Is it worth paying for a private SALT?

[emkana]

ds is 3.7, has severe speech delay - very hard to understand him, lots of sounds missing, also has some catching up to do with regards to expressive language/comprehension

NHS SALT is involved but no actual therapy being offered at the moment.

Should I pay for a private SALT?

IME yes. But obviously make sure they have the right experience/interests before committing yourself. IME private SALT are quite sensitive to the fact that money doesn't grow on trees, so will be happy to do an initial assessment and report and program, with follow up at a frequency you can afford, which may be months later.

hiya, exactly the sam with my son, feel like not getti anywhere fast, seen salt in jan they have sent a programe to ds nursery copied it to me, so for the next 8 weeks they have to help him understand under the table and on top. That is it fter 2 years under salt, he will be 4 next month, salt said not suitablefor speech unit in local schol as they only deal with specific problems with speech, so i am feeling really nervous about him starting school in sep.

I agree. Definitely worth it if you can find someone with the right experience.

Pokhara - I'd look for second opinion on the school thing. My understanding of speech units is that they will take quite a variety of children. You need a proper assessment done probably. Can you contact the unit and ask to speak to them?

shells - i think the salt also said he had too many difficulties were as speech unit kids usually have 1 or 2 issues. but they still gonna throw him into school just with a program no statement, wrecking my head with it all

pokhara i am to having problems regarding specch ds has been dx with verbal/oral dyspraxia and we did try ms with statement but that failed.was told speech unit but they feel ds speech to severe so we now got to have meeting see where ds belongs .Sn

would say apply for statement yourselves

So I contacted this independent SALT, the only one in our area according to that website linked to above, and it turns out she doesn't do home visits...

bit worried now how successful it will be, ds is painfully shy and will probably just sit on my lap hiding his face...

bit disappointed really.

Does anybody know what the usual practice is re location for visits?

yes yes and more yes. Our dd1 had very spotty nhs equivalent of speech therapy and I decided if she could not be heard she would further marginalised so as a family we decided that we would do whatever it took for her to have private speech therapy. Her speech is quite developed and she has made huge progress. We only do it fortnightly - although we have now taken on OT the other fortnight. But it really has made a huge difference.