Re: Newbie needs info about 15 mos son

[Guest guest]

Sounds like you are heading in the right direction. 15 months is kind

of young to diagnose apraxia. I have read about 2 for verbal apraxia

and 18 months for oral apraxia. Any feeding difficulties? Can he suck

from a straw? Unable to blow bubbles, lick lips stick tongue out are

all signs of oral apraxia. Not sure how many kids can do this on

command at 15 months so please don't get yourself crazy thinking

about it if he cannot.

My son also took awhile to point at things but I think the fact that

he is leading you is a good sign. This was a motor planning aspect. I

remember trying to get my son to point to body parts and it just

wasn't happening! I knew he knew it and I thought he was being

stubborn. OT is good for motor planning as well. I always thought it

was fine motor but it covers so much more. They will look at if he

crosses midline, coordination, protective responses, etc...

I know this will be a tough month waiting but go ahead and make the

appointment with a developmental specialist. Best thing we ever did.

They don't just diagnose autism but will evaluate the whole child. It

may take some time to get an appointment so go ahead and make it. You

can always cancel if he gets a sudden burst.

You can also contact Early Intervention which is a federal program

which evaluates birth to 3 yrs old. The therapists generally come to

the home so they can work in the child's natural setting. They too

will send a team to evaluate. Can't hurt to have their opinion

either. Keep in mind they generally don't diagnose but their reports

could be helpful when you go to the developmental pediatrician.

The EFas probably wouldn't hurt him, but make sure you run it by his

pediatrician. If he is still on baby food or formula, maybe try the

new products with DHA already added.

In the mean time, enjoy the rest of the summer. Have fun, keep

talking, reading, blowing bubbles, etc....

Feel free to write with any more questions.

mom to 4 with verbal and oral apraxia, low tone and improving

every day! and - typical 2 yr old and big brothers biggest

fan!

--- In @y..., " henrysmom52002 " <henrys.mom2@v...>

wrote:

> Hi! I also posted this on another board, so I am sorry if I

> bore you twice. I need advice,info, any input at all. My son is

> 15mos old, healthy, good motor skills. Very good at fine motor

like

> dials, buttons,and is very curious and active. He is an only

child,

> and I've never compared him much with other kids. Well, a few

weeks

> ago I had lunch with two friends and their children, all 15 mos.

>

> Henry was by far the most active and curious, and he is very

social,

> makes good eye contact, always happy and smiling. But I never

really

> realized that he didn't follow commands or talk like others his

age.

>

> He does babble the " D " and " T " sound, and occasionally " M " . When

he

> makes the " M " he almost looks in pain, it really looks forced and

> hard for him. Uses voice with lots of inflection and to get

> attention of people (especially other kids). No Mama or Dada or

any

> discernible words, except he will repeat " ti tah " , which is

supposed

> to be " tick tock " . Does not wave bye bye or really point out

things

> at all. If he wants something, he sort or points his arm and

lunges

> at it.

>

> Took him yesterday to an audiologist, hearing totally fine. His

> pediatrician said he appears to have both expressive and receptive

> delays and seems to be at about the 9-10 mos level. Mind you, he

is

> only the pediatrician and was just guessing. Henry has a referral

to

> a speech pathologist, but it won't be for about another month. The

> pediatrician also freaked me out and said he wanted to refer him to

a

> developmental specialist to make sure he doesn't have autism.

>

> Questions (sorry this is so long, but I feel a bit overwhelmed)..

> 1) What can I do in the meantime to help Henry? He likes to look

at

> books, but can't point out objects. Maybe I haven't been good at

> labeling things, I talk a lot to him, but maybe not simply enough.

> 2) Are autistic kids social sometimes? Henry is a flirt, always

> smiling, makes good eye contact, loves a lot of people.

> 3) Would EFA help, or at least not hurt? I actually take it

myself,

> a fish oil liquid with borage and it's lemon lime. I actually gave

> Henry a teaspoon this am and he liked it. How much should I give?

I

> take 3 teaspoons a day.

>

> I would really appreciate any insight. I don't want

> to " overdiagnose " him, but this will be a long month and I also

want

> to get him the help he needs. Thanks! Kim

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

" Are autistic kids social sometimes, Henry is a flirt .... "

Yes YES Yes !!!!!!

Charlie is sweet, affectionate , loving - now he is talking some his

favourite phrase is " big hug " .

Autism is not the horrendous diagnosis that it used to be - if this

is what he has then there is LOTS that can be done to

help ..therapies that have had children I know have their diagnosis

removed.

I hope it is " only " speech that is an issue but if it is possible

that he has autism please try to see that treatments are out there.

Often the fear of autism is more terrifying than the actual condition

in that " lifelong and incureable " is simply no longer the case ....

And with ALL the treatments the sooner hey are started the better.

The depression that hit me because I believed that it was hopeless

lost me a year treatment -- think where my pupp could be now if I

hadn't been so stupid !!

Good luck

Deborah

--- In @y..., " henrysmom52002 " <henrys.mom2@v...>

wrote:

> Hi! I also posted this on another board, so I am sorry if I

> bore you twice. I need advice,info, any input at all. My son is

> 15mos old, healthy, good motor skills. Very good at fine motor

like

> dials, buttons,and is very curious and active. He is an only

child,

> and I've never compared him much with other kids. Well, a few

weeks

> ago I had lunch with two friends and their children, all 15 mos.

>

> Henry was by far the most active and curious, and he is very

social,

> makes good eye contact, always happy and smiling. But I never

really

> realized that he didn't follow commands or talk like others his

age.

>

> He does babble the " D " and " T " sound, and occasionally " M " . When

he

> makes the " M " he almost looks in pain, it really looks forced and

> hard for him. Uses voice with lots of inflection and to get

> attention of people (especially other kids). No Mama or Dada or

any

> discernible words, except he will repeat " ti tah " , which is

supposed

> to be " tick tock " . Does not wave bye bye or really point out

things

> at all. If he wants something, he sort or points his arm and

lunges

> at it.

>

> Took him yesterday to an audiologist, hearing totally fine. His

> pediatrician said he appears to have both expressive and receptive

> delays and seems to be at about the 9-10 mos level. Mind you, he

is

> only the pediatrician and was just guessing. Henry has a referral

to

> a speech pathologist, but it won't be for about another month. The

> pediatrician also freaked me out and said he wanted to refer him to

a

> developmental specialist to make sure he doesn't have autism.

>

> Questions (sorry this is so long, but I feel a bit overwhelmed)..

> 1) What can I do in the meantime to help Henry? He likes to look

at

> books, but can't point out objects. Maybe I haven't been good at

> labeling things, I talk a lot to him, but maybe not simply enough.

> 2) Are autistic kids social sometimes? Henry is a flirt, always

> smiling, makes good eye contact, loves a lot of people.

> 3) Would EFA help, or at least not hurt? I actually take it

myself,

> a fish oil liquid with borage and it's lemon lime. I actually gave

> Henry a teaspoon this am and he liked it. How much should I give?

I

> take 3 teaspoons a day.

>

> I would really appreciate any insight. I don't want

> to " overdiagnose " him, but this will be a long month and I also

want

> to get him the help he needs. Thanks! Kim

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

Welcome to the grouplist! Along with 's already great advice to

you- here are some Early Identification sites. Perhaps this will

advise you on children's speech/lanquage development and what you

should expect to see in your child at the age of 15 months. I hope

this information will assist you on your search for answers.

Best Wishes,

mustafa

---------------

Early Identification of Speech-Language

Delays and Disorders

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/speech-language/asha_earlyid.html

Understanding Early Childhood Development:

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/early_identification/

Important Speech Milestones

http://www.scholastic.com/smartparenting/earlylearner/language/todd_mi

lestones.htm

" How to tell if your child is developing on schedule — or if there

might be a problem.By D. Pruett, M.D. There is a wide range of

speech and language development that is considered normal. Early or

later speech within that range is not linked to intelligence or

reading ability. However, you should expect to see the following in

your child. "

The Language Explosion

http://www.scholastic.com/smartparenting/earlylearner/language/todd_ex

plosion.htm

" Development rates vary, of course, but generally a language

explosion occurs around 18 months. At that time, most children start

adding new words at an incredible rate, giving them a vocabulary of

1,000 to 2,000 words by the time they are two. At 18 months they also

are likely to combine words into short phrases — " want juice, " " no

sleep, " " go bye-bye. "

Early Identification of Speech-Language Delays and Disorders

http://www.kidsource.com/ASHA/early_identification.html

Early Childhood Growth Chart-

Activities to Help Your Child Learn About Language

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/growth.chart/page2.html

" henrysmom52002 " <henrys.mom2@v...> wrote:

> Hi! I also posted this on another board, so I am sorry if I

> bore you twice. I need advice,info, any input at all. My son is

> 15mos old, healthy, good motor skills. Very good at fine motor

like

> dials, buttons,and is very curious and active. He is an only

child,

> and I've never compared him much with other kids. Well, a few

weeks

> ago I had lunch with two friends and their children, all 15 mos.

>

> Henry was by far the most active and curious, and he is very

social,

> makes good eye contact, always happy and smiling. But I never

really

> realized that he didn't follow commands or talk like others his

age.

>

> He does babble the " D " and " T " sound, and occasionally " M " . When

he

> makes the " M " he almost looks in pain, it really looks forced and

> hard for him. Uses voice with lots of inflection and to get

> attention of people (especially other kids). No Mama or Dada or

any

> discernible words, except he will repeat " ti tah " , which is

supposed

> to be " tick tock " . Does not wave bye bye or really point out

things

> at all. If he wants something, he sort or points his arm and

lunges

> at it.

>

> Took him yesterday to an audiologist, hearing totally fine. His

> pediatrician said he appears to have both expressive and receptive

> delays and seems to be at about the 9-10 mos level. Mind you, he

is

> only the pediatrician and was just guessing. Henry has a referral

to

> a speech pathologist, but it won't be for about another month. The

> pediatrician also freaked me out and said he wanted to refer him to

a

> developmental specialist to make sure he doesn't have autism.

>

> Questions (sorry this is so long, but I feel a bit overwhelmed)..

> 1) What can I do in the meantime to help Henry? He likes to look

at

> books, but can't point out objects. Maybe I haven't been good at

> labeling things, I talk a lot to him, but maybe not simply enough.

> 2) Are autistic kids social sometimes? Henry is a flirt, always

> smiling, makes good eye contact, loves a lot of people.

> 3) Would EFA help, or at least not hurt? I actually take it

myself,

> a fish oil liquid with borage and it's lemon lime. I actually gave

> Henry a teaspoon this am and he liked it. How much should I give?

I

> take 3 teaspoons a day.

>

> I would really appreciate any insight. I don't want

> to " overdiagnose " him, but this will be a long month and I also

want

> to get him the help he needs. Thanks! Kim