Re: speech therapy question

[Guest guest]

I was told the same. That the therapy regimen would be the same. We lost

two years (well about 18 months from the point I was told that - he had

already been in speech therapy for 6 months with no progress when I really

started questioning.)

For my son who has both apraxia and a mixed language disorder the therapy

he was getting was doing nothing. When I switched him to the Prompt

Institute he started making progress! Not amazing progress, but to us who

had watched him get farther and farther behind for two years it was amazing

to see progress. He made 6 months of gains in the first 5 months

compared to NO gains in two years. His greatest gains since have come in

receptive language. He had no delay at age 2, but made no gains. As his

SLP works on his speech production issues he is now " hearing " words more

correctly because he's saying them correctly (at least in therapy with the

tactile Prompts) and he now seems to understand better. The speech

production issues are coming along slower, but there is improvement. Most

is not measurable on formal tests yet, but his speech is at a completely

different level than it was 10 months ago when we started. Everyone

notices and makes comments to me all the time.

If you aren't seeing progress seek something else out. There ARE other

options. For him the Prompt technique really seems to be the key. Other

have success with Kaufmann, hand signal prompting and other types of

therapies. I am completely convinced that we'd be in the same place with

no to minimal progress if all we had this past year was the public school's

SLP. She was a wonderful caring person, but did nothing for him.

Miche

>Hi,

>My 3 yr. old son, Grant, has an expressive/receptive disorder. He

>started a special preschool this past March. Anyway, after learning

>more about apraxia, I asked his SLP what she thought about him possibly

>being apraxic. She hesitated to say, but added that the current

>therapy/services he receives for his identification would follow the

>same game plan (as those for apraxia.) Does anyone have any thoughts on

>this?

>Thnx,

>

[Guest guest]

My son has the exact same diagnosis as 's (he is 3 also) and his SLP said

that speech therapy should help his expressive/receptive as well as

" articulation disorder " . Is she right??

Jill

" R. " <figure1789@...> wrote:

Hi,

My 3 yr. old son, Grant, has an expressive/receptive disorder. He

started a special preschool this past March. Anyway, after learning

more about apraxia, I asked his SLP what she thought about him possibly

being apraxic. She hesitated to say, but added that the current

therapy/services he receives for his identification would follow the

same game plan (as those for apraxia.) Does anyone have any thoughts on

this?

Thnx,

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

Sneak preview the all-new .com. It's not radically different. Just

radically better.

[Guest guest]

Hi Rita -

I'm just guessing here, but I'd say that it would be hard to get

private therapy covered if he's speaking at an age-appropriate level

without a doc's intervening.

I think I'd want to know if there was an underlying CAUSE to the

irregular breathing patterns - some medical diagnosis which would

afford you therapy. If not, talking to your doc about it and seeing

if s/he would get behind a " medical necessity " letter would be the

best route.

I agree that often ST at school are too generalized or too

overwhelmed (or, just frankly, bottom of the barrel) to manage

something so complicated. Striving for private where you have some

choice of specialty is probably the best. If this winds up not

being possible, contact easter seals, shriners, children's hospitals

and other non-profits in your area that offer S and L therapy.

Good luck -M

>

> Hello, don't post often here but have an issue. My son is now 9

yrs

> old....he was originally dx pdd-nos at 20 months old. When he was

> about 3, dx of apraxia/dyspraxia was added. Now, at 9 yrs old,

and

> many different therpies, biomed etc...we have a great healthy

looking

> 9 yr old boy that doesn't show many signs of pdd...he has a full

vocab

> but we are still troubled by the tone/pitch of his voice. He

sorta

> yells his words, and seems to breathe in or run out of breathe

when

> he is talking. I have posted here before regarding this but am

> wondering what we should be doing? He does get seech in school,

but

> i'm really not sure how " good " it is. I would like to get speech

> outside school.....where??? local hospital? does insurance cover?

> His articulation is actually pretty good now, it seems to be the

> sound of his voice that makes him stand out. Also, should h be

> getting ot therapy for this too? thanks for any feedback! rita

>

[Guest guest]

Rita,

A sort of off the wall idea, but, it may get you the therapy covered.

My good friend's daughter is a fabulous singer, BUT,she has diction

issues(think that is the term my friend used), my terminology in

regards to a singing voice is not too accurate,but you should get the

gist of what she did to get therapy covered.

Her daughter is taking singing lessens, and the teacher said she has

issues getting enough air in to get the stamina to complete a song.

She got speech therapy covered thru her insurance, obviously this is

not a speech issue persay but a breathing/speaking/singing thing,

however, it got her the therapy covered. Since he is the age he is,

perhaps it is possible to get it covered for this problem. Just an idea.

Colleen

>

> Hello, don't post often here but have an issue. My son is now 9 yrs

> old....he was originally dx pdd-nos at 20 months old. When he was

> about 3, dx of apraxia/dyspraxia was added. Now, at 9 yrs old, and

> many different therpies, biomed etc...we have a great healthy looking

> 9 yr old boy that doesn't show many signs of pdd...he has a full vocab

> but we are still troubled by the tone/pitch of his voice. He sorta

> yells his words, and seems to breathe in or run out of breathe when

> he is talking. I have posted here before regarding this but am

> wondering what we should be doing? He does get seech in school, but

> i'm really not sure how " good " it is. I would like to get speech

> outside school.....where??? local hospital? does insurance cover?

> His articulation is actually pretty good now, it seems to be the

> sound of his voice that makes him stand out. Also, should h be

> getting ot therapy for this too? thanks for any feedback! rita

>

[Guest guest]

I've got an idea too. Have you tried AIT (auditory integration

therapy)? My kidlet is only 3.8 but this is a very interesting

therapy that may help.

[Guest guest]

Hi my son is 8 and though he doesn't yell he has a very flat tone

when he speaks. He too is very intelligible and has been released

from speech. His private SLP works on having him speak out loud

adding inflection while he reads. Sometimes she records him so he

can hear himself and correct it.

OT can also help with the breathing b/c from what I remember it can

be attributed to low tone in the upper body.

>

> Hello, don't post often here but have an issue. My son is now 9

yrs

> old....he was originally dx pdd-nos at 20 months old. When he was

> about 3, dx of apraxia/dyspraxia was added. Now, at 9 yrs old,

and

> many different therpies, biomed etc...we have a great healthy

looking

> 9 yr old boy that doesn't show many signs of pdd...he has a full

vocab

> but we are still troubled by the tone/pitch of his voice. He

sorta

> yells his words, and seems to breathe in or run out of breathe

when

> he is talking. I have posted here before regarding this but am

> wondering what we should be doing? He does get seech in school,

but

> i'm really not sure how " good " it is. I would like to get speech

> outside school.....where??? local hospital? does insurance cover?

> His articulation is actually pretty good now, it seems to be the

> sound of his voice that makes him stand out. Also, should h be

> getting ot therapy for this too? thanks for any feedback! rita

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi Rita -

>

> I'm just guessing here, but I'd say that it would be hard to get

> private therapy covered

> >

thanks marina for your reply.....i actually talked to my insurance

company today and told them about my son....i used oral-motor apraxia

as dx and she said I would be covered for 50 visits (with a $20 copay)

as long as it was a preferred provider ....i am pyched and contacted

a center not too far from me that I've heard of and that the insurance

co said was covered. Is this too good to be true? we'll see....

[Guest guest]

>

> thanks everyone for all your help! I really appreciate it.....the

singing thing is interesting. But, I think that we may be covered

for speech after all.

Also, I have alsways wondered about the AIT therapy and if that would

help? Is that very expensive? Can you do that from home on your own?

thanks....rita

[Guest guest]

Hi

I didn't see the post re: singing, but thought I'd add my 2 cents.

I was told to be very aware of tone & we worked on tone ( high - low

etc... ) by making it fun & silly. In the car is a great place for

this exercise. I am happy to say she does not at all sound flat &

monotone.

For example, I would sing la la la la then she would repeat it, then

nah, nah nah fah la la in a different tone, she would repeat it & on &

on...we now do it & she makes up the verse & i repeat it. She also

loves the time to sing cd & sings along w/ it -

susan

> >

> > thanks everyone for all your help! I really appreciate it.....the

> singing thing is interesting. But, I think that we may be covered

> for speech after all.

> Also, I have alsways wondered about the AIT therapy and if that

would

> help? Is that very expensive? Can you do that from home on your

own?

> thanks....rita

>