ORAL/VERBAL DISPRAXIA

[stickyj]

Please can anyone help with the difference between these two? My firend's son has been diagnosed with ORAL dispraxia and basically they have stopped SALT as they say they can't do anything. He chokes constantly as his windpipe is narrow but apparently his brain is not telling him how to swallow, so that's what happens. he signs really well and can say "mama", has sensory issues (terrible tantrums/screaming) and his mum refuses to give up. Any ideas of how to help at all please?

This sounds to me more like what is known as 'dysphagia' which is difficulty with swallowing and managing food and drink. The main danger is that there may be aspiration (when food and drink trickle into the lungs, causing possible infections).

Does this sound like what is happening?
I'm a SALT and obviously can just make some very general comments in the context of an interent forum, but she could ask to see someone (a SALT) who specialises in dyspahgia for a swallowing assessment.

Oh Moondog, I was hoping for some real advice, thank you!! This little boy has had every diagnosis under the sun, brcause they are guessing. It's gone from severly autistic, mild Downs (?!) to oral dispraxia. He has loads of sensory issues which I've been trying to help with, such as now he wears cotton because he was scratching himself to bits. He will scream for hours and can'r be comforted so I checked with a SN teacher friend and she said he was over stimulated and to give him sensory space. He can drink smoothies now and drinks milk/water but is on pureed food and will be for ever they think. He has had a throat scan and they suggested putting a feeding tube (I think) down his throat but his mum thinks that's going backwards. SALT have said they can't help.

Does this mean that there's no chance of him ever talking? His brain doesn't tell him how to swallow but my Dad has dementia, is under the label of "severe danger" of aspiration and SALT assessed him in hospital to check out his muscle tone. Is there any exercises he could do, they said he wouldn't ever stick his tongue out but he does and makes quite a lot of different sounds, even though he was "silent" for a long, long time. He's only 19 months now, so surely they can't just give up on him?[sad}

Sticky, hi.
I can't give you any more information than that really in this context.
What a caring friend you sound.
What I an tell yuo is that those who make the most noise, get the most attention.
She needs to be actively seeking advide and intervention and not just passively accepting what is on offer which is obviously difficult when she is probably under huge strain anyway.

Her GP or paediatrician could probably get things moving a bit faster by writing to those who could help.

You say he is only 19 months old so my guess is that the SALT are not helping with the speech side of things due to his age right now? Definately she needs to push the paed and GP for more help here with regard to the eating problems, and when he is a bit older push for speech therapy specifically for speech. In the meantime she might like to look at some oro-motor exercises for him as he gets older and is able to do more eg this pack of toys

my DD has oral and verbal dyspraxia. i was told that the oral part is the way the mouth works. the palate, tongue, breathing lips and muscles etc arnt working together properly. the verbal part is the actual speech.

my DS has Apraxia with a dysarthric component, severe autism and severe developmental delay. He has benefitted hugely from seeing a Talk Tools speech therapist who comes over from the USA. She is over doing an Apraxia workshop in June, EG Training are organising it. She is also doing assessments while she is in the UK. We have seen her 3 times for assessment, she then gives you a program to implement at home.

Hey PS, I was talking about you today with one of my ABA mates from oop North.
All good.

Yes moondog, I had a phone call from a colleague who is doing some work with me telling me she'd be talking to her friend who knows you!! Very small world!! Would be really interested in getting your views on a presentation I am putting together on combining speech therapy and ABA.......

I'm doing a talk on this subject for two conferences in the next month. One will be in the uni I referred to, the other is at THE big conference in the States.

I have other stuff too as I write a lot on this topic. If you message me with your email, I can pass them on. it would be very interesting to see your stuff too.

Barbera Esch has some great stuff on this too. An academic (BCBA), SALT and big contributor to VB Mapp. Google her and you get some good articles and interviews.

Hi

I have a child of 15 and still not happy chewing but also is oral motor and general dyspraxia and was unable to say a sound in communication but with speech therapy from the age of 2yrs to 10years using private and nhs and the Nuffield prgarmme communicates wonderfully.

perhaps the dyspraxia foundation mught help