Mainstream school or Speech and language unit?

[adrianna1]

I have a four year old son who has a severe speech and language delay.... only saying 15 words! ( I know this is not a lot! but I'm happy with his progress ), uses lots of babbling and vocialisations and made- up signs/ gestures to communicate.

All the professionals think he just has a speech delay, he has been tested for everything.. disorders, autism, etc etc. Though finding this quite hard to accept that it most probably is a speech delay.

My son is currently in a nursey, and soon to start a reception place. I was adament that he should go to a mainstream school, wait a year see how he gets on and then next year think about placing him into a speech unit.

Though, I have now had a change of heart and thinking of placing him to a speech unit this year.

But! I have doubts. When speaking to my SENCO and speech therapist that I'm thinking of putting my son into a speech unit. They pause... for quit a long time and then tell me to look into it. Though my speech therapist then admitted that my son would be fine in Mainstream. Has this happend to you too?

Are speech units good? As confused whether why SENCO and speech therapist always diver.

Do all speech units provide intensive speech therapy??

To parents- Was a speech unit no different to mainstream? ( in terms of health)

Also, did you see a massive improvement in your child/children?

I stupidly did not put a speech unit place down.... I have not used up my 5 school places though.

Plus, I have began the statement process but i realy doubt it would get done in time.

thanks.

Yes ahhhcantthink…. my son has good receptive language- very good understanding…though my speech therapist says that he just finds it hard to use all his mouth functions… tongue, lips, teeth to produce words.

My son also is really good at using non verbal communication/ gesture to communicate and to understand these.
I.e. hand on arm means jacket on…, he would animate the opening of a bottle depending on how that object is opened.

He has over 30 made-up signs/ gestures to communicate. He would also use these gestures to communicate socially.. if he sees someone wearing a jacket in the book..he would look at the jacket, point to the picture, look at me and then do his gesture for jacket.

My SALT suggested that I should take up Makaton to teach him, as he has an interest in gestures etc.

I hope these skills would help him develop his language.

I just have a puzzling question.

Understanding comes before speech right?

So why does it take my son 6 months or longer actually say the word even though he has a perfect understanding of that word?

I just find it odd that a child who understands so much is able to only say 15 words...

@zzzz

I too think kids who have ASD should not be excluded from having a place at a speech unit. Though, when reading something I could see why this is so.

I guess it all goes back to the fact that some kids who have ASD don't have the motivation to communication. A teacher told me that this is why some of them have a delay in speech….so the obsessions, not really interacting…

So the tutors have to deal with other things other than speech. Which takes time…

I don't know much about this, so I could be wrong.

@zzz

Well he only says three words perfectly "bowl", "ball" and "there".

the rest "bore" which means book, "chee" ( his able to do the ch sounds) means cheese, "boo" means book, "see" means sit, "chhhhh" (rocket sound), "boo, boo" means shoe shoe

Hi zzz

Yes he can point to things, he has been doing this side he was 14 months old and yes he can follow instruction..though mainly 2- step instructions..he is getting there wight he 3 step instructions.

Hi

Thanks, hopefully he would get a place.

I think mainstream wouldn't be that good for him because he has a severe lack of spoken communication.

I agree that he's completely 'SALU' material - ready to learn but hampered by his expressive language.

Thankyou so much for starting this thread, it has been really interesting, and helped me enormously - I hope it has been as helpful to you!

It is so frustrating that professionals can't be more helpful and transparent about these things.

Hi Hazey Jane

That's ok! I hope you got a lot of information, like I did, to help you through this.

I've also found it v helpful, it's validated our decision to press for the speech unit for DS. Thanks everyone!

What did you think of the unit you looked round today Adrianna?

Hi everyone

I've got a bit of a dilemma.

Oh! the speech unit I went to is fantastic! from what I've seen.

Though... recently a specialist speech therapist who saw my son think he may have autism, his having a reassessment soon.

She also does not think my son has a language disorder as he has a delay in his social interaction.

I know the speech unit will not accept my son if he has a diagnosis of autism..so I'll just have to wait and see.

Hiya, sorry to hear that, it's a stressful time I know. Have you confirmed exactly what the criteria for the unit are? Our local unit "just" needs speech and language to be the primary need. Dont quite know how they determine it but for our DS his verbal dysprqxia is deemed to be his primary diagnosis even though he has an ASD diagnosis as well.

@Sally Bear

I am in the position now as I cannot really focus on S&L units as my son is going to be re-assed for autism..so all the professionals are focused on that and advised me that I should do a statement of needs whether my own gets a diagnosis or not.

Hi

I have a bit of a dilemma.

I have now halted my search of looking for speech units as all the professionals working with my son said I should concentrate about son's asd assessment and see what diagnosis his got.

They even told me that I should apply for a statement after my son's asd assessment..( it's a few weeks away). I have already started with the statement..but I have now stopped.

Sorry, have you stopped requesting a statement?

I've just delayed writing up a statement for him and sending them out.

Hi Sillylass

Thanks for replying.

I think you are right about the social interaction. But I guess it's one of those things that you forget as he looks like a four year old.

I'm not sure about ASD special units. But I really think my son would thrive at my local mainstream school, with a speech unit attached. It is amazing! They work on play skills, attention and listening skills and the kids get intense speech therapy one to one.

I did look at the ASD unit.. but they don't focus much on speech and language, obviously because it's more abut the social side of things..a therapist comes in once a week. But, again I don't know if this is true about all ASD units. Though when I did ask the autism specialist person, who is in charge of the unit..she didn't know much about speech and language. Maybe I should look around more.