Follow Up to our conversation

[Guest guest]

,

Great catching up with you live today! Thanks again for your advice and

direction on the IEP.

Here is Dorfman's number 301-340-2239. www.kellydorfman.com

Thanks,

Colleen

[ ] Re: a first timer totally lost

Hi Joy,

As you know from the email I sent you in private it's never too

late. The oldest that have contacted us were 2 adults who grew up

with apraxia and in one case was still quite impaired in speech due

to lack of therapy. I had to have him write things to me as it was

that hard to understand him when he first called me (he was in his

early 20s then) He also complained how being schooled as learning

disabled kept him from learning basic skills as they didn't expect

anything from him -how all gave up on him. I had work with

some professionals through Dr. a Tallal and he later went on to

write a book and was on the news out in Montana. His speech after

appropriate therapies last I spoke to him was so much better it was

incredible. He proved it's never too late! He's also a clear

example to all why the name " childhood apraxia of speech " is cruel

and adds insult to injury http://www.slpcommu

<http://www.slpcommunity.com/blogs.asp?Blog=3> nity.com/blogs.asp?Blog=3

Worse than not getting appropriate therapy is inappropriate detrimental

therapy such as 's story who mom Robin had one of the oldest

children to join our group as was 17 when she found us

http://www.cherab. <http://www.cherab.org/news/.html>

org/news/.html

We have quite a few new parents older children, tweens and teens.

Elena actually pointed out that it's best if you let us know a bit

more about your road up till now as we can all make suggestions -but

we will be best able to help by knowing where your daughter is as far as

placement in school, severity of speech, therapies attempted thus

far. Also let us know where you live in the country or world as we

can look for local support for you. Has your daughter ever been to a

neurodevelopmental medical doctor to evaluate if there's anything

else going on as far as hypotonia or motor planning deficits in the

body? Typically the " soft signs " are subtle but by your child's age

they may be more apparent however without knowledge of the existence

of them would be blamed on something else (negative)

If you listen to the children on The Talking Page which child sounds

the most like yours?

http://www.debtsmar <http://www.debtsmart.net/talk/index.html>

t.net/talk/index.html The site was started by

's dad and 's last recording was when was

14 years old on 2/12/2006 so 's got to be getting close to 16

now! (wow!)

is the one child on that page that has not been on fish oils

that I know of except for 3 months from just after his recording on

3/8/2001 to 7/22/2001 -he did have a surge during that time but the

SLP said it wasn't from the fish oil it was because " worked

really hard in speech therapy during that time because he was getting

older and really wanted to talk " That aside in those recordings

is about a year older than your child. So on the first

recording does sound similar to your child?

http://www.debtsmar <http://www.debtsmart.net/talk/brandon.html>

t.net/talk/brandon.html

Let us know Joy because there are quite a few of us here with older

children. Many of us like me have been here for years but there's

new parents who've just found us like you when their child is a bit

older. One said to me something like " all these years I listened to

his speech therapist who said he'll be talking in a few years. I'm

so angry now that I just believed that "

We just talked about ignorance in one SLP and they are out there.

You're new so I can say this again as the people in this group know I

say it all the time -but no progress in 3 months you should

reevaluate therapy, therapist, and/or diagnosis. Also always have

more than one SLP -have one expert " hero " who can help to set up

short and long term goals for the IEP and for you to just know

so if they are not being met in the 3 and 6 months you don't have to

waste a year with inappropriate therapy or placement.

Speaking of which -again please do share the type of placement your

child is in because as pro special ed I am for preschool years -I

advocate that most of our children belong in the mainstream classes

100% of the time starting in kindergarten. Those that don't start in

the mainstream statistically stay in special ed throughout their

school career. And those in this group that were placed in the

mainstream stayed there- so right now it appears no matter what the

belief or expectations are for an apraxic child -you're right. So

give the benefit of the doubt and treat them just like a hearing

impaired child who can learn and think but who has a verbal

disability. Just give her the chance to excel

-we'll give you pointers how!

Joy there's always hope!

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