My son is 9 with language delay. How do I help him?

Susan - posted on 08/03/2011

Loads of mouth exercises and also phone up your local speech Language department and ask for some exercises at home and if he is really needs it get on the list for acessment. Look up the Mr TYongue story on line and get him to blow bubbles and exercise his vocal chords loads of songs and ask him to repeat things and let him know where he is making the mistkes for example if he says bink for drink ask him is it bink or DRINK and clearly show the difference. Play and just go back to your youth become the child to help the child. Good Luck
Sue

Kiley - posted on 08/02/2011

You need to see a specialist, perhaps a speech pathologist

Robyn - posted on 08/01/2011

My sisters son has a learning delay including language he is now almost 12yrs. He had years of speech therapy when he was younger and still has been struggling. She has been taking him to sound therapy, has had chiropractic, sensitve gym etc and he has been improving over the last year, she also took him out of school for 1 year to homeschool to catch up which he has caught up in his maths and English language has improved. He is now in the private system where he is getting more help too better than what the public system did. You may want to look into these alternative things and give it a go.

Judith - posted on 07/31/2011

Our son was diagnosed with profound dyslexia at the age of 6. We had made the choice to homeschool before this diagnosis. He was so bright we had decided to give him an early start with hooked on phonics. His language skills were amazing and I was bewildered as to why he didn't pick up even the simple things we started with. We attended a seminar called the "Learning Revolution" and that was very helpful in understanding the different learning styles. We explained that there are several different ways people learn and That he could learn and do whatever he wanted to. I am very glad we kept him home because we had a young man in our neighborhood who also had a learning disability and when he was in second grade he laid on the floor in front of the door when he should have been getting ready for the bus and said, "I wish I was dead so I wouldn't have to go to school anymore. I know the schools try but there is so much peer pressure and the kids oftentimes carry that stigma of being different all through their school years and beyond.

As to how you can be patient..............learn about and understand his frustration in not being able to communicate. If someone is impatient or makes fun of him it will delay further. I am not judging you or any parent who is trying to provide the help their child needs. No matter how patient or good we try to be we will slip. Reach out to parent groups for support and also homeschool groups for activities to help your child socialize.

I commend you for taking the harder path and obviously you love him and it will be okay!

Nicole - posted on 07/31/2011

Speech therapist will be a great help...

Jennifer - posted on 07/31/2011

Hi Love,
There are some important details missing. Is the language delay physical, or due to a learning disability? Is the problem minor or severe? Are you aware the public school is required to make reasonable provisions for your child, and even now you have availability to free outside tutoring through the no child left behind act?
That being said, I really can offer no advice without knowing more details. You very well may be able to help him more at home, and have him flourish more academically. What a perfect fit you like homeschooling and your son may need it! But you do need to keep him connected to his peers through sport activities, and as TeacherMomva said, through other homeschool mom groups. There are homeschooling co-ops, you could try and find one in your area. There are many great homeschooling programs out there to assist you through your academic journey together.
Good luck!

Jill - posted on 07/31/2011

Put him in a private school that specializes in his specific need. May take some research on your part but well worth it. If that is not an option, get him back in public school and design his IEP so that he's with kids in class most of the day with "in class" help or with a teacher who knows how to handle his specific need. Keeping him home with one on one will not be good for him or you. With the rights you have with an IEP, the out of class thing can be controlled!

Teachermomva - posted on 07/31/2011

I am curious. Why did the IEP team decide on pull out exclusively? That doesn't seem like the least restrictive enviornment. I am a special ed teacher and feel that all students can be educated in the gen ed environment with pull out "as needed" of course . Each child is different. And the school system will provide a speech path or other sp ed svcs to you. Contact your school system about homeschool services. If you continue to enjoy homeschooling, I would suggest trying to locate a tutor who tutors small groups of students or consider a private tutoring facility where students who are similar to your son can work cooperatively with his peers. I have found that homeschooled children do excel in academics but keep in mind their social skills are predominantly modeled by you most of the day. Seek opportunites for rec center classes, sports, teams, church youth groups, boy scouts, and other extracurricular community groups, for your son so he can be around his peers more.You may also want to look at other moms who homeschool and have regular meetings at parks, playgrounds and organize field trips to museums, zoo, pool, etc...so your child can experience things other than academics from you. Sometimes it can get daunting and having others to support you helps. That will help with your own sanity! I try to allow my boys to use the phone, email and write letters a lot to friends and family and I encourage team sports and team activities. They are very well adjusted and enjoy this. Down time is also important. Let him play in the back yard or just go for ice cream while you review spelling words! I think it is great that you saw that his needs were not being met. If he does return to public school, I would be firm at the beginning of the school year and let them know how important it is for your child to be educated in the LRE. Just because your child has an exceptional language delay, does not mean he cannot have accommodations in the classroom. Regards :)

Alma - posted on 07/30/2011

I am an OT with the school system. You CAN receive Speech Therapy at the school when you are home schooling! Just go talk to the consulting teacher, and call the Speech Therapist he used to have. You will have to take him to the school for the session. Also, if you think he is pulled too much and would still like him in school for the very important social, YOU are in charge of the IEP. Tell them what therapies he doesn't need and that he isn't to be pulled from classes except for Speech or whatever you agree he needs.. They can help with reading IN class! I had kids on my caseload I wanted to 'drop' from services because I felt they didn't need it, and the team wouldn't let me without a fight. The parent ultimately has the last say!

JuLeah - posted on 07/29/2011

Even if he was pulled out to get extra help, he was still around peers all day and socialized at lunch and recess. This is critical for all kids, but more so for kids already struggling.

Reconsider school for him. People think if they can read, they can teach it. If they can do a math problem they can teach math.

Teachers spend years in school learing about child development, how the brain works, how to best break down an idea and build it up again in small steps ... how to meet a kid where they are at and bridge the gap to where they need to be .... there is a reason we spend 7 + years in college

Belinda - posted on 07/29/2011

yup, as Katherine says see a Speech pathologist. Talk to your school system, they may be able to help .

Katherine - posted on 07/29/2011

You need to take him to a speech pathologist.