Would you expect specific SALT interventions with a language delayed child? Did your child get any?

[lou031205]

I am looking for a bit of advice/experience about whether DD1's SALT is doing what she should be, really.

DD1 is 'delayed' in her Speech and Language. She was seen once in January, and has been seen again this week.

The SALT came to our house, drew some shapes for DD1 on a blackboard, and read a story with her.

At the end of the session, her comments were:
-DD1 is going to need help at school (we knew this, and have discussed it before. She starts school in Sept 2010)
-Keep language simple (we do, and she has already said that we keep it at an appropriate level)
-The books we have are ideal (picture books with two sentences per page, Apple Tree Farm)
-No specific interventions needed or useful.
-See her again in October.

She did pick up that it was an "interesting way of speaking" when DD1 wanted something to eat, and said she wanted "different" every time I asked what she wanted. She did say that at some point you stop speaking of 'delay'.

I suppose I am worried because DD1 was first identified as having delays over 8 months ago, and has been seen twice. The SALT said that they would only do formal testing in preparation for statement requests, and that she would then need to write a more comprehensive report than her 'usual one'.

I read on here about the SALT interventions, but should DD1 be having anything, or is it ok to just let her get on with it? I worry she will get a wider and wider gap to close.

I suppose it depends what you mean by intervention - I guess that the "interventions" DS had were the 2 SALT groups (one a 3 word level group, the other a narrative group, focusing on answering the wh? questions to structure stories and Hanen). btw the narrative group is usually for children 5+, so wouldn't be relevant for your DD.

Obviously group sessions may not be available in all areas though....

At the very least though I would expect your SALT to be giving you some written advice, if not a programme of work, for you and her pre-school, so that she is being set appropriate targets to help her progress to the next level (e.g. working on pronouns, working on question words etc), and you have advice on how best to communicate (which may include pictures/photos/gestures/sign to accompany speech)

btw formal testing should only be done I think 6 monthly if not less often (I guess in case the kids remember the tests so score better than they ought to!), so I wouldn't see formal testing as being the priority.

Testing isn't my priority, as such, but I don't have a clue how 'behind', etc. DD is, so feel that I don't have anything to work with. I feel that the SALT is not interested in accelerating her progress, but is quite happy for her to just plod along.

bump. Thinking about it today - there's lots we can and end up doing with the language work at home BUT you really need a professional to be spot on with telling you what needs work on and how to do it

That's exactly how I feel, TotalChaos. If I had a 'programme' of goals, strategies, etc., to work on during our every day life, I would be happy.

It isn't just the fact that she doesn't want to do any therapy with DD herself, it is the fact that what she is saying is all extremely obvious. You don't need a SALT qualification to know that a child who says "bowleat" for "something to eat" and "I want different" when asked what they would like to eat, etc., is going to need help at school. And you don't need a SALT qualification to work out that if a child is significantly behind their age in language, then you keep your language simple.

Even if she had said "I've noticed your DD says "samingetti" for "Spaghetti", and "Balmerilla" for "Ballerina" and "shreys" for "Shreddies", but that is a quite normal stage to go through, I would have been reassured. But I had to ask her if it was normal. Unless I point something out, no comment of any significance seems to be made about anything.

Maybe I am being a little demanding, expecting a SALT to be good at communicating

Probably doesn't help having wonderful SALTs like moondog on here, showing up what contact with a SALT could be like.

are you seeing her paed again soon? just wondering if there is a more specialised SALT team your DD could be referred to, my DS was moved from "I don't normally deal with the joint clinic cases SALT" to a rather better, more experienced lady who worked on the Early Intervention Team .with kids with social communication (i.e ASD type) problems and with learning difficulties.

some very useful downloads here if you have time for reading (I'm aware you have 3 young children!).

www.mariposaschool.org/learning-materials

it's done from a behaviourist approach to teaching language, so there's some behaviourist language, but it's got lots of really useful info

I don't know how relevant this will be as my two had a mixture of delayed and disordered language but the SALT was very helpful.

Between appointments I was given materials to use with each ds and suggestions about how to make them into games. The SALT would always explain which particular area was being worked on (nouns, verbs, 2-part instructions, positional language etc).

At the beginning of each appointment she would informally test to see what progress had been made since last time. The more formal testing was done less often but the SALT always discussed her findings. Neither boy has been statemented.

At the very least I would expect an explanation of what your dd's particular difficulties are and some guidance about how to work on those difficulties with her.

Wow, TC (anyone think "Topcat" when they read that?) that is fab! I have bookmarked it.

coppertop, that is more like I had envisaged.

ds first salt was like this saw her every 3 months no home program anything .
Then we got ds curent salt and wow what a differance one quick assement see where was and was like hmm ok we have big problem with speech so lets sort out other ways to communicate was seeing her evry few weks #

but sadly since hes not got dx of sever Apraxia hes back to every few months as hes no longer priorty as his needs to complex and the bosses insist she ses the quick fix kids but she is there n phone and gives us stuff to work on

Coppertop, I am so jealous! This sort of SLT programme is what we are fighting for for DS2 - and not getting anywhere. There's just no target setting or structure - it's all wishy washy stuff about simplifying language, adding one word to his etc - sensible ideas but not measurable or specific enough. In his school it's only the language delayed children who get a structured speech programme - the autistic kids (even the HF ones) can't access it - and I'd kind of thought this this is the ways things are, but your post has made me realise that's not always the case.

Will have to continue to push...

Lou,

yes I think topcat.

And when I call Tclanger "T" I always feel like I've slipped into an episode of The Sopranos!

can i suggest you try portage, salt has done nothing for my ds (3 assessments though), but portage that's something else, i've found it brill and has brought my ds progress on, lang wise, understanding and concerntration.

www.portage.org.uk/

Thank you all. Glad to see I'm not alone with the Top Cat reference, lingle.

jasdox, we were referred for portage, but unfortunately they had a 9 month waiting list, and by the time she reached the top of the list, she attended 5 sessions at preschool, so was only entitled to the portage outreach service, which advises the preschool rather than working directly with DD.