Any Tips Before SALT Assesment?

[sockonmyhead]

DS2 is 21 months old and is having his SALT assesment next week as he isn't really speaking yet. He has had glue ear and there are a few other issues, he is also waiting on assesment for a posible communication disorder.

I just wondered if those of you who have gone through this process have any tips before the assesment. I don't want to come away thinking of things I should of asked or told them...so tell me please, what important things should I ask and what should I expect them to ask me?

Thank you!

Make some notes about your concerns about your DS' speech and language or rather lack of.
They should be asking you some questions along the lines of as he isn't talking yet , how does he communicates with you?? how does he plays at home? how does he request things ? what's his understanding of verbal instructions in familiar settings? ...

If you suspect his problems goes futher than a speech delay don't let them fobb you off with let's wait and see or he might catch up.

Good luck.

as well as what genie has said, they will probably ask questions about his early development/physical milestones, eating (any difficulties with texture, fussy about food, is he Ok drinking from cup and straw), pronunication in terms of sounds he makes and maybe even your birth and pg with him! also they will I imagine be interested in his play, whether he does actions to nursery rhymes etc.

if you google the CHAT test (that's a screening test done at 18 months to see if kids are at high risk of a communication disorder), you will see the sort of things that will be relevant for his age group - eg pointing out things of interest/following a point. Also mention if you have any concerns about his ability to imitate you.

but basically - don't worry too much about what you say- just give as full and honest an answer as you can to what you are asked,

and always worth asking them if they run Hanen or other courses for parents (classes to help you help your child communicate).

I took a list of the things my son said and (for us it was almost all single words) other ways he communicates. SALt said that was useful as it gave her a starting point for comparison. Also he didn't say anything understandable at the assessment so I think it was useful to show what he was capable of. We also find it helped clarify our thinking before the appointment. For example how he loses words and has a favourite made-up word that he uses when he hasn't got the real word.

I am the sort of person who likes to know everything and write things down . So it helped me and SALT didn't mind or think I was some crazy over protective mum

Hope that helps

keep an eye out over the next few days to see whether or not he has figured out that he can show you what he wants by pointing. Let them know whether or not he seems to be able to do this (for some reason it's apparently not always a good idea to try to teach them to point - I don't know why but thought I'd mention it!)

If you have any suspicion at all that he doesn't understand things people say out of context, let the SALT know. For instance, he may always respond when you say "get your shoes" at 3pm by the back door because he knows that means you're going to pick up big brother from school. But if you stood by the back door at 3pm and said "get your teddy", would he realise you'd said something different? would he get teddy, look at your surprised, or just get his shoes as usual? See if you can figure out a scenario like this where you change the usual routine a bit just by changing what you say, and see how tuned in he is to the language as opposed to the overall context. Let them know how he responds to this kind of thing.....

good luck

thank you for your thoughts, I will write some notes and hopefully won't get too flustered at the assesment!