Back from first joint clinic appointment

[TotalChaos]

appointment went OK. They think it's probably just a language problem, rather than ASD, but can't rule it out yet because of S's social problems. Within the next 4 - 6 weeks they are going to start sending in a speech therapist into his nursery every week to work with him and show the staff how to help him, so that sounds positive. At the moment they want to leave him in m/s, but may think about him going to a language unit next year, which I'm fine about.

the bad side of it - the nursery SALT observation was really negative, said S doesn't have any pretend play (bollocks), and that he doesn't play with the other kids . Will need to talk to nursery about that - I understood that he tended to watch rather than join in but was still involved.

on the good side - results from the ed psych tests were ok, so she is now out of the picture.

I don't think kids do play with each other at nursery age, they just play alongside. I remember my in-laws getting me all worried when my DD (NF) wasn't playing with other kids at 3/4, and it took another mum with older kids to point out that NO kids play socially at that age. My DD could not be more sociable, articulate and NF now at 7, so I think that SALT, like so many (except Moondog) is talking rubbish!

It's good to hear that you're finally starting to get some answers.

about the nursery report though. Hopefully once the SALT starts regular visits they'll also have a better idea of what's happening there. xxx

Thanks amam and ct. The SALT that did the obs was allocated DS by accident - she doesn't normally deal with the joint clinic cases, so prob not the best to be assessing these things.

Liverpool have apparently recruited 4 new SALT, so that should help clear the backlog for under 5s. Hopefully that means that other children won't have to wait till 3.8 for initial assessment

I am really glad that your appointment has happened at last. Hope that your DS (and you) can get the support that you need. A SALT once a week sounds brilliant.