Do-it-yourself speech therapy?

[binkie]

Just had another wee "shall we have a word" note in ds's link book. This time I'm pretty sure it's going to be about his peculiar speech.

I'm wondering if any of you have any suggestions for books or programmes that I might be able to use at home? We had a bit of (private) SALT a year ago but his problems are so much more subtle than the other children at the centre I don't feel I ought to take up their time.

Things I'd like to address are: weird vowel pronounciations ("oi" instead of "eye"); getting "stuck" on words (speaks in laboured slow motion, like a record played at wrong speed, though the intonations seem OK); a kind of word-connective stammer "we played - we played - we played - we played - with - with - with the lego"; serious inability to report messages, or to answer questions in any way intelligible to strangers - I have to translate for him constantly.

Can anyone help? He's 5 1/2. By the way, I think his receptive language is very good, he is just really struggling with expressive (and speech sounds).

binkie I can't offer any advice on speech sounds, but my ds3 does get stuck on words. We have been told by SALT it is because he has word finding difficulties. I have a info sheet with activities on it. I could send you a copy if you think this maybe your ds problem. If you would like a copy contact me via CAT.

binkie, I have a dd of nearly 3 who has DS. We have recently started paying privately for SALT because of the appalling services offered on the NHS. However there is such a vast range of difficulties/conditions to cover and we have chosen a therapist who specialises in DS, so my little knowledge is also very limited.
However "subtle" you feel your sons issues are, I feel you should really pursue SALT,whether or not private or you wait on the NHS! At least this will give you a starting point on how you can be addressing his speech problems.
In the mean time there are a few places that may be able to help you. (sorry no good with links)
www.ican.org.uk
www.talkingpoint.org.uk
search on "afasic" I know some organisations produce booklets showing activities to encourage various sound, but there are a few to search through!!
WE are using the Jolly Phonics books with dd, bearing in mind she was hardly saying anything, within a month or so she can recognise over 10 pictures and produce the action sign and the appropriate sound. Why not ask his teachers for advice, perhaps they could point you in the right direction as to what phonic system they use in the school and even try to concentrate on 1 or 2 sounds at a time. I don't really know but couldn't the stammering have a lot to do with lack of confidence ? If you could help to resolve one issue the others might be easier for him to tackle too.
Sorry I can't be of any more use, but hopefully something out of my rambling on will be of some use.
Good luck.

Thank you maddiemo and dingle - dingle I am coming round to agreeing with you about pursuing it professionally - I had a look on some of the sites you mentioned and it was clear that if his problems include some kind of stammering thing if it isn't addressed the right way it risks getting ingrained. I had a brief word with his teacher and she thinks another assessment would be the right start too.

I found some language games on quia.com (here ) - he absolutely loved them, but found the comprehension element (odd-one-outs, etc.) very easy, including being able to explain his reasoning - clearly that isn't his problem. I haven't come across another child like this ever. He is such a puzzle.

Binkie - Thanks for the link to that site. I think dd could benefit from some of the things on there! BH

binkie what is your sons diagnosis?

My daughter pronounces thins a bit strangely but this is to do with her hypotonia, just wondered if this could be of relevance

Fio2, the only label that's ever been used (by the SALT a year ago in the summer) is "subtle verbal dyspraxia". I've had enough concerns about him to check for other diagnoses (eg Asperger's) and have had very confident responses that no, he doesn't have that. (And I think I agree, having read here about the behavioural difficulties AS comes with - ds is unusually adaptable, patient and compliant, quite the opposite of typical AS.)

Interesting what you say. His muscle tone isn't great - typically last in class to learn to hold pencil, hop or pedal - and I've noticed he holds my hand in an oddly loose grip - but again nothing's very extreme, and it's characteristic of him always to get the hang of things in the end. Maybe some proper SALT-led articulation exercises would be a start.