Re: Do you have older apraxic children?

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9

[Guest guest]

Dear Joanne-

I'm not sure if my reply yesterday got sent-still getting used to the blog

sites...

Funny you should ask about a neuropyschologist- i'm just about to get our

appointment dates for one. Hopefully we should get a clearer and more

comprehensive view of what we are looking at in terms of his issues.

I'm glad i have the time to address 's " other " emerging LD issues

(assuming they are emerging- they probably were always there and i didn't notice

or it wasn't pressing.) Having a kid(s) with " issues " really is an on-going

lesson in learning, observing and advocating. I took much of last year to

address 's brother and get his diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, and now that i

am back to - there is a new layer of info to learn and sort through! I do

find the subject matter interesting though!

has had OT and SLP at school last year and I did not pile on any other

therapies b/c 1st grade is so intense. also goes to the Resource room for

reading at school. Depending on the results of the neuropsch. i am sure we will

add something outside of school this year as it seems that 2nd grade is a

catch-up year. I am conscious too of balancing fun self-esteem building

activites for him with " work " . is getting more conscious of his failings-

yesterday he was annoyed that he got so many wrong on his spelling test when he

knew he knew them...

DO you have any advice in advocating for your child in the school? My style

is to be part of the solution not the problem and to honor the dedication of the

special ed folks. (they are good people). We have a new principal who has a phd

in special ed and a his child who wears hearing aids and attends our school. I

thought i might be able to touch on his self-interest (veiled as it may be ) and

his background to improve the resource room and try to get some accomodations

for . The resource room at school is NOT at par with the other special ed

services at the school. I need to advocate (once i know what to advocate for )

some more training of the folks in the resource room, or to change their

approach to in their teaching method. (THey've never seen anyone like him

before). They are just poking at wholes without much of an approach based on

experience with someone like . Ideally i would like to see better educated

and enthused people in there- but that

is probably not going to happen. I live in a small community -an island of

27,000 folks and in a small town setting-- so I REally need to be kind to

people.

IN terms of therapies- did you try the Tomatis method- i was exposed to it and

decided not to complicate the matter for .

Back to you- do your other kids have issues? If they are girls- the chance is

reduced...

Thanks again- have a great day,

Liz

Joanne Mulholland <mulholland34@...> wrote:

Dear Liz,

Have you gotten a diagnosis or a complete workup on your son's cognitive,

emotional, and academic abilities? This is usually done through a

neuropsychologist. Have you looked at PACE www.processingskills.com or read

the book by Dorinne " Sound Bodies for Sound Minds "

www.thedaviscenter.com There also was information on this messageboard

regarding a pyramid for child development.

Here is a theory (can't recall where I got this from - sorry to who ever

should be cited here) of the learning pyramid of a child's development:

Child development is a pyramid. The broad bottom layer is genetic heritage,

which we cannot change. The next layer up is sensory development -- the

major areas being motor development, visual efficiency skills

(accommodation, convergence, etc.) and hearing, and the integration of these

areas (visual-motor integration, visual-auditory, etc.). The layer on top

of this is cognitive skills acquisition -- skills such as attention (ability

to sustain focus, ability to sustain focus in the presence of distractions,

ability to multi-task), visual processing, visual short-term memory,

auditory processing, auditory short-term memory, sequencing skills,

reasoning and logic, etc. The very peak of the pyramid is academic

learning. Everything underneath affects the peak.

Children with learning disabilities typically have a brick missing here and

there throughout the pyramid. The farther down the holes are, the more

profound their impact on the upper layers.

From a remediation standpoint, it is best to repair the layers starting at

the bottom so that you are always building on as firm a foundation as you

can establish. This means that, ideally, you first find out if there are

sensory level problems in the areas of motor skills development, vision and

auditory processing. If so, you work on reducing these deficits first.

Therapies that address sensory level problems include sound therapies (TLP,

Tomatis, Samonas, AIT, FastForWord), vision therapy, speech/language therapy

and occupational therapy (including Balametrics, Bal-A-Vis-X, NeuroNet,

Interactive Metronome, biofeedback, etc.).

Any time there are sensory level deficits, there will be corresponding lags

in cognitive skills development. Once sensory level deficits are reduced as

much as possible or ruled out, the next logical step is to check cognitive

skills. Programs that address cognitive skills development include

Audiblox, BrainSkills, PACE, and Instrumental Enrichment (Feuerstein's

approach).

Once cognitive skills have been developed as optimally as possible, the very

last step is academic remediation. If all of the layers below the peak have

been repaired, academic remediation will proceed much faster than if the

holes had been left. Furthermore, with a solid foundation underneath it,

the size of the peak will be larger.

Therapies require a lot of effort on the part of the child, so it is

definitely not desirable to try to add them to an already stressful full-day

of school. Some families pull their children out of school for the therapy,

some families do them during summer vacation, and some families homeschool

in order to fit them in.

My son has been to many therapists and treatments including

Occupational therapist

Speech therapist

Developmental Optometrist - vision therapy, PACE and Master the Code.

Audiologist specializing in sound therapy, Fast Forword, Interactive

Metronome, mood Bell

Each professional has successfully brought him to his age appropriate skills

in time, so we move up the pyramid closing up the holes. There have been no

guarantees, and lots of time and patience with all involved (and money,

too).

Every child learns differently and has other issues. I can only tell you

what I did for my child. You know your child best and seem to have done a

good job thus far. I know what its like to have other children (I have 4)

and the oldest just went off to college. My son is the youngest and only

boy. I was told not to rush the treatments, but to try to complete the

treatment plan by 12 years old. Initially, the age of 2, I had my son's

blood tested and sent into Smokies Lab where they found a high copper level

and low zinc level together with a leaky gut. A DAN nutritionist balanced

out his issues and it seemed like he came out of the fog. My husband blames

me for taking the aggression out of my son, where I blame the omegas.

All the best,

Joanne

P.S. Please check with your doctor before giving supplements with the ADHD

meds.

_____

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of lizpowell165

Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 1:02 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Do you have older apraxic children?

>

Dear Joanne,

Thanks for your info. In terms of my attention and involvement in

the apraxia world- i have 3 kids- and spent the last year attending

to the oldest when he was diagnosised with ADD. My youngest is now

off to kindergarten allowing me time to refocus on my 2nd grader

with ADHD and apraxia. I was a strong advocate for him- he has been

getting SLP services since he was 2 lately OT services. In between

that time we had another kid and moved overseas

and back. Never a dull routine moment!

So yes there is info on the net- but one needs to figure out how

valid the info is. WE had done the fish oils last winter and after

my session on this page i dashed down and got some more! My son is

also on meds for his ADHD.

Between the ADHD and the apraxia i do know there are co-morbid

issues and i have just finished a reading assessment for him to

determine what are the stumbling blocks---- aspects of the ADHD or

apraxia? He definately has a slow prcessing speed- what was your

experience with the decoding processing speed? What are the

remedies/therapies? I'm already aware that he will have language

issues through out his schooling.

I'm with you on maintaining/protecting their self esteem- it is a

fine balance between doing what is needed to survive in school

society in which the kids live and supplementing their interests and

self esteem through outside activities!

Thanks so much for your thoughts and direction.

Liz

>

There's a wealth of information on the Internet designed to help

> parents whose children have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, apraxia and

> other learning difficulties. Here are some links that are well

worth a

> visit

>

> http://www.drstordy <http://www.drstordy.com/resources.html>

..com/resources.html

>

> Are you doing other therapy besides speech? I would look into

> supplementing with Omega oils. See if there is any change and add

> Vitamin E three months later. Some ADHD patients benefit to stay

> focused and attentive from the Omega oil (i use coromega an Omega

3

> only). My husband blames me for taking the aggression out of my

son,

> but I blame the omegas.

>

> Usually apraxia does not stand alone. There are hidden flags that

> come undone as you progress, such as reading difficulties or

written

> expression. There may be an auditory processing disorder. My son

> tested at 9.5 with a decoding processing disorder. You can take a

CAP

> test at 8 years old given by an audiologist who specializes in

central

> auditory processing.

>

> Like I said before, there are no magical cures for these

disabilities,

> they are a lifetime. If early intervention can allow our children

to

> learn, then their self esteem won't be questioned.

>

>

> Joanne

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9

[Guest guest]

Dear Diane-

What did you notice with the EPA's? My son is about to turn 8- would love to

hear more from you. With I've also spent afternoons at the SLP and OT.

I've done the fish oils before and have restarted them. He's in 2nd grade and we

are going to the neuropsychologist to get more info. This site is really great!

Thanks very much.

Liz

Conjoin5 <conjoin5@...> wrote:

Thanks to all that replied to my post. Its great to hear what everyone

is doing and has done. Also, the suggestions were appreciated too.

I've been trained in several programs for reading, sensory integration

and lost of observing the SLP and OT. I feel like it takes a team

effort to help our little guys that are not our big guys.

We started the Vit. E this week. I'm taking notes daily. It will be

interesting as the Vit E results come in.

The EPA's has been a big boost for Caleb since he was 5 (now 9) I hope

the Vit E gives him a boost to get past this wall we've hit.

Again, Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

Blessings,

Diane

Mom to Caleb 9