Guest guest Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 My son is 4 years and 5 months, and he is still way behind on his speech. He does unserstand us, and does some minimal words, and tries to repeat us at times, but most times it is not even close. He does have some hearing loss, and has worn hearing aids for 2 years now. He has seen a speech therapist since he was a few months old. And currently works on speech at Pre-K. His teachers say he will be ready for kindergarten after he turns 5 (a year and a half away). I am concerned that he won't though because of this. My question is this. Is this typical for him to be this far behind on speech? I am wondering if over summer we should seek some extra help. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 This sounds very much like at that age...I would say in retrospect, his speech didn't really start to " flourish " until he was about 5 years old...and he required speech therapy thru 2nd grade. He probably could have used more, but at that point, the school decided he was " done " . ~ANGEL~ Mom to 13, Mosaic Down Syndrome/Hirschsprung's Disease Lance 17, Tyler 14, 11 Jaeda 9 and Shayne 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Randy, You don't mention whether or not your boy is getting any SEE-SIGN (Signing Exact English, the sign language approach used to teach language to deaf children and others), but my experience was that it made life much easier for our daughter. Understanding you (receptive language) comes before the talking (expressive language), and the signing seems only to enhance the process, and avoid non-communication frustrations. Kids with DS/MDS are naturals at sign because they are generally quite visual learners. Using signs does not imply that your son won't speak! Signing was begun when Christi was an infant. She had a vocabulary of over a hundred words by three, and could use most of them in sign before she could say them. We still use signs today in teaching concepts. It was great for learning a third language; her assistant could sign the word in English simultaneously with getting the vocabulary in Spanish from the classroom teacher. I am no expert, but I am sure there is a lot of research out there on the beneficial use of signs. If he isn't now getting SEE-Sign, I think you might want to make sure you get a new speech/language therapist who can and will initiate it. Because of his hearing loss diagnosis, he won't have any trouble qualifying for this service. Judie, mom to Christi, 27 and others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Randy, Right now, I would think that it would be too soon to really know where he will be at a year and a half. But, I will say that he may really surprise you with the explosion in speech in this next year. I think that a lot of kids between 4 and 5 blossom with speech. It would be really a great idea for you to find speech therapy for him during the summer if the school isn't offering it. (check into the options because schools have to offer summer school if the child would lose significant learning by being off those summer months) But, extra speech always helps! Also, check into Dr. Mac's web site. Dr. Mac's approach is the same method I used to help Tim communicate and he bloomed very, very quickly with this technique! www.jamesdmacdonald.org/ Also, when the time comes to think about Kindergarten, think about all the pros and cons of sending him or holding him back. If it is only speech that is the issue, then you have pros and cons to going. (pros: he may catch up because he is talking with his peers. cognitively he is doing fine in all other areas, etc... cons: what if one more year in pre-k helps him catch up? what if he does go in K and is communication delays hinder his learning) so...there is a lot to think about, but...luckily, you have a while to work with him and think about all the options! Good Luck! Kristy wrote: My son is 4 years and 5 months, and he is still way behind on his speech. He does unserstand us, and does some minimal words, and tries to repeat us at times, but most times it is not even close. He does have some hearing loss, and has worn hearing aids for 2 years now. He has seen a speech therapist since he was a few months old. And currently works on speech at Pre-K. His teachers say he will be ready for kindergarten after he turns 5 (a year and a half away). I am concerned that he won't though because of this. My question is this. Is this typical for him to be this far behind on speech? I am wondering if over summer we should seek some extra help. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Randy Become a member of IMDSA today at http://www.imdsa.com ******************************************************* Contact IMDSA Today at: IMDSA~PO Box 1052~lin,TX~77856~USA~1-~1-888-MDS-LINK ********************************************************************* Share your story today! http://www.mosaicdownsyndrome.com ********************************************************* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Oh yeah, speech is the only symptom of both DS and MDS that does not vary in delay rate. My son is 5 yrs 3 months and has been in speech only for a few months now. I can say, using as an example, that he made HUGE strides, all by himself, in his speech over the last ten months or so. He became very conscious of his speech and frustrated that we didn't understand him. So in his own way, without pathology assistance, began correcting himself. Of course, now that he has speech twice a week, it has helped even more. Bottom line, just be patient. He will work it out. I have a friend with a 12 year old son with severe DS who is just now speaking at a second grade level after 10 years of speech therapy. Jennie > > My son is 4 years and 5 months, and he is still way behind on his > speech. He does unserstand us, and does some minimal words, and tries > to repeat us at times, but most times it is not even close. > > He does have some hearing loss, and has worn hearing aids for 2 years > now. He has seen a speech therapist since he was a few months old. > And currently works on speech at Pre-K. His teachers say he will be > ready for kindergarten after he turns 5 (a year and a half away). I > am concerned that he won't though because of this. > > My question is this. Is this typical for him to be this far behind on > speech? I am wondering if over summer we should seek some extra help. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Randy > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Randy, My son will be turning 6 on April 20th. He was suppose to be in kindergarten this year, but I kept him back in Pre K. I'm glad I did. He has improved so much with his speech. He has put more words together, but their is a lot of words he cannot pronounce correctly. Does your son's school provide speech therapy during the summer? My son's school does that. Maybe you should enroll him and see how he does before the new year starts to determine what s best for your son. It does vary on each child about their speech. My son is not even close with his age group on speech. I get him to repeat things over with me if he saids it incorrectly. We do flash cards which seems to help. a and Brannon 5 1/2 mds and Gabby 4 > > My son is 4 years and 5 months, and he is still way behind on his > speech. He does unserstand us, and does some minimal words, and tries > to repeat us at times, but most times it is not even close. > > He does have some hearing loss, and has worn hearing aids for 2 years > now. He has seen a speech therapist since he was a few months old. > And currently works on speech at Pre-K. His teachers say he will be > ready for kindergarten after he turns 5 (a year and a half away). I > am concerned that he won't though because of this. > > My question is this. Is this typical for him to be this far behind on > speech? I am wondering if over summer we should seek some extra help. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Randy > Become a member of IMDSA today at http://www.imdsa.com ******************************************************* Contact IMDSA Today at: IMDSA~PO Box 1052~lin,TX~77856~USA~1-~1-888-MDS-LINK ********************************************************************* Share your story today! http://www.mosaicdownsyndrome.com ********************************************************* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Thanks for the replies so far. Yes he is getting sign language... although we have asked repeatedly for them to let us know what signs they are teaching him and they dont. That is frustrating. He is also getting speech this summer, so that will help. Randy > > Randy, > > You don't mention whether or not your boy is getting any SEE-SIGN (Signing > Exact English, the sign language approach used to teach language to deaf > children and others), but my experience was that it made life much easier for our > daughter. Understanding you (receptive language) comes before the talking > (expressive language), and the signing seems only to enhance the process, and avoid > non-communication frustrations. Kids with DS/MDS are naturals at sign > because they are generally quite visual learners. > > Using signs does not imply that your son won't speak! Signing was begun > when Christi was an infant. She had a vocabulary of over a hundred words by > three, and could use most of them in sign before she could say them. We still > use signs today in teaching concepts. It was great for learning a third > language; her assistant could sign the word in English simultaneously with getting > the vocabulary in Spanish from the classroom teacher. > > I am no expert, but I am sure there is a lot of research out there on the > beneficial use of signs. If he isn't now getting SEE-Sign, I think you might > want to make sure you get a new speech/language therapist who can and will > initiate it. Because of his hearing loss diagnosis, he won't have any trouble > qualifying for this service. > > Judie, mom to Christi, 27 and others > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 > > Thanks for the replies so far. Yes he is getting sign language... > although we have asked repeatedly for them to let us know what signs > they are teaching him and they dont. That is frustrating. > > He is also getting speech this summer, so that will help. > > Randy > >********************************************************************** Randy, I don't know why whoever is teaching your son isn't teaching you sign also but they really should. My daughter is 4 now and I have been using sign since she was a baby. Her speech teacher knew and used it too. It definitely enhances language and helps her to speak. She is saying alot more but we still use it to prompt words she knows. Check out baby sign tapes at your library. Ours had quite a few. I found that easier than the books. It's easier to see someone show you. Good luck! Donna > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 > > Thanks for the replies so far. Yes he is getting sign language... > although we have asked repeatedly for them to let us know what signs > they are teaching him and they dont. That is frustrating. > > He is also getting speech this summer, so that will help. > > Randy > >********************************************************************** Randy, I don't know why whoever is teaching your son isn't teaching you sign also but they really should. My daughter is 4 now and I have been using sign since she was a baby. Her speech teacher knew and used it too. It definitely enhances language and helps her to speak. She is saying alot more but we still use it to prompt words she knows. Check out baby sign tapes at your library. Ours had quite a few. I found that easier than the books. It's easier to see someone show you. Good luck! Donna > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Randy, could you sit in on a class now and then and jot down the signs they work on? Then you could get the tapes from the library and teach them to yourself. It would so help him to not be frustrated with communicating at home to be able to use his signs with you. My son will still cue himself with signs at times and it sure made his life easier when he could communicate his needs and wants when he was little. To this day we still use some within our family when we are in a public situation and need a silent communication. Toilet has sure come in handy many times! Terry, Mom to Craig, 17mds Re: Speech Question > >> >> Thanks for the replies so far. Yes he is getting sign language... >> although we have asked repeatedly for them to let us know what signs >> they are teaching him and they dont. That is frustrating. >> >> He is also getting speech this summer, so that will help. >> >> Randy >> >>********************************************************************** > Randy, > I don't know why whoever is teaching your son isn't teaching you sign > also but they really should. My daughter is 4 now and I have been > using sign since she was a baby. Her speech teacher knew and used it > too. It definitely enhances language and helps her to speak. She is > saying alot more but we still use it to prompt words she knows. Check > out baby sign tapes at your library. Ours had quite a few. I found > that easier than the books. It's easier to see someone show you. > Good luck! > Donna >> > >> > > > > > > > > Become a member of IMDSA today at http://www.imdsa.com > ******************************************************* > Contact IMDSA Today at: > IMDSA~PO Box 1052~lin,TX~77856~USA~1-~1-888-MDS-LINK > ********************************************************************* > Share your story today! http://www.mosaicdownsyndrome.com > ********************************************************* > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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