Re: Bilinguism in autistic children/ Some sensible advice to the crazy situation

[Guest guest]

Hi again!

I have found the web site finally and ordered the book " Oral Motor

Assessment and Treatment " from Diane Chapman Bahr.

I hope to have some new ideas and activities together with our local

speech path after reading the book.

I also have found Kaufman's website. This sounded really

interesting and they also provide video consultations for overseas

patients. That is great for me! Their website is

http://www.kidspeech.com. (for people who might need it)

Thanks a lot once again. This will keep me busy for some time:)

Nurgul

> > > >

> > > > Hello all!

> > > >

> > > > I am new to this group, but has travelled in autism world for

> > more

> > > > than 2 years now. I have a 4.5 year old autistic boy who was

> > diagnosed

> > > > with severe autism by the age of 24 months.

> > > > Since then we have tried everything available on the planet

one

> > by one

> > > > that is proven or unproven as scientists say.

> > > > >From GF CF diets to chelation, from live cell therapy to

> > acoupuncture,

> > > > HBOT you name it...We are still on a biomedical intervention

> > program

> > > > that compromises of chelation, gut treatments, diet etc.

> > > >

> > > > My son Yusuf has been on an intensive ABA program as well

> > together

> > > > with speech and sensory integration therapies. He has

definitely

> > made

> > > > a lot of progress that enabled him to be included in a normal

> > school

> > > > setting with a shadow aide, but he is still nonverbal and

this is

> > > > really really killing us.

> > > >

> > > > The living environment has not been very favourable to

develop

> > > > language either. We had to move out of our contry to Dubai

for

> > work

> > > > when he was one year old. He was showing no autistic

symptoms by

> > then.

> > > > Started regressing by the age of 18 months and continued

> > regressing

> > > > till the age of 3.

> > > >

> > > > To cut it short,Our native language is Turkish which he has

been

> > > > spoken to till the age of 24 months exclusively.When he was

> > diagnosed

> > > > with autism at the age of 24 months in Dubai, we had to

switch

> > the

> > > > language to English and get help in that language. I and my

> > husband

> > > > work full time and the nanny, teachers, therapists speak only

> > English

> > > > here.

> > > >

> > > > After all this hard work since last two and a half years, he

> > still

> > > > does not talk. Now I seriously started thinking of going

back to

> > the

> > > > mother tongue and try with that language intensively while

the

> > ABA and

> > > > the scholl going on with English?

> > > >

> > > > Has anyone been in a similar situation? Trying to teach two

> > languages

> > > > to their non verbal child?Crazy isnt it?I feel like

screaming.

> > > >

> > > > Of course all the specialists suggest to stick to one

language

> > till he

> > > > develops one, but I am losing hope that he will develop

> > functional

> > > > language and out of desperation coming up with ideas like he

> > might be

> > > > refusing to talk this second language.

> > > >

> > > > The reason for me thinking like this is: There are certain

words

> > he

> > > > will never say in English like " mummy " and " come " .If at all

he

> > decides

> > > > to say it, he will only say it in Turkish.

> > > >

> > > > I know this really souns mad, but he comes and speaks to me

in my

> > > > mother tongue in my dreams.

> > > >

> > > > Please give me some advice. How are you handling bilinguism?

I am

> > > > afraid of losing my mind... None of the specialists seems to

> > have a

> > > > great idea about this situation.

> > > > Thank you all for reading and sharing.

> > > >

> > > > Nurgul-mother to Yusuf

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

>