Non verbal son, trying to learn and teach ASL

[deafdyke]

Doesn't work that way here. There are programs in place for students with apraxia of speech, and speech language pathologists who are equipped to deal with it.

No idea why this parent wouldn't want to have her child in a program if apraxia is indeed part of his diagnosis.

Even with it being a super low incidence disabilty? We're not talking about apraxia as a part of many different issues (like significent autism) but pure apraxia with no additional issues..... That IS kind of rare.

 

[deafdyke]

We have looked into the one Deaf school here. There is another one 2 hours away. If it was a PERFECT match, we would consider moving. Well I shouldn't say I've looked into it, I've read about it online but with it being summer, I haven't received any info back as to whether they will even consider accepting a hearing child. I don't have high hopes that they will accept him and it may not even be the right environment for him

While it's a nice thought that schools are set up already to handle apraxia with qualified SLP, that hasn't been our experience. Most SLP will not ever see a case of CAS in their entire career. The one he sees now is near retirement and has never seen a case before Oliver, and likely will never see another one again. The two classrooms he could have attended for special needs preschool were either ones with severe autism and down syndrome, or behavioral needs. He's neither and after observing the class structure would not be a good fit for him. We are not ruling out seeing THE apraxia expert near Detroit to get a diagnosis one way or the other. Apraxia therapy looks very different from that of traditional speech therapy. Having the diagnosis will open up a lot of possibilities for him, or likewise, definitively ruling it out will lead us in a new direction.

I don't know the statistics but I do know of quite a few speech delayed kids. Few have cognitive delays, or if they do, are still able to learn signs. Actually, the one deaf person I know IRL, is a child with multiple disabilities including mental delays. Naturally, she signs very well. Presume comptenece as they say

LOL.... glad we're on the same page here, and it looks like you get it.... Look into St Rita's School for the Deaf. They actually do have an apraxia program.
Yeah, the problem with general special ed is that it tends to be mostly focused on things like classic autism and ID and behavorial and things like that.... Great for those kids, but not so good for high functioning kids with disabilties who may also need more specialized stuff....

 

[deafdyke]

Oh and it's interesting that you know a lot of speech delay kids who aren't ID.... There are some speech delay kids who may have learning disabilties or mild autism or whatnot. Didn't mean to imply that all/most were ID...

 

[dogmom]

DD...as an aside - very often speech delays and language problems are precursors to LD's later...I was one- severe speech delay and language problems as a child and in Special Ed as a young kid...learning disabilities not considered til college, when I was diagnosed <through my own initiative> with math LD formally, though my guess now is that I have others.

AND- back to OP -
best wishes for you and your son! I'm so happy for both of you that you're considering various options for him as opposed to only thinking about the insistence of produciung verbal speech.

 

[linicx]

Welcome to all deaf! Here is the list of every AEA in Iowa. When you look to help others, there is no such thing as too much information.

http://www.iowaaea.org/where_is_my_aea/

 

[deafdyke]

DD...as an aside - very often speech delays and language problems are precursors to LD's later...I was one- severe speech delay and language problems as a child and in Special Ed as a young kid...learning disabilities not considered til college, when I was diagnosed <through my own initiative> with math LD formally, though my guess now is that I have others.

AND- back to OP -
best wishes for you and your son! I'm so happy for both of you that you're considering various options for him as opposed to only thinking about the insistence of produciung verbal speech.

Yes I know. My genetic syndrome 95% of the time involves expressive spoken language issues, and many if not most of the other people with it, function on an LD or "grey area" special needs level.