Speech Delays and Disorders

For those who don't know Stephanie was dx with PDD-NOS about a year ago and after waiting on the state's waiting list for intensive therapy we started about a month ago. I know this isn't the autism board but her biggest delay is speech and we have been doing some sort of speech therapy since she was 2 1/2. After all those different therapists and not really seeing any results from any of them and not even getting the right therapist to click with her, I am so happy with her first month of in home intensive treatment. A month ago she maybe had 20 words and not all of those were recognizable to most people and she didn't really repeat words or imitate sounds. Now a month into therapy and she has a list over over 50 words that are approximations to real words that sound so close to words and she says them appropriately!! After seeing no results for the last 2 years I am so excited to hear her say words. I am being cautiously optimistic but I am so happy to finally see some progress!

Make a pregnancy ticker

Becky www.specialadeliverybp.com

Hi

I was wondering if you could share what type on therapy Stephanie is doing now compared to what she was doing.  I struggle with trying to get the right therapy for my 2.5 yr daughter. I would love to hear more about what you think might have helped her improve with speech.

Thanks

Don't mean to thread jack on the response, but since my son also has an ASD I thought I would jump in here.

Autistic kids often struggle tremendously with language, not just expressive, but also receptive. Gabe surely does.

I know with Gabe using picture, visual cues, and loads of prompting have helped. We use floor time, behavior modification, and picture schedules to help him start to develop language.

What kind of speech disorder/delay does your daughter have? If it is something called apraxia...apraxic kids don't always respond to typical speech therapy. Gabe needed a certain type of therapy called PROMPT.

We do 10hrs/wk of wraparound. He has a therapist (not speech) that works on his social language/skills, behavior, following directions, etc.

I hope that helps a little.

Jessie mommy to Gabe(4.6 years ASD/CAS/SID)and baby Zane

Visit my blog

We are doing ABA and AVB through our state funded autism program. Most providers use just ABA but the one I choose also uses AVB and because her need is mostly verbal it was important that it was really stressed. The founder of the provider I choose was actually on her way after our monthly meeting today to a conference with Nancy Kaufman. I read a lot about her teaching when Stephanie was dx with apraxia. Even though we are just a month in and they haven't really done much of the apraxia (PROMPT) treatment, they have just been getting her use to all the therapists, but we will be starting that in the next month. But we have seen so much progress in just a month. Today she even said 'Love you" to DH after he said it and was leaving for work. I could have cried! I have never heard her say anything close. A lot of her words are clear adult forms but it is more than I have heard in years. She is very stubborn and would throw a tantrum doing most of her weekly speech sessions and most nothing was accomplished. This went on with most of the therapists we have tried. They didn't have time to work through her behavior problems like the therapists can do now. Keep trying to find the right therapist that can really help. If I could have afforded it I would have loved to have started this kind of program awhile ago.
Good luck. feel free to respond with any other questions.

Make a pregnancy ticker

Becky www.specialadeliverybp.com