Is lingle around?

[Landladymews2]

Hi I was wondering if she is still around as o wanted to ask her about her DS1 and his receptive language delay. I hope she’s still around!

Yours boys are very lucky to have you!

I’m definitely going to try some early intervention, whether that’s just me using the resources that are available or whether I use a private SLT is something I’m still trying to figure out.

I hope as well as that we also have some of that sheer good luck that you had!

I know late talking it isn’t that unusual and even if words don’t come until quite a bit later I don’t think I will get very anxious about it, but what has really caused anxiety for me so far is what I’ve read about lack of receptive language. I’ve never read anything that suggests that it could be a delay and that if it’s worked on/given time it might actually fall into place. All you read is that it’s something to be really concerned about! Hearing about experiences like yours and essexmum777 where receptive language came on later gives me hope and for that I’m really grateful

The basic training for speech therapists is heavily on speech production.

Consequently, receptive language delay is massively underreported.

Knowledgable salts suspect that it is a reason behind many expressive language delays.

There are more of us than people think.

@lingle That’s why I’m hesitating about engaging a SALT. I feel like from their profiles most of them specialise in older children with expressive language delays, articulations issues etc. I’ve found one locally who’s profile talks about only working with preschool children but she doesn’t have any independent reviews unlike the small local SALT company I have found who have A number of fantastic reviews but I don’t think younger children with receptive delays are their specialism.

Oh, yes it's a problem.

The ones with the skills you need will tend to look through the prism of ASD. It tends to be taught to them as part of ASD training I think (might have changed over the past ten years).

“Knowledgable salts suspect that it is a reason behind many expressive language delays.”

I always thought CELF was the main assessment for language disorder; or ACE if CELF has been done recently, along with other tests as appropriate like Test of Word Finding, RAPT, TROG, etc. CELF has three core sub tests on receptive language, along with three on expressive. So, I cannot see how a good SALT could only find an expressive delay and not the receptive, if there was one?

Certainly DD was in speech and language provision from age 4 to 16, and all the children I knew of with DLD, were assessed with CELF or ACE, especially for entry to the specialist schools.

However, NHS SALTs working for the LA don’t always do comprehensive assessments, because if they don’t find a problem, the parents won’t know to ask for input.

apologies I don't know anything about the standard tests. It's just what the SALTS who hung out here back in the day said.

if you're not talking, there's either a problem with hearing, or language coming in, or language going out (with all the subsets of "going out" which I don't know anything about).

our SALT concentrated on joint attention and signing in the early days - this might have been because DS was a very cross little boy because he couldn't communicate, there's certainly a huge amount to speech therapy and as much as i tried my hardest to work at home with him before finding our speech therapist i really didn't have the knowledge to pitch it at the right level. I can't remember if there was specific things to help his receptive language or if it was all just wrapped in together.

@essexmum777 It sounds like you found a really good SLT? If I’m not mixing you up with someone else I think I read on another thread that you had found someone who specialised in younger children with delays rather than those who focus on intelligibility etc? I’m in west London otherwise I would have asked you for your therapists name. Hope I can also find someone good.
I would have expected (just based on listening to Laura Mize) that they would have focused on the receptive language piece first or maybe they do tackle both receptive and expressive at the same time 🤔

Littlemisschatalot

-that’s another speech therapist with posts in here I think

In the 1st 6 months, DD’s SALT concentrated on

Improving attention
Pushing up her key word level
Teaching her to listen
Using eye contact
Auditory discrimination
Concepts like in, on, under, colours, big/little

Receptive language really!

I had a fab SLT who formally worked with the local hospital paediatric team and then joined a private company in Essex/South West which was when i hired her, but since then she has gone on to work in special schools.

Previous posters on here have mentioned a good centre in west London for speech therapy, trying to remember the name of it now.

Possible it was www.londonchildrenspractice.co.uk/

Thank you!

By the way @essexmum777 as your son didn’t show signs of understanding until quite a bit later did you explore cognitive issues at all? I would think once hearing is ruled out that would be the next thing to explore?

No, the paediatrician was convinced it was classic autism - and he didn't have delays in other areas which would indicate GDD / learning difficulty.

Hey, I'm a SALT (and parent of child with SN).

I just wanted to say that there are many many children with delayed receptive language development who spontaneously, or with support, resolve their difficulties.

Obviously there are plenty of children who continue to struggle, but I just wanted to let you know that.

:)

@essexmum777 Ah ok. I was previously wondering about GDD as my son was a bit on the late side with physical milestones. He started walking at 17 months which I know is late but I believe it’s still within the normal range. That means he’s only showing signs of delay in 1 area which is speech so I think it’s probably unlikely to be GDD.
With learning difficulties he has reasonable problem solving skills according to the ages and stages questionnaire for an 18 month old. He won’t scribble yet as he wants to bang the crayons to make marks and noise rather than scribble nicely but otherwise can do tasks like putting small objects in a bottle, building a tower with Lego etc. It will be interesting to see what the SALT thinks of his cognitive ability when she evaluates him.

@BoboGoTo That’s so reassuring to know thank you. When you look online it feels like it’s not common (apart from perhaps in children with many ASD red flags) and it is something that doesn’t resolve. It’s reassuring to hear that you know of many children who had a delay in this area. Thank you for telling me that!

You're welcome @Landladymews2

I have been in a similar situation, as a parent, noticing things about my very young DC's development that worried me.

I recognise so much of myself in your approach- thinking, problem-solving, researching. I felt so out of control and was trying to seek information as a means of anchoring myself. I wasn't sure whether I was over-reacting about something but felt a sense of dread that my worries were accurate.

Anyway, my DC are older now but something about how you posted about your toddler brought back feelings from those early days. Sending solidarity ❤️

@BoboGoTo That’s really kind of you! You’re absolutely right about my approach, I’m a real problem solver! To be honest my gut feeling is that everything is probably ok and that he will work it out in his own time it’s just the stuff I read online that makes me anxious. My mum and mother in law were really worried that my son wasn’t walking at 14 months as both their kids had all walked by 12ish months. I kept telling them at his development was heading in the right direction, he was just hitting milestones on the later side and walking within 18 months was normal I wasn’t too worried. The speech thing is quite different though because almost everything you read online suggests that it’s doom and gloom if the receptive language isn’t there by 18 months.

Just wanted to update that in the last few days (in time for my son turning 18 months) he has on verbal instructions: clapped, pointed to his nose, brought me his shoes and pointed to his bottle. I have also heard him use the words shoes and milk once or twice. With following instructions he will only do some if in the mood (eg pointing to the nose) but others that he likes (eg bringing shoes to go out) he will do almost every time. But as he’s done them all a few times now I think he must be understanding. So relieved! We still have a way to go but I’m feeling more hopeful now!

Brilliant!

cool.

Is it possible that by working the problem/thinking it through on here/drilling down deeper you have improved the techniques you were using and therefore got responses from him that more accurately reflect his full potential?

i came to see that DS2 seemed to have bouts of progress that mysterously chimed with me having properly identified the then-current biggest problem. This happened so many times that I reckon my own improvements "unblocked" his, IYSWIM.

it's all very interesting and in some ways a very positive experience.

So I hadn’t really realised there was a problem until a few weeks ago. I received the ages and stages questionnaire from the HV service and realised he couldn’t do anything on the communication section. After that I started looking into what I could do. He wasn’t pointing so I started pointing and he picked it up within a day or two and is now constantly pointing at things. I started spending more time playing with him, using single words, repeating them endlessly, focusing on one or two words/things that really interested him etc and I think that’s fine the trick. I had just assumed that if we carried on talking to him as we normally do (without too much simplification and repetition) he would absorb language from us but that was clearly not happening. I don’t know if it was naive of me to think that or if other children do just pick up language without much concerted effort from their parents.

Yes, other children do.,

Weird isn’t it!

Keep doing what you’re doing

I have a feeling that my son really needs to be pushed. It’s been the case with his physical milestones and pointing. He was late with them and only did them when he had an incentive and realised we weren’t going to give in to his tears. He’s great with getting his shoes when asked because he likes going out but because he sees no benefit to pointing to body parts he will only do it if he’s in the mood.