, re speech

[Guest guest]

,

I'm not sure where to start, I have a lot to say. Speech is usually the

biggest struggle for our kids. My Farrah will be 5 on Feb 5th. She is

kindergarten ready, per her EI teachers, as far as knowing abc's, 123's,

getting dressed, except for potty training. I haven't pushed that so much

as I also have a 2 1/2 yr old in diapers. ANYWAY, her biggest struggle is

communication! Her EI won't give her one on one ST, just because the kids

are not so cooperative until school age for this. They, instead, use speech

while they are playing. My dtr is getting one on one through my health plan

although I don't think it's that useful other than the ST giving me

homework -- words to work on, sounds, etc. I have mentioned Love and

Learning before and I really think it has helped Farrah. I still have only

purchased kit #1, but she knows all the words on it and LOVES it! There is

a cassette tape, we play it in the car, video tape, and books. They all use

the same words. The tape sounds them out and she copies it to a T. The

books use pics and words and the video has children acting out the word

which Farrah mimics when we are reading the books. I really think you

should look into it. My 2 yr old loves them also. I also over exagerate

mouth movements and sounds when teaching her a new word. Like the letter L,

she will put her tongue out and on the top lip when making the sound. very

cute. I agree with the heartache when children the same age are

doing/saying things that Farrah definately cannot. My 2 yr old son is

passing her up in language and that does make me teary to talk about. But,

I am also very happy that he is so smart. He helps Farrah a lot. He taught

her to jump!

Does Joe go to a group at EI? Like a early preschool group? That is where

Farrah had her ST at his age. In a group setting with other children with

similar issues. At that age the parents would stay and participate. At age

3 we left them at class. They play with toys, talk about them, read

stories, sing songs, do signs and hand movements for the songs. Seems to

help more to be play time and work on speech than work time in the one on

one setting.

Sorry for the rambling. I hope some of this may help you.

Josie -- mom to Farrah MDS almost 5, Wyatt almost 9 and Gage 2 1/2

speech

>

> Hello everyone. I haven't posted in awhile. We moved this summer and

we're

> finally feeling settled. I've been having a really hard time the past few

> weeks with the whole speech issue. I met many of you this summer and told

> you that Joe would be 2 in August and he only had one word (dada). He had

> about 20 signs at that time and his receptive language was great. At that

> time we were considering getting tubes because it was the firm belief that

> while he did not have ear infections, we felt like he had fluid

consistently

> which was effecting his hearing. You all recommended the tubes and he met

> with the ENT in August 04 and got tubes Sept 04. Since then, he had a

> perfect hearing test post surgery and that was a first for Joe (his others

> had been borderline normal aka barely normal). We saw some progress with

> speech since the surgery and he now has about 5 words. (go, down, up,

dad,

> yeah) We are so proud of those words. It's awesome.

>

> His speech therapy sessions are not going well. He gets therapy twice a

> week from two different therapists. We spend most of the time

disciplining

> him to try and stay on task and not run off do to whatever he wants to be

> doing. Most of it I think is that he is two and a boy and wants to be on

> the go. Some of it though, I think, is that he is frustrated. He doesn't

> seem to be able to make the sounds or he just doesn't want to do it. For

a

> time, he could say ball, make a b sound and a p and a t. Now it's pretty

> much uh, oh or s related sounds. It's like he's lost the ability to make

a

> b or p sound. He uses sign language like crazy and is so good at it. He

> knows how to communicate great with signs and picks up new signs so

easily.

> He follows two step commands from us and his receptive language is right

on

> the money.

>

> I've been in tears three times this week because I don't know what else to

> do for him in the area of speech. The therapists are stumped because they

> thought that after the tubes, his speech would have progressed much faster

> than it has. They were considering apraxia for a while, but they all agree

> that they don't think that is the case. When he does make his sounds, it

is

> not a struggle for him. He just doesn't do it very often. Also, they

feel

> like there is nothing wrong with the language processing center of the

brain

> because he does communicate through sign, gestures etc so well.

>

> I guess I'm looking for advice. What else can we do to promote speech in

> his life? Is there anything else to try besides the speech therapy

through

> early intervention. Also, what is the average age that our MDS kids have

> started talking? There may be a poll, but I haven't looked yet.

>

> My friends all have kids the same age and even younger and when I hear

them

> say anything, I almost breakdown crying. Of course I'm so happy for them,

> but it's just really hard when we're struggling so much and it is just so

> easy for them. It's not healthy for me to be on the verge of tears

whenever

> a speech thing comes up, but I just feel like it's never going to happen.

> I know it will and no one can tell me when, but I'd appreciate any help in

> getting there!

>

> Thanks,

>

> Mom to Joe (MDS 28 months)

>

>

>

>

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