Is there Hope??

Christy - posted on 06/05/2010

My son has had PT with a little bit of OT since he was 9 months old. He just started speech therapy 2 months ago. He will be two on June 27th, and is walking, signing, feeding himself, and mostly a happy baby. When we first started with the early intervention program we're in, he couldn't sit up, reach for toys, hold a bottle, or anything really. He was just a crying lump that wanted to be held all the time, and wouldn't let anyone else (even his daddy) near him without me right there. It does take a little bit of time, but it is so worth it! Hang in there!

Gillian - posted on 06/01/2010

It's a long process but there is hope. My 6 year was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech at age 3. He was non verbal at that stage. He is now in school and coping academically. He is reading and telling his younger sister what to do. I work with him on a regular basis. I try every day, but that can be tough. The hard work is starting to pay off but there is still along road ahead.

Krystel - posted on 04/13/2010

Hi. I became aware my oldest son had a speech problem at two and a half. My Dr referred me to our local speech therapist. It has taken a lil over a year of working with them. Listening to ideas they had given me to work with my son and also them working with him. It was frustrating seeing how other kids were talking compared with my sons 2 word sentences like me water. I think its the fact that we have not really got a clue what we can do to help, well i didn't and we have to have faith in what the specialists tell us, after all they're the specialists. I felt like i had in some way failed at being a mother but felt better after meeting with the specialist and learning that some children do take more time than others at certain aspects of growing and learning. I was very concerned about my son but am hoping he wont need special treatment when he gets to school. My son is now 4 n a bit, it is still taking time to get full sentences out of him but he is making progress. He is now trying to teach his younger brother words. I say there is hope. Hang in there.

Amy - posted on 03/31/2010

To Della and Jen H,

I hope 2010 finds you and your families all happy and healthy. I happened on this year old post, and while re-reading it I was amazed by the changes in my son in only one year. My husband and I enrolled Xander in Tumbling class back in Sept and half-day Preschool in Jan. It is unbelievable the changes in his verbal ability since those enrollments. The interaction with other children was the key. He has turned into a sponge; just soaking in any and all information he can understand and learn. Xander never required a special-needs class, but I am still worried for the future. He has a severe speech impediment and Speech Therapy continues. This has lead to some very frustrating interaction between parent and child. He is trying to learn so much so fast that when he hears a new word or phrase, he will attempt to use it frequently. But with his speech impediment, it frequently does not come out anywhere close to the original word or phrase. This has lead to many tantrums caused by his frustration with not being understood. We are still taking it one day at a time.

I hope your sons are doing well. Good luck to you both. Thank you for your words of support and being open to discuss your worries and concerns.

Damara - posted on 08/03/2009

There is always hope. My son has severe cognitive delays and he is hearing impaired. Before he was born we were told that he would not live past his first year and if he did he would not thrive. Well he's 12 yrs old. And while it's been a long hard journey, he is doing very well. He got a new hearing aid a couple of years ago and his verbal communication has gone from me being the only one who could understand his speech to clear enough for most people to get the gist of his talking. He is still hard to understand sometimes, but he is making leaps and bounds all the time. With the right help and positivity your son will be able to overcome any hurdle. You just got to have faith and encourage him. When he does make progress it will be exhilarating for you and him.

Dawn - posted on 07/18/2009

Hi just found this group. My son had a hearing issue which is now corrected, when he was 4. He has both speech delay and social skills delays. He is enrolled in a special program by the state to help with the delays. I was wondering if you had your child's hearing checked. I have found out with hearing issues, even in just one ear as in my son's case, there is hugh delays in all sorts of areas. Just wanted to pass this info on. Hope it might help.

Amy - posted on 07/02/2009

Yes, the therapy should work but it will take a while. My son was diagnosed with delays around the same age your is now. He's now 11 and doesn't receive OT or PT anymore and they have cut speech back to 2 a week instead of everyday. Just have patience and you will see improvement a little more all the time. Good luck to you.

Sung - posted on 07/02/2009

I'm new here. My son is almost 4. He started ST at 2 and now attends a special needs preschool 5 days a week half days. He will go full days in the fall. It isn't the end of the world. I think the scariest part of it is not knowing what is wrong. I spend a lot of money to bring him to specialist and have him checked out. He is talking a lot more now although he has trouble with grammar, pragmatic language and anything not literal. I think he has a processing disorder but he will also get OT and PT once I get through the next CPSE meeting next week. It's so hard, but the healthiest thing is to channel your energy just lining up the right therapies and working with your child. There is definitely hope. Things will get better.

Caroline - posted on 06/27/2009

I am using the brand Animal Parade and the recommended dosage of 2 on the bottle. They are cherry and chewable. I know you can get a powder of them via mail order if your child will not take them. I have looked into other brands but they have not worked with my son due to texture, etc.



My pediatrican recommended the brand. Others use "Dan" doctors to help with diets and supplements but I understand they are crazy expensive and not always covered by insurance.



Thank you for the tip to increase my own DHA input. I am going to need it more and more!

Jennifer - posted on 06/11/2009

i have a 4 yr old with autism and developmental delay and he didn't really start talking until he was 3 almost 3 1/2 and it started really getting clear abut 2 months after he started speech and we also would do the exercises at home flash cards were fun we would put them in a pile and play "go fish" he would pick a card and then we would say the word together and when it was a word he couldn't say i would put his hand on my mouth and let him feel me say it then put his hand back on his mouth and let him feel him say it this also helped with some sensory issues but remember be patient when it comes it all comes at once

Della - posted on 05/22/2009

I totally agree with you.. I hear that all the time, that when daniel does start to talk, I will wish he didnt talk.. and right now I cant imagine wanting him to stop talking.. when he does start... because I cant wait for that day when he comes up to me and just says Hi mom or tells me that he is hungry.. I also agree that parents that have "normal" children do take it for granted... they have no idea what its like to have a child that is delayed... and every day I know that I need to keep the faith that someday my little boy will talk to me.. and hearing from other parents does give you that reassurance that you arent alone.. that there are others out there just like you... thanks for your reply..

Kathy - posted on 05/21/2009

My son just turned 5. I have had many days of wishing and wondering if anything was making a difference and many tears of frustration wanting things to come easier to him. He has had speech, OT and PT from age 18 months when it has been available. We live in a rural area. He stated speaking at 1 year, finally walked at 2 and ran the first time at 2 and 9 months. He has just progressed very very slowly. I have a background in education and it has just killed me not to know how to help my son. I have exposed him to every activity I can get him to, and try to expand on his interests. I have "Cars and Lighting McQueen" all over the house because he would talk when ever he saw any of the characters. My house is over flowing with any developmental toy I can get my hands on. Until the last few months I had to bribe him to talk in 2 to 3 word phrases. All of a sudden he is talking in 5 and 8 word phrases and using new vocab and rephrasing what I say using different words. I have to interpret for him because even though he is talking I am the only one who understands most of what he says. He is even recalling events from a year or more ago because he finally has the words to express himself. Everything you are doing IS making a difference. We just have to help our child come out of a body that is keeping them from us.

Any activity will help them develop. I my son just completed his 4th year of tumbling and will complete his 3rd year of dance. At first I attended all of his classes and moved him through all the patterns of movement. I believe they call it patterning. I rolled him trough the movements and helped him walk around the room. His first performance was me flopping his body through the routine. It took a lot of training to get him to do it. When he started dance he liked the noise the tap shoes made. He would stand at the bar and I moved his feet and arms for him. This year he has progressed so well I am not allowed to attend class just like the other mothers. It is still beyond him to keep up with the others but he really enjoys the activity.

We also have him doing therapy with horses. He enjoys the movement and it has dramatically increased his upper core strength. The movement and the rhythm os the horse is supposed to help He is getting this though the rehabilitation care he is authorized through the state. Most insurance won't cover it because it is still not studied well enough but we have found it well worth the time and money.

Keep up the good work. There are a lot of other parents that feel your same worries and pain wanting our children not to struggle for what others take for granted and even complain about. I can't stand when people tell me how I will wish he didn't walk or that he would be quiet once he talks. I relish the problems that come with "normal" (for whatever that means) development of my daughter.

Just reading your post(s) today has helped reassure me too. I just went to my son's preschool promotion where my son could not sing the songs and it was hard for me not to cry (I am a musician). He did shout out during "Little Bunny Foo Foo" when they scoop up the field mice "with a back hoe" He's got a sense of humor.

Rabaab - posted on 05/08/2009

hi Della.

well my daughter is 5 and half. She is having help from education welfare service. A lady comes every week since 2005 to help her.. She has had speech therapy too and is now starting occupational therapy from last week. For speech therapy i can answer you, i really think it has helped. I mean my daughter went for nearly 1 year and it was a great success.. Well yeah the therapy does take time and you have to be patient the therapy my daughter has had from the welfare people took about 3 -6 months to see real results.. the speech therapy was the same, it takes some time to see results..

Jen - posted on 04/26/2009

Caroline, I am also using DHA (Omega 3) capsules for my son. I've read some very positive things about them. What dosage are you giving to your child? I have been giving my son Fish Friends 500mg daily. It's 10% EPA and 40% DHA. I started taking Omega 3 capsules and found it to be very helpful to control anxiety. I'm more patient and can process thoughts more clearly.

I have books which talk about studies where a much higher dose was given to children over a period of time. It helped children with ADD. I don't want to overdose my son and I haven't been able to find a Dr. who takes DHA therapy seriously so I've just been sticking with the dose recommended on the bottle. The adult ones help me so I assume they are working for my son in the same subtle ways.



What kind are you using and how much daily?

Caroline - posted on 04/26/2009

Hi Della:



Similar story to my child. I hope you are working with your county infant and toddler's program so that you are not having to pay out of pocket for these services. My son was enrolled in a county preschool program and that made a world of difference also. He is now 4 1/2 and is talking more and more. Oddly enough, I found vitamins to be a huge boost with his language - DHA and multi-vitamins for children.



You are doing all the right things with OT and Speech. I would also encourage you to make sure he is around a lot of chatty peers too so that they can model language for him.



It is frustrating, but you are not alone. All of our late bloomers will blossom.



Caroline

Jen - posted on 04/25/2009

Hi Della,



It was my pleasure to write to you. I need to talk to other moms who share the same experiences because it can seem so lonely, frightening and overwhelming. People can't understand unless they've been there. It's great that we have this board to share stories and support eachother.

My son was the same way with stacking blocks. He was only interested in knocking them over until well past the age of two. One day he just "got it." His therapist asked him to copy what she did. He began to stack them. I was amazed.



It used to also drive me crazy that my son couldn't put two words together. Finally, one day he said "kitty kitty." A week or two later, he said "green ball." A month later he said, "up, mama." Slowly but surely he spoke more and more. This will happen at any time. It happens for many children between the ages of 3 and 4.



I read somewhere that what we're going through is like having a baby in slow motion. It said not to worry about what other children are doing. Just to love our precious babies and allow them they time they require to get to where they're going.

It's heart-breaking some days but other days I'm so thankful when my son smiles at me. He is such a blessing. I just wish I knew that his future would be filled with nothing bad and only good things which he deserves. Each day we try our best and I know it makes a positive difference in our childrens' lives.



Amy,



My son attends half-day preschool twice weekly and it has helped him a lot. He will be 3 next month. He probably should also be in a special needs class but I think the exposure to typical kids is good for him. They make me stay throughout the class incase my son needs extra help with the stairs or won't sit for story time. In the beginning, he needed a lot of extra help. Now he participates as well as the other children. Maybe they would let you do the same at a preschool near you?

Sarah - posted on 04/25/2009

my son is non verbal and the words of wisdom I was given was that if they don't talk by 4 they won't ever talk. I have a friend and she did't speak until she was around 4 and now she never shuts up. And she's not disabled either.

Amy - posted on 04/25/2009

My son was diagnosed with speech/verbal delay at 30mths old. He has been going to Speech therapy weekly for the past 10mths. My husband and I have seen slow, yet tremendous growth in his vocabulary, speech and interaction with others. Since birth I have been using sign language (neither of us are hearing impared) to interact with my son, unfortunately it has been a help and a hindrance with his speech issues. Sign language initially helped with his communication delay when he was younger, but now he would rather sign than "use his words." Being around him 24/7 I can decifer his unique language, but there are times when even I can not figure out what he is trying to tell me. Which of course, leads to frustration for both of us.



I will be honest, it has been a trying 10+ mths. And I know it will continue to be challenging. He is an only child and has limited contact with other kids his age. My husband and I want to enroll him in pre-school and get him exposed to other children. My son's Speech therapist told us that he will need a special preschool to focus on his therapy needs. My husband took this very hard. I believe he thinks our son is just going through a phase, because as a child (at least according to my mother-in-law) my husband was a "late-talker." I see it everyday.....going to the store or at the playground...another child, the same age or younger, using appropriate words or speaking in complete sentences. It is so hard not to feel upset and depressed and ask "why MY son, why us?" During those times I look at my son and I realize that he is innocent to those comparisons. He does not care if the other child can say, "Mommy, I want a apple" or recite Shakespeare. He just wants to learn, play and make new friends. I think the learning curve is higher and harder for the parents of delayed children because we are more influenced and more responsive to the idea of a "normal" child.



My advice to you is, be patent, focus on your wonderful child and his needs, continue therapy, and rejoice in everyday milestones. My son continues to amaze me every day. Yesterday he said "bumblebee" out of the clear blue. We "hi-fived," gave each other hugs and kisses and I praised him for using his words....but when I asked him to say his name, he looked at me, smiled and said, "No, Mom, no."

That day will come.



Good luck to you and know that there are many of us who support you and your son ..........and know that "normal" is just another state of mind.

Della - posted on 04/24/2009

Hi Jen H.. Thanks so much for your reply,and input. Your son sounds alot like my son.. he is also behind with motor skills.. we try to get him to stack blocks, but he would rather just look at them or knock them over, but wont stack them.. my son also loves music..and I feel the exact same way as you, just wanting my son to be normal.. so its so reassuring to know that there are other parents out there that are going through the same stuff... you asked about what I meant by the jumping and bouncing.. my son is also in ocupational therapy and his therapist says that the bouncing and jumping will help his sensory.. so I have one of those excercising balls and I will sit him on it and bounce him or stand him on it and help him jump up and down on it or put him on his belly and roll the ball back and forth.. that is suppost to help with his sensory.. its like there mind is craving stimula and working with him on the ball is suppost to help him.. so we are trying it and seeing if it will help.. we try to do it a couple times a day for like 5mins.. he likes to do it,but really havent seen any proof its helping yet, but we've only done it for a couple months and like you said we just have to be paitent and every child is diffrent.... Again thanks so much for your reply, and advice... and I know we have to keep strong for our kids.. and believe that it will all be ok.. thanks again

Jen - posted on 04/24/2009

My son is almost 3. He is behind with his speech, thought processing and motor. He is Globally delayed. We have been involved with therapists since he was 18 mos. We have seen a gradual improvement but it happens slowly and you just have to be patient. I know it's hard. I desperately want my son to be "normal" and to just fit in with the other children.

We have him in half-day preschool for a couple of days a week. It seems to be helping.



I've seen a few other children who didn't speak much even at 3 but then just started speaking more and more. Their speech improved very rapidly. It's like the switch was turned on one day.



There is hope. As hard as it is, remain patient and tell yourselves that he will be fine. Keep trying your best to talk to him as much as possible. Stay involved with speech therapy.

Appreciate each new goal that your wonderful son acheives. Each child develops at their own rate. My son is behind in motor skills and speech. He didn't walk until he was almost 2. We thought he'd never get there but he did. He acheives each goal later than average but he does get there. He is our first and only child so developement is all new and very worrying to us. They reach the goals when they're ready. I wish he'd reach them closer to the "average" but I'm thankful that at least he gets there eventually.



Songs may be helpful to your son. My son doesn't speak in complex sentences yet but he is picking up song lyrics before anything else. He has always enjoyed music. I'm trying to encorp. it as much as possble into his learning.



By the way, can i ask what you mean by bouncing and jumping? Does the motion help with development? My son loves to jump. Can you please explain more?