Re: Hi - I'm new to this board.. (long)

December 30, 2001

> Tom only has speech therapy intermittently, mainly

> through the school (he has a 1to1 helper, as well as my daughter)

> but no specific or intentsive therapy has happened... is this

> because we are in the UK I wonder?

Probably. I'm in Bromley and have already given up on the NHS. We've been

waiting 7 months for a 3 month review. SO far we've had one NHS assessment,

after being referred just under a year ago. My son is 2 and a half, but

only really has one intelligable word.(bye bye) Quite an elaborate

language of his own now, but only I can understand him (and often I can't).

Someone did tell me that the NHS is useless at dealing with anything

complicated. I've been told that we will probably be referred to the

complex communications disorder unit- waiting list 2 years!! Private speech

therapy is very expensive (about £50 per hour), but we're having a few

sessions. At the moment it's just general language and communication stuff

which we then do with him at home (makes it cheaper as well :-) ) We've

also got an appointment to be seen at the Nuffield speech and hearing centre

as they're the verbal dyspraxia experts apparently. Hubby gets private

health care through work so they're paying for the assessment there

(although they won;t pay for any speech therapy)- but they do see NHS

patients and the waiting list isn't too bad (under 6 months I think).

Apparently their reports are very helpful for getting statements, and they

run a specific dyspraxia speech therapy course. Their number is 020 7915

1300. I'm not sure where you are in the country- there may be somewhere

closer.

Sorry if you've heard any of this before. I'm very new to all of this, but

I've been lucky enough to meet up and talk with some real experts who have

been through it all. Basically the message has been not to expect anything

from the NHS or LEAs without a big fight.

Good luck and pleased you joined.

Chris

PS have you tried just plain cod liver oil? Failing that some people

massage flax oil - it's supposedly absorbed through the skin. Did you use

capsules? Some of them come with gels and things that might upset

allergies- efalex can be bought from Boots as a plain oil.

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