Help

January 5, 2006

A regular pediatrician can diagnose apraxia, and write a letter of medical

need/necessity for you. However it " means " more coming from a developmental

pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist (which is interesting because the

ped neurologists I know, admittedly know very little about apraxia and will

tell you they are not the best for the diagnosis - so it depends on the

experience of your specialists). The person most trained to make the

diagnosis is the SLP. I've been told by our regional center that the report

from the SLP has the most weight, but helps to be " supported " by an MD -

though not absolutely necessary. I thought it was too risky to go in with

just the SLP report without a supporting diagnosis when asking for more

services. I also wanted someone else who knew what they were doing to tell

me if this really was apraxia or not. Sounds like your SLP is waffling. She

should be able to make the call. Ask her to do a Kaufman apraxis test. My 2

year old was able to do it - but the child does need to have sufficient

concentration to get through it. We broke up the test over 3 sessions. But

also key to have the right diagnosis. You could also get an evaluation from

a PROMPT SLP for apraxia - a group well versed in apraxia - to make sure you

are going in the right direction. -

[ ] Re: Help

Hello All!

I am facing my Annual review meeting for my son next week-

Have actively been searching for a PROMPT trained therapist, and have found

two! at the children's Hospital located only a few blocks away from me (I

still

cannot believe my luck!)

My question is- right now even tho he turns three in a couple weeks, we are

able to keep him under EI until August of 2006. At that point, CPSE (from

their recent evaluation of him) will only be recommending speech therapy

three

times a week. Currently under EI he receives speech 2X, OT 2X and SpecEd

2X/

week. My Service coordinator just told me he can receive up to five

sessions of

speech therapy- if he has a diagnosis. His current speech therapist

suggests

that he has apraxia, but says she doesnt know for sure. I feel she may be

trying to hang on to us for as long as she can as a client, as she wont be

able

to provide therapy for him when he turns three (altho, maybe she could

continue

thru august now that we will continue under EI). In other words, she knows

if he has a diagnosis of apraxia i will change therapists and get a PROMPT

trained therapist- which she is not. This is the feeling i hate to admit

ive been

feeling for a couple months now, and now i am mad at myself for not trying

to

figure this out back then.

In any case, and sorry for the rambling, but this leads me to my two

important questions A- who needs to diagnose him as apraxic? Can his

regular

pediatrician do it? Id like to have the formal diagnosis for the meeting

next week,

so i can have them up the therapy to five times a week. And Also, i see

here and there posts about not being able to diagnose until they're three

years

old, and then i see posts where they were diagnosed at first meeting with a

speech therapist, at a much younger age.

Any thoughts would be very helpful- and i thank you for taking the time to

listen to me- and your help.

Thank you in advance!

January 6, 2006

hi tracy- my son wasnt diagnosed until he started talking at 3.5 and was

consistently leaving the ends off of words. I think they call if final consonant

deletion and when apraxia was mentioned . one of the tests we did were the

kaufman - charlotte

January 8, 2006

Hi,

We have a member that got TRICARE to cover her daughter's 2 DOCbands!

If you like I'll send you her emaial address. I'm sure she'll be

willing to tell her story.

-- In Plagiocephaly , " sunshinyday01 "

<sunshinyday01@y...> wrote:

>

> I need help my twin boys need helmets. We have been denied by our

> insurance TRICARE/TRIWest, by medi-cal, and CA Childrens Services. We

> recently went to the Air Force Aid for help and they approved a no-

> interest loan but if we agree my husband will only take home $400 a

> month and we can not live like that with twins. My boys are going to be

> one next month. I am very upset that I have not got them the help they

> need. At this point I feel like no one cares what happens to my boys. I

> also feel that it will be my fault if they do not get better. I am very

> frustrated with this whole thing. I have read that other states

> Medicaid is paying but my understanding is that medi-cal is CA medicaid

> and they will not cover. Every were I go for help they turn me down and

> then I find out they have covered in the past but don't anymore b/c it

> is costing them to much money. What are we to do? I feel as though my

> country is letting my husband and I down. I fought for our country and

> have back it for so many years and when we need help they turn there

> backs on you. I served a tour fighting in Enduring Freedom but my

> children can not get the medical help they need. I am now having

> stomach problems b/c of all of this. What can I do?? WE NEED HELP!!!!

>

> Sunshine mommy to and Vedder

>

January 8, 2006