ITV Program "Lost for Words" on 8 pm. tonight about kids with language problems.

[TotalChaos]

The blurb on the website doesn't look promising....

"Why is it that in some areas of the country over 50 per cent of children arrive at primary school unable to string a sentence together? Angie Mason takes a hard look at how parents? actions are leaving their children lost for words and how lack of early development could affect their entire lives."

Am hoping that the program does something other than blame the parents.

sorry to hijack but Cyber I've been chatting to a lady on this thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs/653507-Autistic-spectrum-what-is-part-of-it-and-what-isntand wondered if you or other regulars might be able to recommend her some intorductory books for parents on strategies?

It's a good idea to ask OP for examples of speech. ASD speech disorders are varied but the core problems are to do with failure to rapidly understand turn taking/perspective in use of language ( which requires a high level of mental functionality) . When/If language develops in an ASD child it may be simple/basic for the age, or may be repetitious or quoted from other contexts. In other cases, there may be little, if any, mental impairment but language is still slow to develop due to lack of social desire to please or to get attention. The OP mentions that her DC has speech so maybe every time he/she says a word or phrase - add more to it.
DS1 (ASD) is going through a cat obsession so I try to get him to talk about colours/sizes cats are/what they like to eat etc. Every time he makes a repetitive comment about a cat, I try to get him to answer a harder question about cats.

Finally watched this! Far too much pontificating, and undercurrents of blame the parents (particularly working mothers). It was very interesting indeed to see the early help that was available at the playgroup, and the clips of the kids, though I felt there was too little footage shown to really come to any conclusion, and I also quite liked the US researcher woman.

One bit that had me absolutely fuming - was the casual way the presenter seemed to imply that the 4 year old boy would go from 1-1 support at nursery to no support at school, and would be left to flounder. Very very irresponsible, and could be unnecessarily terrifying to those with a pre-schooler with language delay. I also thought that the juxtaposition of "normal" 4 year old and then the 4 year old lad was quite heartless.

This could have been a brilliant program if they had avoided sensationalism, buggy woman and blame the parents, and focussed more on when and how to seek outside help and what to do if you suspect a problem.

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I haven't got round to reading all the threads about buggies but both my dcs had the same rear-facing pram (I got my money's worth ), and I ended up with one child who never stopped talking and one who never speaks at all.