Interest in diagnosis

[YogiYahooey]

Having just lurked through this board for half an hour I thought I would ask the general opinion of you people. There seems to be a lot of experience and caring going on here. Before I start I agree with the person who said that diagnosis could be different in another area of the country.
Anyway, My 3rd child (DS) is now four and has a vocab of about (less than) 250 words. At the moment though he has started babbling and making more expressive effort.
He has been under the watchful eyes of the drs, spch thpst and school pyschologist - he has everyone there for him.
He has been diagnosed with severe spch and language delay. Although he is receptive that too is about 6 mths delayed.
Everyone and anyone has watch my ds play (pick his nose, scratch his butt!!)and are happy with that...but I am still v. worried, especially as he is going to school in Sept. and I have now been told he may not even get a statement.
My question is what other disorders/syndromes are there with expressive language delay????
And what is ASD and HFA??

Hi Yogi and welcome to MN - I am afraid I do not know alot about DS, but plenty of other MNers do and will be along shortly.

ASD stands for Autistic Spectrum Disorder and HFA stands for High Functioning Autism.

Thanks Chocol8, I am signing off now as I have to write up notes for meeting with Reception Teacher to be and also to send off for my request for assessment for SEN.

Hi Yogi. I don't really know much about general language delays/disorders but I remember the worry about the transition to school. My ds1 (4yrs) started in Reception in September 2004. He has HFA.

ASD is autistic spectrum disorder, HFA is high functioning autism. I sympathise with you a lot about school. My ds2 has motor delays and language problems and should start school in September. He is only 4 in August! We have arranged to get him kept back a year but I am hoping to get him a place in an infant assessment unit locally for a couple of years rather than send him straight to mainstream. Do you have any options available like that?

Thanks, he will have a transitional person with him when he starts school, she will come in the last weeks of nursery and then settle him in to school.
There is a school which has dedicated unit for speech problems and may consider sending him there if he does not improve - tbh (being a selfish person) he would be better off at the school of his siblings because he would get more of a one to one and the school funds a permanent speech therapist.
I have been given every indication that his speech should develop but later than everyone else but just worry.

That's great if the school funds a permanent speech therapist. I'm sure you would worry but if his receptive language is good then hopefully the speech will follow. Good luck!