to speak. It may be the school is concerned about DS’s understanding.

What support is the school providing? Has DS had an ASD assessment?

PrincessPotato · 03/07/2024 14:27

@BrumToTheRescue thank you - this is what I’m assuming. No asd assessment as no obvious issues since toddlerhood. He does still have a fascination with setting things up (especially electronics, discos) and has the remains of a stim (going stiff, mouth open wide) that he did as a baby. I’ve asked for a ring back after teaching hours today, but this is the first we’ve heard of an identifiable issue other than just being behind academically.

OP posts:
BrumToTheRescue · 03/07/2024 14:28

I would request an ASD assessment. If the school can’t/wont refer, speak to your GP.

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