Speech Apraxia

[mum_of2boys]

My son is four, he is a happy confident little kid but he has major speech difficulties and its breaking my heart. He has been seeing a speech therapist for 12 months and has showed little improvment. Ive been told he has speech Apraxia. I feel so sad when I see people ignore him because they dont understand him. He is normal in every other way and he knows when people are ignoring him or avoiding him because they cant understand him. Some of the kids at his Kindy are really good and aren't phased by his speech at all, but other kids are starting to be abit mean and I fear this will get worst next year when he is in Pre Primary. I cant afford a private speech therapist but the public system seems to be failing. Does anyone know if the private speech therapy would be much better than the public system or are they generally the same??? I would definately pay for private therapy if my son would benefit from it, however his current speech therapist told me they would be doing the same things she is doing and that I need to be patient. I really need some advise, the teacher who has been teaching him in Kindy for 6 months, still struggles to understand him. Im really worried about his needs getting ignored during school hours and I dont want him to fall through the cracks at school in the future. Thanks.

[LostCause]

I have just sent you a pm

[punkbaby]

My DS is 4 and a half his speech is really poor as well (from crash he was set back 12 months) he stutters as well and only i can seem to understand him.

Perhaps find out about group therapy/occupational therapy, this is what his doing and his learning to play, the other kids all have learning difficulties so they all learn to play as part of a team, (eg you need help to build a tower and have to ask for help etc) things like that.

He has a great pre school field officer who is working magic with him i am sure you prob have one but if not your kinder should have her come and see him to see what else you can do to help him if you already havent.
He is going to repeat 4 yo kinder again anyhow but this is helping him prepare and be ready when he starts again next year

sadly we are moving and his new pre school field officer is horrible :( so we have to look at other options as well

By the way i am going private i can claim it through TAC though but from my understanding you can claim it if you get a docs referral or some of it.

[Lunar]

Look into sign language, it works WODNERS for many kids with speech delays/problems.

take a look at www.handscantalk.com.au (http://www.handscantalk.com.au)


As for speech therapy, there are MANY differences between speech pathologists.

DD1 was seeing one lady for 12 months and we got no where! We changed and saw results!
We are now in search for another on as our last just had a baby and is on maternity leave, and by the time she comes back DD1 will be in school and will not qualify to use her, so we have to go private.

Personality has a lot to do with it too. Some kids don'w 'mesh' with certain personalities.
See if you can get access to another speechy via the public system.

But DEF give signing a go! it has saved (and still does) us many frustrations in the house! And also DD1 (who has sever speech delay) has a way of getting her needs across, but we laways SAy the word as well as sign and she then in turn starts to say the word and then drop the sign when she is confident:thumbsup:

Good luck, and remember you are not alone!:hugs:

[punkbaby]

Look into sign language, it works WODNERS for many kids with speech delays/problems.

take a look at www.handscantalk.com.au (http://www.handscantalk.com.au)


As for speech therapy, there are MANY differences between speech pathologists.

DD1 was seeing one lady for 12 months and we got no where! We changed and saw results!
We are now in search for another on as our last just had a baby and is on maternity leave, and by the time she comes back DD1 will be in school and will not qualify to use her, so we have to go private.

Personality has a lot to do with it too. Some kids don'w 'mesh' with certain personalities.
See if you can get access to another speechy via the public system.

But DEF give signing a go! it has saved (and still does) us many frustrations in the house! And also DD1 (who has sever speech delay) has a way of getting her needs across, but we laways SAy the word as well as sign and she then in turn starts to say the word and then drop the sign when she is confident:thumbsup:

Good luck, and remember you are not alone!:hugs:
hey lunar sorry to cut in but ty for that sounds like ds could use that :)

[Lunar]

hey lunar sorry to cut in but ty for that sounds like ds could use that :)

You're welcome!
WE have been using makaton for 4.5years now with DD1 5yo and DD2 even signs! She is 15 months old!

[fi73]

Hi
I have just sent you a PM.
Fiona

[MarcusLittle]

Jusst wondering how things are going for you. I hope you found an excellent Speech Language Pathologist to work with. Research into best practices for Apraxia clients reveals they need intensive and repetitive practice. It is optimal if you can do 2 five minute blasts of speech drills with him a day. If your child is stimulable for sounds but not using them in words, sentences and conversation you can focus on developing these sounds systematically. The following llink is a good resource for showing you how to develop stimulable speech sounds at home.

http://www.thespeechpathway.com/

Hope that helps :shakehands:

Yours in making a difference,

Marcus