Big day today, Andrew was a trooper.
The Speech therapist has put an initial diagnosis at the moment is a phonological delay, that is he has developed speech sounds at the same time as other children, but is going at a much slower rate than expected.
Andrew is doing something called ‘cluster reduction’ still, that is spoon becomes poon. He is also doing ‘fronting’ where he replaces sounds made at the front of the mouth for those placed at the back, d becomes g and t becomes k, to name just 2.
She also noticed him speaking in whispers to me at times and commented this was due to his fear of getting it wrong…him thinking that if he speaks quieter he is less likely to get it wrong [heartbreaking].
She also witnessed him making up his own sign language….he was playing with a squeaky ball, that squeaked when you squeezed it, he threw it and it went behind a filling cabinet, he could not get it, I asked him what he was looking for, and rather than saying ‘ball’, he simply made the same movement he had been doing with his hand to make the ball squeak….opening and closing his hand.
More assessments follow, including a visit from the occupational therapist for his eating issues. I have today noticed for the first time that when eating Andrew does not actually chew as we do, it’s not something I have been looking for before, but he is actually just crunching food in an up and down motion rather than a chewing action…..maybe the food and speech issues are linked?
The next step is a series of assessments of Andrew at playgroup or at home if they are not ‘working’ at playgroup, as he does not talk much there.
I have been told it maybe that the “delay”, becomes a “disorder”, and the speech therapist is keeping in the back of her mind “Dyspraxia”
I have searched the web and have found sites to say that both Dyspraxia and Apraxia[what I thought Andrew had] are the same, and others that say they are not. I am a little lost here.
Hopefully it will remain just a delay, and the therapy when it happens will do wonders, I have to admit though I am concerned and a bit overwhelmed.
First of all huge hugs to you. I know how daunting everything sounds. Your SALT seems really good. It is great that she is getting everything moving so quickly.
Interesting what you say about the food. If the movement isnt there for chewing it will definitely have an effect on his speech.
Katies SALT comments that she speaks at the back of her mouth but also says that it is common for their age. She says that the sounds formed at the front of the mouth are the last ones to develop.
Katie has just had a tantrum because I couldnt understand what “Gunck” is. She wanted it on her toast but everything I showed her was wrong. I asked her where “Gunck” is and she said “Oudsi” (Outside!). I gave up lol xxx
Well Done Andrew and you Hayley!
Please don’t worry until you have too, and Dyspraxia is a well understood disorder now with lots of support so if it turns out to be then it’s manageable.
Well done all of you x
I can imagine that you feel slightly overwhelmed but sometimes you just got a mountain to climb to figure out what’s happening. Hope you find answers and get some help how to help Andrew. The whispering bit made me tear up a bit. Sending you a hug. xx