Any ideas on DD (s and l delay amongst other things)not seeming to remember words?

[used2bthin]

She is nearly four, as a medical condition which may or may not have contributed to her s and l issues, she has just been assessed and is functioning at a two year old level for s and language, has delays in all ares related to this and is age apprpriate for motor skills.

Anyway the SALT mentioned that DD seems to have trouble recalling words and sounds and I am noticing i even more now-for example read her a new book this eveing and she copied shor bits-ie me "sleepy cat" DD"beedi bat"
but when the sentenceis longer she just says nothing or repeats the last bit.

Waiting to see if the referal to an early year inclusion specialist teacher goes through.

I don't know about the sounds, but I recall DS still has occasional problems with word retrieval - eg instead of asking for a donut, he would ask for "a cake that is round". I think visual aids can help with this up to a point, as a kind of prompt....

some useful info here:-

www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk/our_services/children_and_families/child_development/speech_and_language_therapy/information_on_speech_and_language_difficulties/word_finding_difficulties

Thankyou that is very interesting-the info on the link describes more language skills than DD has if that makes sense but does fit. She even runs through her makaton signs a few times before finding the right one sometimes.

Speaking to you reminds me I must ring about the nuffield assessment thing now she is nearly four.

DD1 has word retrieval problems. The thing is that SALT can't help her, because they say that she is already doing the things that they would teach a child to do.

They would teach a child to describe the item rather than keep looking for the word, so 'cake that is round' would be perfect.

Oh right so encouraging them to find other ways of remembering is good. I will try pictures think, will ask her playgroups to do the same when we have our meeting about the IEP they still havent sorted.

Probably not relevant but my DD has very bad dyslexia without any speech problems. However she really can't learn new words at all. Which is pretty weird when you don't have any speech problems.

I'm convinced she 'thinks in pictures' instead of words which is why she can't ever remember new words or peoples names - or learn to read.

That is an interestig idea, thinking in pictures. DD relies on her few phrases and makes them fit the situation which I was told is common for children with her kind of problems.

What was thought to b hearing problems due to the glue ear, seem to be memory type issues or a problem processing words or something although sometimes she seems to nderstand well.

Does sound like a very bad case of what my DD has. I've been told DD has 'slow processing' (during a dyslexia assesment) but given absolutely no things at all to help improve this. The other thing for you to google is auditory processing problems.

Regarding the 'thinking in pictures' read gift of dyslexia.

Thanks , I will look into that again(had done a while back but then got side tracked with the hearing thing.

Her SALT is off on mat leave soon and not being covered whilst away so things aren't likely to improve without a fight. I can't wait for our sen teacher (assuming she takes the paed referral which the SALT was hopeful that she might. Jst for someoe to look at all DDs issues rather than different people for each thing.

"What was thought to b hearing problems due to the glue ear, seem to be memory type issues or a problem processing words or something although sometimes she seems to understand well."

My dd2 is the same - with the complication of having sensorineural deafness (mild-moderate permanent loss) which has really confused things. Now she's 5 dd2's receptive & expressive language difficulties are getting more apparent even though her hearing has hugely improved now she has no more glue ear (previously mod-severe loss with glue).
Initially everybody thought her language was due to hearing loss, but as her language developed the difficulties were revealed. When she was Used2bthin's dds age she was the same ("copied shor bits-ie me "sleepy cat" DD"beedi bat"...sentences longer she just says nothing or repeats the last bit") and still does this but her repetoire of phrases has increased a lot so she copes really well in every day to day settings and you would easily think there was no problem until you asked more of her. It's conversation, descriptions, story-telling that are her difficulties - she can't do them.

Bizzarely she has good/bad language days which I thought were due to fluctuating glue but now that theory is no longer valid.

The way dd2 expresses herself is sometimes genius. Snail With No Face (empty snail shell). I love that one.

Ds has devlopmental verbal dyspraxia amongst other things so been told if ds can make a sound once means he might never be able to repeat it

Also has problems processing anything longer than couple of word sentenced so often latches on to the last instruction

So if you said ds get your shoes,come overr here and sit down. .he would just hear remember sit down

kissingfrogs wow your DD2 really does sound like my DD, the glue ear ting seems to hae been a red herring for us too (or has it?!) so confusing when there are a few issues and her report even says that it will be impossible to unpick what has been caused by her medical condition or multiple hospital trips and what is developmental and hearing etc.

I am about to ring afaisic as they have been really good to talk to in the past, I am going to see if there is a local group as I feel DD is losing confidence through other children getting frustrated with her and the fact that (though she generally copes well signing and using her few phrases, unclear as they are) she can't join in games the same as the others.

Love the snail with no face one, DD said of a friends newborn baby "doesnt work" as in she doesnt do much!

Hi roundthebend DD may have verbal dyspraxia too and many of our salt stuff is based on building up the muscles, again I thought it may be glue ear related but maybe not.

bdaonion bless him thats lovely,frustrating isn't it and I keep finding friends children seem really demanding as they seem to have endless chat and requests, Iam just envious I know.

well my story today is that DD tried repeating something new (in answer to her pointing to my missing hubcaps as she does every day and saing oh no) said oh yeah mummy will replace them when mummy is rich. Dd just kept repeating er (when) mummy bitch! Pleased she is repeating but that one is unfortunate!

I can relate to the charades bit, DD sometimes signs cat, horse, more etc then settles on what she is trying to say eventually with help. She is such a mystery to me sometimes, she has to work so hard at it all.