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Apraxia
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Anyone else have a child with apraxia? I’d be curious to chat about how you aprroach talking and reading.
Leslie, since I think it is a topic we could all benefit from and may be able to share with others, I will post here. Background – My son had a stroke in utero and now, though not official yet, has been given a diagnosis of apraxia. We’ve had a speech therapist a couple of times and just started summer camp which we get this year, but then he turns three and we won’t be going into public school so we loose the therapists.
Because I told her we were going to homeschool she started giving me some books – The Kaufman speech to language protocal workout book and she is bringing others next time. Since this is all still new to me, what did you do to help your child? We’ve been signing since he was little so we can communicate. I really don’t even know what to ask yet as I am still digesting all the information. thanks
Oh and she said teaching him to read will help him with visual cues to speak. This is so agianst everything I knew not to teach to read at such a young age, but I know the visual is important (left side stroke), hence our success with the signing.
Laurie, how old is your son?
Kauffman is a great resource. I can share more but want it to be appropriate for his age so let me know.
It may be different in each state, but in TN, homeschoolers can get services like speech therapy through the schools. I wonder if your child is still eligible for services.
32 months.
If I sign up with a program here for homeschoolers (Vision) I can keep it too, but they have recently chnaged and are going through a lot of growign pains, not to mention, he technically won’t be 3 in time for preschool this year.
That was such a tough age for my dd. She wanted to tell us so much and she only had 150 signs that only allowed so much communication. My dd also has a lot of other issues and her speech therapist diagnosed her with suspected apraxia b/c it wasn’t exactly the symptoms (but mostly was than not). Her overall issue had to deal with global motor-planning. I hope that makes sense. At age 3 she was focusing on 3 key words: mom, camper (she loved trying to say that as we drove past it in the neighborhood) and I can’t remember the other word right now.
There are a few support things for parents: Parent-to-Parent is a group that puts you in touch with other parents who have similar issues and you can contact those parents. There are apraxia support groups that offer a variety of treatment options too.
I recommend this cd http://www.amazon.com/You-Like-Pie-Pam-Marshalla/dp/B0044S5J9G
as well as this web site and book http://www.hanen.org/Guidebooks—DVDs/Parents/It-Takes-Two-to-Talk.aspx
this site http://www.talktools.com/resources/
My dd7.5 has made tremendous progress. She did early intervention until 3. We tried the next step of schooling and it was horrible so we opted for private speech therapy where I could sit in on the sessions and practice what we learned at home. This is key for you as a parent so you can practice, practice, practice at home. Did I mention practice?
I’m not an expert but I’ve never attempted reading with such a young child with apraxia. I don’t know if I understand why you would. If I remember correctly, the brain knows what it wants to say but there is a disconnect from the brain to the mouth. For example, if a child with apraxia is playing at the top of a jungle gym and he wants to climb down but can’t due to all the other children under him…he can’t say what he wants so he kicks instead…how frustrating that is for him (and others around him).
We did a lot of private speech therapy unitl age 4/5, floor time, constantly gave her the words she needed (modeled for her), read to her.
Let’s start here and see what your next questions are.
Thanks for all the links. I’m not so sure about hte reading either or where to even begin at this age, so I think I will just use various flash cards and put them out with the words as well as sounding them for him.
Some days we struggle with me not being sure if he is reLly trying to tell us something and how do I help him. He has a lot of signs and picks them up constantly. I am trying to use more with him in sentences,but am learning as I go. We continue therapy and work at home, but he does not always want to repeat sounds or words. The 2yo independence! Did you have a set time where you worked with your dd or did you just throughout the day. I find if he is interested in something else, toys, I can’t get him to focus. He hanks.
What is he doing that makes you question whether or not he is trying to tell you something? Can you offer your hand and ask him to show you what he’s saying (take me to what you want, show mommy what you need/want, I hear your words but I need you to show me…you want to assure him that he’s correct with using his words and gently say you need him to show you). Are you using the series Baby Signing Times? You’ll learn by leaps and bounds with this series. If he does not want to repeat sounds maybe it’s b/c he can’t. I remember my therapist showing my daughter how to say /m/ by applying chapstick to her own lips and exaggerating mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm and offering my daughter the chapstick. She LOVED this back and forth interaction! It worked too! We did all of this throughout our day and kept it short so it didn’t always feel like work for the little one. It is hard and I think the more you can make it part of your natural environment versus breakout sessions he’ll learn that it’s just part of his life. Does all of this make sense? I am totally open to chatting on the phone too if you need to.
Have you looked at using insurance to pay for the speech therapy once he turns 3? Since he has a medical diagnosis that caused the apraxia, insurance may pay. My son was able to get speech this way since he had brain cancer that was at least a partial cause of the speech issues.
-Rebecca
We have a lot of the signing time videos. I think I’m on overload with all the therapists and trying to do everything they all want. We have three for different things, but htey overlap on some stuff and I think that makes it hard. I think the just doing throughout hte day and not trying to schedule everything would be best.
I guess I was thinking there would be more than one word communication at this point. He knows lots of signs and if I do two togheter, more milk, etc. he will repeat with help, so water leaves me wide open.
And of course right after I type this he signs water, i repeat and he signs socks. translation – He spilt water on his socks.
Really, no one has come up with a kids owner manual yet! why not? (laughing at myself here)
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