DS4(3.9) had his language review yesterday.
The SALT was very good and has said that we couldn't really call his language problems delay as he has an uneven profile. His expressive langauge is ok, very chatty but not conversational. His receptive language is almost at a three word level but he has gaps at the two word level.
She said he is very good at masking his problems and relies on routine instructions and memory and generally being perky to get by. She believes he has processing difficulties.
He has lots of autistic traits but I do not believe he is on the spectrum.
I don't really know where to go next. We have been on the waiting list for 1/1 at nursery for a year and I have asked for this to be chased up but suspect he will not get it as there will be so many children with greater need.
We were offered a language disorder school placement for a term but I turned it down as the other children in his class had more severe needs and I did not feel it was the right place for him.
Everyone involved agreed he was borderline for the class.
My cdc feel that they need an overview of his needs prior to school but the only way to do this is through the language disorder class.
I feel at a bit of a loss, am finding it quite hard going at the moment. The SALT did not actually say disorder as I interrupted her and said "He's quite complicated". I just feel that disorder seems so final compared to delay and am not sure that I feel ready to deal with it.
I have been along this path with autistic ds3 who has pretty high support needs, if anything I am more concerned. Ds3 had to be statmented, my LEA could not have ignored his level of need however ds4 problems are so much more subtle that in many ways he could be left to it.
Feeling