Severe and specific language impairment

[castlesintheair]

Hi, I'm new to this board (though a lurker) but regular MNer. My DS (5) has recently been diagnosed with this language disorder. Does anyone please have any advice about how we can help him other than the help he gets at school and through the nhs (which is currently nothing)?
We are awaiting one final report before sending off a statement application. He may get some 1:1 within school or they may recommend he goes to a language unit at another school. Which is best? Or he may get nothing.
The SALT's report says she will recommend a programme for his teacher to incorporate into his IEP but the problem is that his teacher doesn't have time to give him the constant attention he needs so how will this work? As far as I can tell he is not going to receive additional speech therapy. Should I be taking him somewhere privately?
Sorry for such an essay but I really would appreciate any advice or thoughts. I feel like I am scratching around in the wilderness and it has been going on for 2 years - ongoing assessments but no actual help. Thanks.

Hi
my ds 3.9 has also recently been diagnosed with a severe and specific language impairment. It has taken 12 months to get to this dx and asd was suspected and hasnt altogether been excluded.
He attends nursery 5 mornings a week and has 1 3/4 hours 1:1 a day. The assessment team recommended he attends a speech and lang unit in sep when he starts school (july birthday, will be one of youngest)but we have decided to send him to mainstream scool where dd attends, we are currently waiting to hear if he will recieve his statement which went before panel 2 weeks ago, ed physch says it is likely that he will recieve a couple of hours support a day. He also recieves speech therapy weekly and this will continue in school.
I am certainly no expert and like you most of the time am scratching in wilderness!!! but I would assume that with your sons dx he should recieve SALT especially if he recieves his statement.
Dont think Ive been much help!!
How is your sons speech now?? Do he have much understanding of what is said to him, this is where we are struggling with our son.

Hi boocha, thanks for replying. It is helpful to know I'm not alone IYKWIM. One of the reasons I'm so reluctant to take my DS out of mainstream (apart from the logistics!) is that his speech has come on enormously since starting school in Sept. He's actually very chatty and outgoing! He was also suspected ASD by the h/v but noone else seems to think he is. My DS's understanding is the problem too and that has a knock-on effect on everything else - jumbled though intelligible sentences etc. I'm also starting to panic (I have neurotic tendencies!) that he will be rejected by his peers. Maybe not at 5 but next year or after?

I think a couple of hours a day help for your DS in school will be great. Really push for it. This is what my DS needs - his main problem being he gets "lost" and can't follow group instructions so he needs intervention from an adult. Unfortunately his nursery senco decided he would be fine without a statement at school so now we are going through the whole process half way through the year and IF he gets a statement it won't be until next academic year

I need to explore speech therapy for him but it looks like it will be private. How regularly does your DS have it?

Sorry, just read he gets speech therapy weekly Does this take place outside of nursery?

Castlesintheair

There is actually nothing to stop you applying for the statement now; would not think you need another report in hand before doing this. The LEA in question ask for reports anyway if they agree to assess.

SALT provision in statements can be patchy and you may well have to fight to get this in Part 2 of the statement.

IPSEA's website (www.ipsea.org.uk) is helpful in this regard and there are model letters you can use.

Would say that ANY provision an LEA give re a statement application must not be vague at all but is quantified properly (this is by law).

castlesintheair
he has speech therapy every week in nursery and before this he attended weekly at the child development centre.
The speech therapist says that she will go into school every week to see him also, even though it is in a different county!!(we live right on border), so dc will attend school in one and we live in neighbouring iykwim. This has only added to complications!
To be honest ds has been recieving SALT since he was 2 and we have only really noticed a big inprovement in his speech when he started nursery in sept.
Like your son we are really hoping that school will bring him on further but we are also very worried about how he will make friends etc.

How are your children now? My daughters in the same position now and I was just wondering what the future holds for her? X