...Speech services needed

[Guest guest]

Hi, ,

Welcome to the group. I tend to be more of a hover member, but solely because I

belong

to a number of various groups and have little time to respond as much as I like

(or I would

be on this computer 24/7 and no good to anyone!).

I agree with the other member who posted about pragmatics (use of language). So

many

educational personnel (and I apologize if I offend anyone in the educational

system that

reads this that believes otherwise, but have found it to be true in my own

personal

experiences)...they, for the most part, feel if a child " talks " , and has no

stuttering, fluency

or articulation issues that they do not " need/services " in the area of

Speech/Language.

The consensus appears to me that there are many children (and I have been told

this by

school staff on numerous occasions) in far greater need for speech services than

my child.

The key you need to focus on with the SLP and your district is the 'language'

portion of

that degree/profeesional opinion. It is so much more than articulation,

fluency, or basic

talking.

It is the issues that become difficulties if not accommodated. For example,

conversational

aspects (turn-taking and engaging another person in communication, or

reciprocity in

conversation), understanding the non-verbal language (head nodding, pointing,

hands in

hips, shrugging of shoulders), flexible thinking and behaviors (imagination and

problem

solving), learning emotions, empathy.

I obtained an excellent resource that most SLPs/school professionals are shocked

that I

own and I use the info in it all the time to gain services. I got this from

some autism

conference workshop (cannot remember even which one) several years ago, but it

is a

small little publication that is chocked full of excellent verbage, easy to

understand and

quite useful to anyone who has a child on the autism spectrum. It is typically

only read by

speech therapists. It is called, " MEETING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISTIC

SPECTRUM DISORDERS " , by Rita Jordan and Glenys , ISBN #1-85346-582-8...$20

approx.

These kids of ours need to learn a few things in order to communicate effecively

(and add

to this that they need these skills in order to live independently and hold a

job, etc. upon

graduating, showing educational need):

*a communicative intent,

*something to communicate about,

*a means for communicating, and

*a reason for communicating.

Our kids have issues with literal understanding of communication, their approach

to

others (social skills), developing friendships, how to handle teasing and

bullying, problem

solving, making choices and decisions, recalling events.

THESE ARE ALL ISSUES FOR A SPEECH-LANGAUGE PATHOLOGIST TO APPROACH, and that

interfere with education and learning.

Ex.: If your child's teacher talks to your child about an assignment or probem,

and your

child walks away, they will be perceived as being rude or uninterested by the

common

layperson and their peers. But if your child's disability affects his reasoning

for why the

teacher or peer is talking to them, or a need for the child to respond, then his

disability

impacts his education with that teacher and conversational skills and freindship

are lost

with that peer. That's not effective communication, and your child needs to

learn.

EX.: If another child says to your child, " You're stupid " ,or, " I don;t like

your shirt " , and your

child punches him in the face, then he needs to learn coping strategies through

communication channels, and social skills. One doesn't go around punching

people that

say things to you that you may not understand, or, like a social skill that in

this

population, is not learned through observation, like a typical child, but

through effective

teaching.

I think you understand what I am trying to say. Don't let one school personnel

staff

member make you, the expert on your child, think your child does not need

services based

in what another person's perception or misinterpretation may be. ALways keep

your

child's needs at the forefront of whatever decsiosn are amde, and always ask the

staff...

" What does a national typical peer in this grade do in this same situation?

And, " Can you

please show me the national statistics that support your response? " YOu will

more than

likely find they cannot be interpreted as " typical " with your child and

therefore, warrant

service or need.

Please feel free to email me anytime with questions, I hate when the school

plays this

particular game. I care what other children are getting, of course, but at MY

child's IEP

meetings, I only care what MY CHILD'S rights are and what HE/SHE needs. Those

results,

in return, eventually help other kids in similar situations.

Akron, OH

>

> Hi Everyone,

> I hope everyone had a nice holiday season. I know I am sad to see it end.

> I have a question for anyone who can help. I have a 5 year son diagnosed

PDD-NOS. He

is very high functioning. He talks and has a large vocabulary, but sometimes has

a hard

time with his communication skills. He does receive speech therapy through

school but I

have a feeling that will stop next year. We are already hearing from the school

" If the

principal walked in here he would wonder why he was getting speech " . I was

wondering if

anyone else has had a similar situation where there child is considered high

functioning

that the school does not want to give services. Does anyone know who sets the

standards

that the services are required. He had a Auditory Processing Test this past fall

and scored

a 75 when the average per the speech therapist is 100-110. I thought speech

therapy

helps with auditory processing, Am I wrong? If anyone can help I would

appreciate any

input anyone has.

> Thanks,

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

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