Kindergarten and speech delay

[KirstenB]

Forever Young, as a parent of a young child with ASD, your words don't offend me. A crucial part of the criteria for an autism diagnosis is an impaired ability to communicate. Our daughter (who is considered high functioning) just started pointing to objects 2 mths ago, and she's 2 years old. She'd much rather not have to interact with others as often as your more typical child. (Unfortunately for her, she doesn't get that choice with us! ) I think I understood your intent with your description.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I totally agree with getting an advocate. I am an SLP and love when advocates come to our conferences. I feel like they help us all to put things in perspective and put the child's needs first.

Belle and Beast,

I have been in many IEP meeting but hands down you must be an awesome SLP!!!! It is nothing in particular, and I do not know you, but it is just by your supportive nature that tells me that you are a naturalist. Most importantly how you love advocates tells me you are off the charts. Many can be a pain in the ---. I know mine is!!!! I have seen her go off when things are not going our way. However not in this school . It happened long ago.
She must be doing something right. My son has been in regular ed all of his life. He is in 4th grade now and always has a full time assistant ensuring his extra support. We have a great district but some do not!!

 

[pcparamedics01]

= Deep down I think there is some sort of mild autism, and whatever OCD is as a child

This is just all so new to me - I sit through the IEP's, and am non-confrontational by nature, so I am afraid I am too compliant and not asking enough - is there some place I can learn what my rights are and get more of a clarification....[/QUOTE]

Yes. There is!! It is called parental rights! I get one by law in every IEP. I can wallpaper my house with it! But by law they must give you one each time you attend an IEP. Your child deserves or is entitled to the least restricted environment. That means that have to prove in law that your son cannot be taught in an Reg Ed environment. But they have to prove that! So,now they must give your son support to be successful like an aide for example, to be in the least restricted environment. By law they cannot throw him out there to fail with an IEP. Like I said get an advocate! She will do everything for you. PM me with other issues!.

 

[disneymarie]

Please excuse my ignorance - but I have a few concerns...and thought this might be the best place for help.

My DS (4) is severely speech delayed. I have taken him to numerous pediatricians, and all I can get is a referral for him to attend preschool. I had him in speech therapy for a few months, but we just moved and it was way to costly for us to pick back up right now. My concern is how he is going to survive in kindergarten. He seriously only has a handful of words that others can understand - along with a bit of sign language. As next year approaches I am getting more and more stressed about how this is going to work. Please, any advice or experiences that you could share I would greatly appreciate.

I was in your shoes once, and now going through it again with my grandson. My kids were late talkers. I did not know that. My grandson at 2 years 4 months has one good word, "more" besides Pa Pop, what sounds like dad and mom. gam ma,

One thing you did not mention but I guess the pediatrician MUST have done is refer your son to a ear doctor for a hearing test. Also, did your son have a lot of ear infections? My son did. He had fluid in his ears, and they did not do tubes, as his had ruptured and drained. I think this totally has a lot to do with speach.

If things are not heard prestine, how would you say it; the way you hear it, if you heard it at all...
Put on foam earplugs, how does the world sound now?

My now 24 year old son, with the ear infections, was three and I had him going to a program in the local childrens center. I placed him in a play school setting, with a mom that majored in childhood education and had a daughter herself speech delayed. My son excelled immediatly. At 4 he finally spoke and said a whold sentence. "Mikey, don;t do that. That's not nice" when his older brother picked on him.

From then on I knew he could talk, had a vocabulary, it was now socialization to use it.

My grandson, has a speech therapist come once a week and work on words. Once the words are given, he is picking them right up. This week was please, thankyou, a few others and he is using them. They are clicking, that words meaning and how to use it. The enuciation is still sloppy...old gramma here says it is because he still has the binky in chewing during the day, an ortho one.... and talks through it and that is how words sound to him and he repeats how they sound when HE speaks them.

I am not concerned....with all late talkers, the one between three and four worried as you about kindergarten, he did talk. When he was ready and when he had something to say. Like I said now he is 24....

But, I did work with him and now the grandson with picture cards . a few maybe three a day. HE learned Ball, plane, cat, in that day. But I do not do more then that.
I left the cards with his parents....he just needs to clean up some pronouncing and he is going to be fine.

My friend with the daycare, she did have other issues with her daughter. She had developmental problems of some kind. Great social skills, not autistic, but was always a bit behind the other kids. I have no idea about how school was though, that was 20 years ago.

I would bet, your son, will speak, some day 20 years from now, you will be posting to another Mother of how you had concerns, he was delayed, but did fine once he got going.....
Oh, and turn the TV off if it is on all day. Many studies are now showing more kids delayed speech and relating it to children that the TV is on all day. If the little one is watching Barney and Elmo, he is not talking back to them and interacting like he can with family. Kids need that interaction to say something and be re-enforced with a responce.

Even if it is a red short or blue...to have him respond. Milk or juice, banana or apple....
He will learn the words, and say them back.

I would get a magic drawing board too, inexpensive at Walmart with erasable markers. When he learns a color, a fruit, a word draw a picture of it on the board what he learned that day, use that word that day.

So you are not lableing everything all day giving it a name...but focus on a new word or two a day for the week.
Keep us posted how you are doing. It sounds like he is ready, and it will happen.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I was in your shoes once, and now going through it again with my grandson. My kids were late talkers. I did not know that. My grandson at 2 years 4 months has one good word, "more" besides Pa Pop, what sounds like dad and mom. gam ma,

One thing you did not mention but I guess the pediatrician MUST have done is refer your son to a ear doctor for a hearing test. Also, did your son have a lot of ear infections? My son did. He had fluid in his ears, and they did not do tubes, as his had ruptured and drained. I think this totally has a lot to do with speach.

If things are not heard prestine, how would you say it; the way you hear it, if you heard it at all...
Put on foam earplugs, how does the world sound now?

My now 24 year old son, with the ear infections, was three and I had him going to a program in the local childrens center. I placed him in a play school setting, with a mom that majored in childhood education and had a daughter herself speech delayed. My son excelled immediatly. At 4 he finally spoke and said a whold sentence. "Mikey, don;t do that. That's not nice" when his older brother picked on him.

From then on I knew he could talk, had a vocabulary, it was now socialization to use it.

My grandson, has a speech therapist come once a week and work on words. Once the words are given, he is picking them right up. This week was please, thankyou, a few others and he is using them. They are clicking, that words meaning and how to use it. The enuciation is still sloppy...old gramma here says it is because he still has the binky in chewing during the day, an ortho one.... and talks through it and that is how words sound to him and he repeats how they sound when HE speaks them.

I am not concerned....with all late talkers, the one between three and four worried as you about kindergarten, he did talk. When he was ready and when he had something to say. Like I said now he is 24....

But, I did work with him and now the grandson with picture cards . a few maybe three a day. HE learned Ball, plane, cat, in that day. But I do not do more then that.
I left the cards with his parents....he just needs to clean up some pronouncing and he is going to be fine.

My friend with the daycare, she did have other issues with her daughter. She had developmental problems of some kind. Great social skills, not autistic, but was always a bit behind the other kids. I have no idea about how school was though, that was 20 years ago.

I would bet, your son, will speak, some day 20 years from now, you will be posting to another Mother of how you had concerns, he was delayed, but did fine once he got going.....
Oh, and turn the TV off if it is on all day. Many studies are now showing more kids delayed speech and relating it to children that the TV is on all day. If the little one is watching Barney and Elmo, he is not talking back to them and interacting like he can with family. Kids need that interaction to say something and be re-enforced with a responce.

Even if it is a red short or blue...to have him respond. Milk or juice, banana or apple....
He will learn the words, and say them back.

I would get a magic drawing board too, inexpensive at Walmart with erasable markers. When he learns a color, a fruit, a word draw a picture of it on the board what he learned that day, use that word that day.

So you are not lableing everything all day giving it a name...but focus on a new word or two a day for the week.
Keep us posted how you are doing. It sounds like he is ready, and it will happen.

I totally agree with you. I thought it was because my son had numerous ear infections too. I was in denial for years, but I started early intervention at 18 months. I did not want to hear the word Autism though!! I agree many boys start late. My son hit every milestone flawlessly.When we had him tested at 2they said it was a communication disorder. Severe receptive and expressive delay. I was fine with that.

I totally agree about the TV and not only that but ADD and ADHD. My typical daughter loves Scooby DOO but can at times can take it to excessive! I always watch her and turn it off when I think she has watched it to long. My take is kids watch way to much tv. Get out there and ride your bikes, scooter, swing and play hard. It is good for them!!!!! A lot of kids don't even ride bikes any more!!

 

[Microcell]

20 years ago they put the Deaf kids in with the Developmentally Disabled. That is how school was then!

 

[pcparamedics01]

20 years ago they put the Deaf kids in with the Developmentally Disabled. That is how school was then!

So terrible, but they did not know how to deal with it back then.

 

[belle&beast]

Belle and Beast,

I have been in many IEP meeting but hands down you must be an awesome SLP!!!! It is nothing in particular, and I do not know you, but it is just by your supportive nature that tells me that you are a naturalist. Most importantly how you love advocates tells me you are off the charts. Many can be a pain in the ---. I know mine is!!!! I have seen her go off when things are not going our way. However not in this school . It happened long ago.
She must be doing something right. My son has been in regular ed all of his life. He is in 4th grade now and always has a full time assistant ensuring his extra support. We have a great district but some do not!!

Thanks so much for your kind words. I chose my field and the school system because I love what I do and to help children be successful.

I must say that I work in an incredible school system. We were using inclusion long before many other places were and it is working. Don't get me wrong, some parents can be difficult, but my experience is that I do my job and do it well and they eventually come around. As far as advocates go, I have worked with 3 different advocates and it really makes the IEPs go smoothly. As I said, though, I work in a great corporation and although nobody is perfect, our staff wants parents to be happy with the education their children receive and in my experience, flexibility is key on both sides.

I also must say that being a parent myself has changed the type of therapist I am. I understand what it is like to come home and not have time to practice your sounds because somebody colored on the wall and you have to spend your evening cleaning up the mess. My DD just started kindergarten and I am one of those nervous moms, so I can totally relate to how moms feel trusting someone else to take care of their little ones. And soon my 3yo DS will start preschool and he will need speech services, so I will be on the other side of the IEP. I did everything I could- but he needs some therapy, so that will be a new experience for me. I also did home based therapy with infants and toddlers and learned how differently people run their homes. That was extremely eye opening. I'm rambling, but thank you for your compliment, I take it to heart.

 

[BeckyScott]

Every state has a free parent advocacy group. They're called different things in different states, though. The therapists should be able to tell you the name of the one in your state. Around here, it's not information anyone voluntarily gives you but that's because the school is afraid of them. (as well they should be)

Short of that, I personally believe that everyone should own a copy of the WrightsLaw book.

 

[pcparamedics01]

Thanks so much for your kind words. I chose my field and the school system because I love what I do and to help children be successful.

I must say that I work in an incredible school system. We were using inclusion long before many other places were and it is working. Don't get me wrong, some parents can be difficult, but my experience is that I do my job and do it well and they eventually come around. As far as advocates go, I have worked with 3 different advocates and it really makes the IEPs go smoothly. As I said, though, I work in a great corporation and although nobody is perfect, our staff wants parents to be happy with the education their children receive and in my experience, flexibility is key on both sides.

I also must say that being a parent myself has changed the type of therapist I am. I understand what it is like to come home and not have time to practice your sounds because somebody colored on the wall and you have to spend your evening cleaning up the mess. My DD just started kindergarten and I am one of those nervous moms, so I can totally relate to how moms feel trusting someone else to take care of their little ones. And soon my 3yo DS will start preschool and he will need speech services, so I will be on the other side of the IEP. I did everything I could- but he needs some therapy, so that will be a new experience for me. I also did home based therapy with infants and toddlers and learned how differently people run their homes. That was extremely eye opening. I'm rambling, but thank you for your compliment, I take it to heart.

I can understand your concern for DS, however I sense you maybe taken it too much to heart because you are an SLP. I know some SLP's who have children that required Speech, so it happens. It is not because you needed to clean the walls instead of working on sounds! Keep your chin up! It will all work out in the end.

Yes some Mom's can be a pain and I was one of them before I went into this school district. I think they had a party when I left the other district. I do not care. Along with my advocate I am also an advocate for my son. In the other district they wanted to put him at first in a self contained invironment. If it wasn't for someone that told me that my son does not belong there and call this advocate I do not know where my son would be today. I got an advocate and began to fight and fight. We proved he was successful in Pre K in the least restricted environment with support. And today he is successful in a wonderful district were everone knows my son and he is loved by all! But, I have a lot of battle scars and I have very thick skin, however I always feel the need to help people that do not know the system.
So whatever time I have left with being self employed with an ASD child and a typical four year old. I spend any last moment helping others. I have to.
I was there once!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

To the OP - You mentioned that your son is already in a special ed preschool class. Does your district have a special ed kindergarten program as well for kids who aren't quite ready for the mainstream program? I would assume that they do. I work in a special ed preschool program at a public school. The IEP team for each child makes a recommendation as to where they should be placed when they leave our program. Last year, for example, two of our kids were sent to regular kindergarten. Two were sent to a severly handicapped class (both due to autism) and 3 were sent to a class that focuses on speech and language. These kids had made some good progress in our program but weren't quite ready for the mainstream yet. After two years in their new program (it's a K/1 class), the teacher will evaluate them for their next placement.

You might ask your teacher what options the district offers when your son is ready for kindergarten. Good luck! Hope it all works out for you!

 

[belle&beast]

I can understand your concern for DS, however I sense you maybe taken it too much to heart because you are an SLP. I know some SLP's who have children that required Speech, so it happens. It is not because you needed to clean the walls instead of working on sounds! Keep your chin up! It will all work out in the end.

I'm pretty sure his speech errors are due to bad advice from our former pediatrician. She was not aggressive about his ear infections- didn't want him to overuse antibiotics. I understand that rationalization to a point, but I had a sick toddler for over a year and a half and his speech and language was affected since he was not hearing properly! She kept telling me that I was being overprotactive because "I knew too much" and her would be fine. Finally I took matters into my own hands, switched pediatricians and went to an ENT and the ear infections have been much better.

I truly have tried everything to help him, but I am Mommy not Teacher and I know he will work better for someone else. He is really hard to understand and he is starting to get frustrated when he is not understood and that breaks my heart.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I'm pretty sure his speech errors are due to bad advice from our former pediatrician. She was not aggressive about his ear infections- didn't want him to overuse antibiotics. I understand that rationalization to a point, but I had a sick toddler for over a year and a half and his speech and language was affected since he was not hearing properly! She kept telling me that I was being overprotactive because "I knew too much" and her would be fine. Finally I took matters into my own hands, switched pediatricians and went to an ENT and the ear infections have been much better.

I truly have tried everything to help him, but I am Mommy not Teacher and I know he will work better for someone else. He is really hard to understand and he is starting to get frustrated when he is not understood and that breaks my heart.

My son had numerous ear infections too! If he cannot hear with all of that fluid in his ears it is tough to communicate! Stick with the ENT.
I did!! So do not get yourself worked up! It is so hard to do a job that you know so well on your own child. As I told you I knew some SLP's in your same situation. They said, I cannot do this! I am a Mom. I need to get outside help! I said then do it!! She said, but I am an a SLP, I said, so what? She said I am too close to him to help him. I again said so get him help and stop beating yourself up!!!! She did! He is fine now and excelling in the 2nd grade!

 

[Earstou]

My ds attended an EIP (early intervention preschool) class starting at age 3. He recieved speech therapy at his school until he finished third grade. There were times when we couldn't see much progress, but he was progressing. So it can take quite awhile for speech to improve.

We did ask what we could do at home to help speed him along. We would be given the words he was working on weekly to practice at home, plus papers and exercises to do at various times. It sounds like a lot, but it wasn't. When he could read, I made up flash cards with the words.
He is in 9th grade now, and no one can tell he had speech problems earlier.

 

[tryinbeatscryin]

Just a word of encouragement to you in your search to find some answers. While early intervention is REALLY important, and diagnosis is key to that, with young children you see such a big range of abilities that it's hard to pinpoint what's a major problem and what they will get to eventually. At times there can be so many potential problems and diagnoses you get scared.

There is a good article you can find by googling called "maybe it's not autism" by Dr Adam Cox which is a good example of what i mean. I have found a lot of information on his site that relates to a boy with adhd, delayed speech, and who had emotional trouble at school but not home. And in the end he's a wonderful happy boy.

So my best advice is to keep tryin' and you will get the answers you need.

 

[kcatplay]

as a parent of two autistic children (both who had dyspraxia in there younger years)my best advice for you is to have your child tested at a childrens hospital and tell them that you want a evaluation done on your child because you suspect that they have dyspraxia,autism or any one of a dozen different disorders.they can do testing and tell you what it is and what the right treatment would be.If your child does have dyspraxia they will have to do speech therapy differently with them then if they would if they just had speech delay.thats why its important to get a diagnosis so you can get them the right help.

 

[jodifla]

Okokok I get the point, I should have been clearer (and will edit my previous post to clarify)

I can differentiate between a whole host of speech and language disorders- no, i can't diagnose ASD, never said I could. But the OP stated that her son wasn't talking- I was trying to give her a differentiation between a neuromotor SPEECH disorder (apraxia was my example) and Autism which has a LANGUAGE componenet.

I never said that EVERY child with ASD has no desire to communicate- but her son doesn't talk... does he not talk because he doesn't want to or because he can't make the words come out... there is a difference.

Yes, I still need another year- no doubt about that. But at least I wouldn't test a three year old and say "nope, don't know whats going on" without consulting colleages and making sure that someone DOES figure out what's going on.

Actually, most experts in the field do agree with you. The desire to communicate is an autism indicator.

But now that school districts and a whole cottage industry of psychologists have distorted the criteria, lots of kids get autism diagnoses -- or "ASD" labels -- that really have speech/language disorders.

I'm on a message board where many, many parents are fighting ASD labels for their kids, because that's not the issue, and the intervention is inappropriate. Several have simply homeschooled their kids to avoid fighting with school districts. And low and behold, their kids "autism" went away when their language came in.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I have a speech and language impaired Kindergartener right now. He receives speech therapy through the school two times a week for 20min each. So I do think that 30 min for an entire week is too little. As other posters have said, there is a place on the IEP to state that you don't agree with IEP and either want to dispute it or you don't agree but will go along with the IEP. That is where you need to state that you believe he needs more time in speech therapy and state all of your conserns. I'll be willing to bet that your school district has the tools to access your son's disabilities. Being delayed development or something more severe.
Also, I have found that "homework" is the best form of speech therapy. My son has covered more ground with me working with him than he has with school therapy. It isn't hard at all. You just have to keep repeating words with the sounds that he needs to work on and have him repeat them to you. Also, find pictures of objects that he needs to work on and have him say the word to you ( like flash cards)
My son also went through a special education preschool and I too was worried about Kindergarten, but it turns out that 7 other kids in his class are also speech and language impaired so he's not a lone. I'll bet that your son won't be the only kid in his class either that requires speech therapy. I think it's fairly common at that age. The only consern right now that his teacher has is whether or not he will catch on to reading because he can't pronounce the words that they are working on, but so far he's doing okay. He has the desire to learn how to read, so the fact that he isn't pronouncing the words correctly isn't discouraging him.