Improving receptive language

[Saker]

I am sure my ds2's receptive language is behind his expressive language at least in some ways. We are still waiting for a proper SALT assessment but I wondered if anyone knew of any exercises or books that could give me suggestions on how to work on this. I guess it is the harder part of language to work on?

Saker, I'm an salt, also have a dd with lang. difficulties who sounds very similar to yours.
I have just had a quick look at this,haven't much time, but will post properly tonight.
The private salt has treated you appallingly. How bloody unproffesional.
May I just say that I am so impressed at the calibre of advice offered here. You people really know your stuff!!!
Blossomhill, have you ever thought of training as an salt?
I know quite a few people who have gone into it because of personal experiences similar to yours.
Catch you later saker,ok?

Blossomhill - Yes I can see what you mean. When he was assessed at age 2.5 they just came up with "mild delay" but I think at 3.5y his difficulties are a lot more complicated though a lot more obvious. I am trying to get it agreed that he doesn't have to start school this year (he is an August birthday unfortunately) and I think when he gets to school there will have to be more action. However I would really like to use the extra year to the full advantage rather than wait until he is 5.

I saw this yesterday and like HITC, I have found dd's problems the other way round. Her understanding is well above her expressive language.
TBH I was concerned about making any comment after reading about people being ignored!
I didn't think posting my lack of experience worth the while and was waiting for some more knowledgable MNetters to come along!

Thanks Mizmiz - would really appreciate it

Hi Mizmiz

Yeah I probably would be quite good if I say so myself .
Do you mind if I chat to you about something Mizmiz. Going through a really hard time with it all with dd. Still so confused as to what exactly is going on. The professionals don't seem to know and even the school said she has auti traits but would never get an offical dx of asd as she doesn't fit into the box enough. I just get so sometimes and frustrated with it all. I mean she does seem to fit the high level pragmatic language disorder perfectly. I don't think she can have AS as I have read up loads and she was delayed in speech, now it's disordered. There are many reasons why she isn't but I just want to know why she is so quirky. Spoke at great lengths with the SALT who worked with dd through last year who assured me it was nothing but a language disorder and would be normal for her to display auti traits but that didn't make her autistic.
Sorry to pour it all out to you Mizmiz and you don't have to reply I just need to let it out sometimes

Dingle, sure, I know that often if you don't get a response it is because people feel they have nothing useful to say . I think beansontoast has done me a favour because everyone is very anxious to show that people don't get ignored so I have had a brilliant response. I really appreciate it .

Beansontoast, why don't you ask your question again and give us a chance to make it up to you ?

Hi Saker. Your son sounds similar to my ds2 in some ways. He's now 5.5 and has a speech and language impairment. He did also have delays in gross motor skills but they have pretty much caught up now although he still looks a bit "clumsy" for a better word. His fine motor skills are a little delayed but he is catching up here too.

SALT stuff that have helped us in the past include getting a dolls house and doing lots of roleplay "boy is going upstairs", girl is sleeping etc. Also lots of opposites (hot/cold, on/under, wet/dry, big/little). For articulation we used some finger phonics books to help him hear the sounds and then for him to have a go at the sound and the action (e.g for s you move your hand like a snake while making a sssss noise). Other stuff we did inculded increasing the no. of keywords in a instruction (put the teddy on the chair and the train under the table). Don't know if i am making any sense but if you are interested I have some play exercises I can dig out for you.

The Afasic website is good -if you look at their publication list they have nworksheets for stuff like pronouns. I need to get some myself as ds2 still struggles with this.

Good luck with delaying school entry for your son. We tried this but the LEA were very anti this in our area and said he would have to make up the year at a later stage -going from yr 2 to year 4.

Beansontoast -sorry you felt ignored. I did see your earlier post but at the time I was feeling so despondent at my son's lack of SALT at school. He is in yr 1 and under the school service and still hasn't had any SALT (since September). The effect of his problems on his confidence and self-esteem are haeartbreaking. Your post just sounded too upbeat for me to think of anything positive. But if you have anything you want to ask I will try and answer.

Mum38, were then Jolly PHonics books?? We have been using those with dd since last summer on the recommendation of a private SALT.

Saker My son has language problems. He is three and at the moment all we have been given as a diagnosis is "borderline severe langauge delay".
We were refused portage as though he will not hold a pencil he does not have other difficulties with motor skills.
We are doing activites very much along the lines of mum38's. Lots of "Make teddy jump" stuff. I also have many activites and you are welcome to CAT me and I will send you some.

Bh My ds3 sounds similar to your dd. We have been told his problems are langauge based and he does not have asd. However he has many autistic traits without actually beeing on the spectrum. He will for example select a plate to eat off by sniffing it. He sniffs everything, most embarassingly he sniffs chairs when people get up from sitting on them. He handflaps when happy. Has problems with change and routine but too a lesser degree than my autistic ds. He has a very poor attention span for adult directed activity, cannot look at a simple book yet. He is very controlling of his environment much more so than my autistic son has ever been.
Despite all of this he is very sociable and I think this is what keeps him off of the spectrum so to speak.
At the moment I am happy to go along with no particular diagnosis as I don't feel he fits a particular category. What annoys me is that we seen to get referred round in circles as differnt people see different problems.

Ds2's expressive language is much better than his receptive language. At his CDC assessment we were advised to do the kinds of things that others have suggested on here: dolls house role play, tea sets, toy kitchen games etc. This is also to help with ds2's lack of pretend play so I'm not sure how much of the advice given to us would be relevant to your ds.

With ds1 we did a lot of the "make teddy kick", "put dolly on/under the chair", "wash teddy's face" activities. It was when we got to this area of his language development that things started to really take off for him.

hi Dingle. Yes they are the same ones! -they use them in ds2s nursery and infant school too. It really seemed to help ds2 to have an action as well as the sound. He still has lots of articulation problems but I think the phonics books have really helped.

saker - maybe find a different local SALT. We've had a few private ones and the last one was head and shoulders above the rest and really made a big difference!

Jimjams, I will try and find a different SALT depending what happens with the Dyscovery Centre, but I don't want to overdo it by getting too many people involved at once.

Maddiemo - I would be grateful for the exercises, I will CAT you, thanks for that.

Coppertop, those ideas sound good, ds2's imaginative play is a bit limited partly by his motor and planning skills I think so he does need more practice. Also he enjoys that sort of play so it is more likely to appeal to him. tbh I don't think a child can have too much imaginative play (although it's possible a parent can )

Mum38, yes it would be good if you can find any exercises, thanks a lot - shall I CAT you?

hi Saker. Yes, please CAT me and I'll dig out the exercises. I'm thinking of going through them with ds2 again as we are without any SALT at the moment.

Hi mum38 - How's things???

Maddiemo - yes ds certanly does sound like dd. However dd didn't sniff things she just ate (and still does to a degree) things like mud, grass etc!!!

I SNIFF ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!!! DS2 SNIFFS ALL FOOD- AND ONLY EATS WHAT HE LIKES THE SMELL OF.
AS A TODDLER HE COULD BE IN ANOTHER ROOM WHEN I OPENED THE FIRST AID BOX AND HE'D COME RUNNING ASKING FOR A PLASTER!

BOO!

Yikes!!!! This must be the first time this week i''ve been on MN at the same time as u!!!!

sorry Saker I'm being a bit durr (baby brain) I kind of missed/didn't digest the bit about the dyscovery centre. Sounds a good plan. I've heard they're very good- let us know what they're like.

hi BH. I'm ok but worried about ds2. He had his tonsils out a month ago which was supposed to stop the no. of infections he is getting. Last week he got a really bad ear infection and he is antibiotics again. Today he has deveoped a chest infection as well .

We have asked for him to be assessed for possible tranfer to the language unit. Not sure if he has much of a chance. You are probably wishing you hadn't asked now!! Hope everything is well with you and your familyxx

Ah poor little love He really has been through the wars hasn't he.

That sounds good that you are asking for assessment for the langauge unit. Let me know how it goes. Do you have any idea yet what ds's speech and language impairment is more specifically yet?

We're all fine, thanks for asking. Speak soon. If you need any info about language units (I know we've chatted before) please ask

Saker
Generally speaking, receptive land is better than expressive. (Not so surprising really-think of how most of us with minimal lang skills in another language, understand more than we can say.)
However, some groups of people with lang difficulties (some stoke patients some people with SLI and ASD can be the opposite, but then again, it is often difficult to know just how much of what they say is truly spontaneous language-a lot is rote learned)

You have had some spot on suggestions here for improving receptive language, namely:

-Reading and looking at books,story telling
-Focussing on 'teaching' new vocab/concepts every day
-Signing and action songs (orientate a confused child tremensdously well. I love 'Sing and Sign'. -Video and website. www.singandsign.com
-Special needs/SLT catalogues (eg 'Widgit' 'Psychological Corporation') and AFASIC and ICAN websites.
-Derbyshire Language Scheme type activities (eg 'Make teddy sit' 'Give the monkey an apple')
Imaginative play (dead right-there can never be too much of this as long as the toys aren't too sophisticated. They need basic toys to get their imagination and thus their language working harder.)
-Hanen Programme for parents with children with SLI
-Phonics,rhythym and rhyme activities
-Activities that improve fine and gross motor control.

Re private SLT. I cringe at the disservice done to you. Find another. Explain situation and tell her you want ideas/reading suggestions/activities to follow at home. He/she should shower you with stuff.Be clear about what you want from them from the start. Make a list of questions. Take notes. Write your own report. Present these things to him/her.
Find someone on the indpendent register (should be link on Royal College of SLT (RCSLT) website. Find someone in your area who lists SLI as an interest and a field of expertise. Shy away from people who list loads of different things. I am an SLT but SLI is not my main field-even I need a colleague with more specialised knowledge to help me with my dd.
If you need specific help in choosing one let me know and I will CAT you (I can't be CATted at present.)

Blossomhill, I understand your frustration, which we discussed a little before. I admit to feeling exactly the same with my dd, BUT remember these are not diagnoses such as those made for physical illnesses. All these 'conditions' overlap. Think of the Olympic rings logo. It's like that-delay comes with disorder, maybe with ADD,perhaps with mtor issues, some emotional ones. The list goes on. See what I'm saying??? Different people will find different things.
But, as I've said before we can all be guilty of over analysis. We are all quirky!! That's what makes the world interesting!
Remember what I said about us all being on the Autistic spectrum!!?
Where am I , with my obsession about having b/fast cereal ready in the bowls the night before, with the spoons pointing one way? Where is dh, with his papers in perfect piles on his desk? Where is dd with her insistence on sweeping all her soft toys to the ground without fail as soon as I've put them on her chest of drawers?
Where is my mil with her insistence on filling the kettle ready to be used next time?
Do you see what I'm driving at.
There are as yet, no definitive answers/diagnoses. Your dd is doing tremendously well. I don't always post, but believe me I read everything you write about her, and it sounds great.She is tremendously lucky as well to ha ve such an on the ball mother.
Vent away, it's good for you, but rejoice in her individuality, and don't worry so much, ok???
She sounds like a real card!!!!

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

BH, aren't you off to BIBIC this w/e?