Dyspraxia and speech delay

[cjn27b]

DS is 2.8 and has speech delay (both receptive and expressive). A lot of speech therapy is helping greatly. He now has about 350 words and can string 3 together occassionally.

The SLT previously mentioned a possible auditory processing disorder. Since we have found that he is getting glue ear sometimes (intermittent, but I'm not sure how much he's getting). Now he's learnt some words and is more verbal the SLT thinks he might have problems with his gross motor skills - possibly dyspraxia.

Does anyone know if dyspraxia causes receptive as well as expressive language delay? Also what are the other signs?

DS is quite clumsy, has his tongue sticking out slightly a lot, sometimes dribbles a bit, did have eating problems as a newborn. Otherwise he reached most of his milestones (sitting unaided, crawling and walking, only a few months late. He finds balance difficult, and is still trying to figure out scooters and balance bikes.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Thank you.

I'm not sure if there is a link between dyspraxia and language delay. It would make sense. Language delays are often a symptom of something else.

From what you have described with the clumsiness and balance difficulties it does sound like dyspraxia.

My DD 4 still cant get to grips with her bike(with stablisers) She's only really just managed to get a rhythm going, but she can't figure steering out yet. She will usually only stay on it for a minute before getting bored and declaring "i'm not good at this" and gets off. It could just be a boredom thing with DD though. If she's not interested in something she gives in very quickly, which to be fair is very much like me.

Your ds is still very young though so it's great that you've got him help so early.

My dd is just about to be assessed by a SALT. Can I ask, how did you find the experience? I'm quite nervous about the whole thing.

Sorry i've not really answered your question.

I have mild dyspraxia and his symptoms sound just like mine! Now I can drive a manual car, ski and do anything a normal 20 year old does! I had no learning difficulties other than I am a slow writer, which is not a problem as teachers printed off slides for me or I used a laptop in my later years at school! I also know people with more severe dyspraxia and lead relatively normal lives! So I wouldn't worry about dyspraxia too much!

And with regards to receptive language delay..I am not too sure. But I do find it hard too look at people in the face when I am talking too them...I also forget what I am saying sometimes because my brain processes faster than my body does..same with writing....hope this helps!!

Would just like to second what Leo said about dyspraxia and leading normal lives. I remember a guy from my school who to be fair did struglge(quite devere dyspraxia I think) He actually found it difficult to walk in a straight line. I bumped into him a year ago and he was like a different person. You could still sense a slight akwardness about him, but that was it. My DP said that he now does all sorts of biking tours/challenges. I know he drives also.

Sorry typing error. I meant "struggle and "severe".

Your story about the boy at school not being able to walk in a straight line reminded me of some difficulties i had...When I was younger I couldn't cross a road..because dyspraxia affects your spacial awareness...I find it hilarious now but not so much growing up...you have to find your own coping mechanisms and dyspraxia can be something you find easy to deal with!

Thanks all. I'm not worried dyspraxia - in fact that would be quite a relief after some of the things that have been suggested and can cause language delays! Though I'm wondering if it is dyspraxia that is causing the language delay or if there are other factors involved too. The glue ear of course might have a role... It's all rather confusing what stems from what at this stage. As DS learns to talk more he'll help us figure it out too.

The SLT assessment was an amazing experience. Nothing to be scared of. Our SLT is such an amazing person and a joy to work with. We see her every few weeks and do a lot at home in between. Now we'll go to the dyspraxic group too, sit in, and try to replicate stuff at home again.

Good luck in your search.. I don't know about speech delay exactly but dyspraxia can cause a wide range of sppech problems and impedaments as like i said your brain works faster than your body and it can be sooo frustrating at times....

And fingers crossed it is dyspraxia although a struggle it can be fun as your encouraged to do lots of sports and as you get older it becomes more and more unoticible xx

My DS (dyspraxia) had Speech and Language 'issues' when he was younger. HV picked up on these issues just before he was 2. He thought that he was speaking 'normally' but only those that were 'intune' with him could understand. We had many sessions of SALT. As he got older, and he re-learnt how to say words he had been using, he did have a few issues with expressive language. Tbh, he now (8) has issues with expressive writing.
His language was developmentally delayed - but they were looking at one point at verbal dyspraxia. But his language developed and is now constant and loud
As far as the dyspraxia goes, i'm with Leo on this. I can see my DS in gainful employment one day. There will be many things that he can do. My job is to see him through the school part of life - to make sure that he accesses all of his education, so that he will get opportunities once he leaves.
I know several people that are adults with dyspraxia that have very good jobs - including a teacher.

Just too add on the good jobs...I am a trainee solicitor :) so not all bad xx

cjn27b

Glue Ear or Otitis Media with Effusion, is a way of acquiring Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).
APD is a listening disability or having problems processing what you hear. And we learn to speak and language by processing the speech and langauge we hear, so that we can then reproduce our own speech. So APD causes speech delays.
There is no cure for APD so children who have APD grow into adults with APD, which according to the Medical Research Council is about 10% of the population.
APD can cause having a poor auditory memory which can cause word recall problems, or finding the correct word when you need it, and the same part of the brain also controls our sequencing abilities so those who have APD also have poor sequencing skill. (I was told when I was diagnosed as having APD at the age of 49, that i have the sequencing skill of the average 4 year old) This can cause problems when writing finding the correct words and getting the letters in the correct order (thank goodness for spellcheckers)
Our eldest has co - morbid APD and dyspraxia, and the dysprxia can make coping with his APD more difficult.

Thanks dolfrog. That sounds highly probable as APD has also been mentioned. I am dylexic, my partners family has a history of dyspraxia, and both have history of glue ear - so glue ear, possible APD and dyspraxia all make sense. Whatever the final conclusion, I hope getting the right support from the age of 2.3 will help. Apparently little children are at their most neuro-plastic before 3, all our efforts seem to be really paying off, so we're feeling pretty positive in many ways. And, still worry a lot at other times (but hey, what's new with parenting!).

cjn27b

The plasticity of the brain is a two way street, and works best when a medical issues has caused the problem, such as, Otitis Media with Effusion. But the results are not always long term.
Most who have APD have the genetic form like me and my family, our eldest had a double whammy genetic APD and Glue Ear. APD is a cause of the dyslexic symptom, so may be you should investigate the underlying cognitive cause of your dyslexia. APD is the cause of our families dyslexic symptom