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SN children

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Original poster

DS2 :(

45 replies

Jimjams · 18/01/2004 16:57

DS1's SALT did a quick assessment on ds2 yesterday (it was his birthday he's now 2). Anyway she said he may be basing his speech sound system on ds1, but he does need to be referred into the system and he may well have verbal dyspraxia.

I really didn't think I'd mind. There is no sign of a language disorder- just a speech problem, but I actually mind quite a lot I have discovered. Not feeling sorry for myself, and I know I'll be fine next week- but it seems so bloody unfair that we get 2 with problems and other's get none. Hoping that people in SN will understand what I mean- and i know some are in the same position.

I said to the SALT "oh well it's only a speech problem" and she just looked at me and said "don;t yout think you have enough on your plate". She also pointed out that it's going to lead to frustration.

Anyway he starts nursery next week so we\re hoping he will realise that other children talk. FIngers crossed for us please

OP posts:

katierocket · 19/01/2004 10:00

sorry to hear that jimjams, hope nursery helps. I don't blame you for saying it's not fair. Frustrated to say that I can't add anything helpful but have everything crossed for you.

Blu · 19/01/2004 11:27

No, it isn't bloody fair, and I'm very, very sorry to hear that you have to brace yourself and take on anything extra. But I know DD's speech has been naggling at the back of your mind so hopefully the energy and effort you put into worrying can now be diverted to his speech excercises. Glad to hear he's responsive, that must be gratifying. Also gald to hear that the SALT sounds helpful over it - and sympathetic.
Hugs, XXX
Blu

Kittypickle · 19/01/2004 11:43

Really sorry to hear this Jimjams, I think I would mind very much too. I'll keep my fingers crossed that things improve when he starts nursery next week.

SoupDragon · 19/01/2004 11:52

DS2s language literally exploded when he started nursery, aged 2. Before then, he barely said anything recognisable.

Hopefully, this will be the case for your dS2 as well. Fingers crossed for you!

ThomCat · 19/01/2004 13:22

I posted a long response to this but it's no here.

Basically just wanted to say sorry and no it's not bloody fair. I'm sure it'll all be fine but even so - rubbish that you have even more on your plate.
Hope nursery and other kids is the answer - let us know how he gets on.

dinosaur · 19/01/2004 13:29

jimjams, I don't know how encouraging you will find this, but my DS1 (who has ASD) had about five words on his 2nd birthday, but by the time he was two and a half and finally had his speech therapy assessment, he had loads of speech.

(We were also assured at that assessment that he was definitely not autistic...but that's another story.)

Original poster

Jimjams · 19/01/2004 14:50

Thanks everyone. Feeling much better today. he hasn't stopped yattering all weekend and he uses full sentences all the time.

Eg "I want that up there". "Give me that". "I want this". Together with PECS and gestures he's pretty easy to understand. Just not his speech which is incredibly unclear. Hopefull he's just tuned his speech sound system to ds1 and will start to expand it.

OP posts:

BekkiKay · 19/01/2004 14:55

Thats good news Jimjams. Going to nursery should make a difference. I hope he enjoys it.

jmg · 19/01/2004 15:00

Jimjams I have only just seen this. As you may remember my DS was diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia late last year. Now the SALT is saying the improvement has been so marked that she's not sure about her original diax. However, in the meantime proactive parent that I am... I got some books to read on the subject of late talking.

One of them I am reading now is called late talking children by Thomas Sowell. It says that research has shown (Canadian mainly) that provided that it is just the speech itself that is a problem and that comprehension is normal then the prognosis is very good.

In fact the book is written about a group of latetalking children who have lots of things that connect them, they are late to toilet train, close relatives are in highly ananlytical jobs and/or are very musical etc etc. These children apparently fit an abnormal pattern in that they are late speech developers but go on to have extremely high non-verbal IQs - the speech problems usually resolving themselves in their own good time.

The book struck a cord with me - DS is very hit and miss with toilet training a long time after we started. My DH and I are both accountants (second on the list of connected professions only to engineers) myslef, both my sisters and my father are very musical so he seems to fit the profile.

I don't want to get false hopes up - but it does appear that for most children provided their comprehension is good then the prognosis is very good.

I, like you, was upset - but you have to get on and do the best you can as you have clearly done for DS1. The early SALT intervention definately seems to have had good results.

Good luck - if you want me to send the book once I am finished with it let me know!

Original poster

Jimjams · 19/01/2004 15:21

Thanks jmg- I have both his books I'll read them again (initially- well still really- some of it applies to ds1).

Good to know that the "verbal dyspraxia" sudden;y sorted itself out so quickly. I don't doubt that he wil learn to talk understandably- I just wasn't looking forward to the long haul that is verbal dyspraxia iyswim

OP posts:

jmg · 19/01/2004 15:29

I know exactly what you mean - for me the uncertainty of the outcome was difficult to cope with hence the search for some anwsers!!

fio2 · 20/01/2004 09:08

jimjams sorry I am late replying and hopefully you are feeling a bit better now. As you know, and I wont bore you again, I had similar concerns with my ds at his 2nd birthday but now 3 months on his speech has really improved. Very much clearer and more meaningful and understandable(hope that makes sense!) His behaviour is becoming a bit of a concern but I think it his just his personality - he is very headstrong.

I think it is inevitable that we have concerns and worries about our NT children not being NT because it is hard enough to cope with one SN child let alone another. I take my hat off to the ladies on here who are coping with more than 1 SN child and doing a good job of it too. I have been worrying about my dd's diagnosis again and what that will mean for us as a family - maybe no more kids, maybe ds will be a carrier (or even have a mild form!- dont know how likely this is!)

Life isnt fair but at least your ds2's problems are minor in comparison to your ds1's communication problems. He will get there and he sounds like he is doing well. I also think it is harder for the 2nd born of a first born with communication problems because who do they copy? Another good thing though our dd has started copying ds since he has been talking a bit better - which was really worth waiting for. Dont worry your ds2 will get there and if you are like me you wont beleive how quickly because they seem to do it SO quick when you are used to development of delayed children and how long it takes to do one small thing iykwim

Furball · 20/01/2004 10:12

Jimjams - What else can I say that hasn't been said here already? Huge HUGS to you and your family.

tigermoth · 20/01/2004 20:28

jimjams, do you remember that my youngest son has problems in the eyes of some of his nursery workers when he first started nursery? He really blossomed and so far is OK at school. He could talk at 2.5 years, but didn't start really till he was past two years and his speece was to my ear very unclear compared to his brother. Whe he started nursery at 3 years he was a chatterbox but not always that understandable to strangers. Now 4 and a bit years, his speech is very clear.

Enid · 20/01/2004 20:31

Thinking of you jimjams and ds2, hope things go well for you both at nursery x E

Original poster

Jimjams · 22/01/2004 13:45

well ds2 has now had 2 mornings at nursery. The manager said she's never seen a child settle so quickly He's very familiar with it as ds1 has been there since ds2 was 4 months old, and he has often been looked after in there when we've been having meetings about ds1.

She also said that she isn't worried at all about his language and that he's "all there" (as she put it). But she agrees with me that his speech is cause for concern. She has referred him to SALT (with quite a bit of huffing and puffing from them as apparently its "too early"- bollards- he won't be seen for months anyway). IN the meantime we're going to wait and see how he gets on and see whether the penny drops when he sees other NT kids speaking normally (he may just not realise that young children speak the same language iyswim).

Anyway I'm much happier as we have been doing quite a bit of therapy games with him this week, and it is a doddle. Even if he does have verbal dyspraxia he's going to be quite easy to help. (Unlike someone I could mention).

OP posts:

hmb · 22/01/2004 13:50

Great news for you and ds2 jimjams. It sounds as if he is in the right place. Ds Loves his nursery and has improved so much since he started there. And it will also give you a well earned and much needed breathing space.

coppertop · 22/01/2004 17:49

I'm glad to hear ds2 has settled in so well, Jimjams.

I don't understand why 2yrs is too early for a SALT referral. Like you say, you'll be on a waiting list for months anyway!

fio2 · 22/01/2004 17:52

lovely news jimjams, can you get your ds2 to give my ds some tips on how to go to nursery without screaming no, no, no, dont want!!! when we are within 100 metres of the place?

Eulalia · 22/01/2004 21:21

Happy Belated Birthday to ds2 jimjams. Great to hear he settled so well at nursery. I hope he gets on fine with the SALT

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