Speech Problems - Where will he end up?

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For me it appears to be more a case of cognitive difficulties in association with interpersonal issues and communication rather than purely speech. There can be no quality of life without it and without any social support or advocacy of any kind I have really suffered and fallen through the cracks in the worst way. A parent who can pay attention to that missing link if it were can perhaps better set up support and advocacy early on so that if the problems continue perhaps those supports can remain in place. I don't know what's possible but a strong, supportive family network is in the worst case scenario.

Hi Meadow, sorry to hear Speech and Language didn't offer the support you find more necessary. My son has just been diagnosed with Aspergers, and althogh he does not have any language 'difficulties' in the sense of vocabulary and structure, he has been referred to SLT to help him develop relationships and 'functional' communication, that is when it is his turn to speak, how to initiate and comment in conversations, and also the 'literal' sense of the language.

Perhaps there is an agency that could provide you with some similar support, perhaps an ASD specific therapist? Only a thought

While I would consider that another sort of issue than a speech issue, that is familiar as well. On the phone, I end up interrupting; in person, I get frustrated when I cannot get the opportunity to express due to uncertainty and domination of conversation by others. It's extremely challenging, one of my short fuses as it were, when having to interact with others for any extended period.


M.

I'm new to the area where I live now and I've only recently been diagnosed. When I see my family doctor I will hopefully find out what may be available here, if anything. I'm fifty now and from what I've gathered already there isn't much specialized assistance available outside a major city anyway. I'm here in a quiet setting hoping to finally at least get my education. I've lived with the problems too long now for anything to really make a difference I think. I'm sorry if my post was inappropriate, not helpful or out of place.

I too have no problem with vocabulary and sentence structure if that's what you're referring to and that's why I'm thinking it's a cognitive interpersonal issue. Hopefully your son can develop past whatever the communication problem may be. Thank you.

Last edited by Meadow on 06 Jan 2010, 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yes, totally. It's so very hard. And a big part why I find myself crying so much, when alone anyway. I don't understand what the problem is entirely but I wish I did. I'm sorry you suffer with this as I know how hard it is to cope with.

I'm new to the area where I live now and I've only recently been diagnosed. When I see my family doctor I will hopefully find out what may be available here, if anything. I'm fifty now and from what I've gathered already there isn't much specialized assistance available outside a major city anyway. I'm here in a quiet setting hoping to finally at least get my education. I've lived with the problems . I'm here in a quiet setting hoping to finally at least get my education. I've lived with the problems too long now for anything to really make a difference I think. I'm sorry if my post was inappropriate, not helpful or out of place.


Not at all Meadow, I don't think that any comments are inappropriate or unhelpful, in fact I find it MOST helpful as it highlights areas that I may be able to help my son with too!

My son is 10 but I have had my suspicions for several years and it was confirmed a couple of months ago. Are you in the UK? There are several agencies that are set up that are nationwide and it may be that your GP can refer you to one of these, or you can contact some yourself. I have some details if you would like them.

Regards

^I'm in New York State and will be seeing a new GP soon. I'm not getting my hopes up because I have gone through much in the way of disappointment where the entire system here is concerned. I wish we had socialized medicine like Canada and I think the UK and other European countries. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be given resources at that time. Thank you.

Exceptions to the rule abound on the Spectrum

Hello - my son *was* the same way. He's in grade school now, and is talking away, but still has trouble with answering "how was your day?" type questions. Speech/Language people can help if they are good and know how to tackle this, but who is around him all the time? You. Here is a great resource that helped me communicate with my son, and figure out ways to help him express himself and start using more words. This is a book that any parent can use, and I show it to all my son's teachers for ideas.

http://www.hanen.org/web/Home/HanenProg ... fault.aspx

I used the "More Than Words" book when he was very young and just starting to talk (age 2.5) and later moved to "Talkability". I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend both. They are how-to books that are extremely easy to read, do, jump around. You may have to order it directly from this Canadian organization, or try ebay.

Thank you, Meadow. It upsets me so much... with strangers, I can often swallow hard and move on - they don't have an inkling of my challenges, and I can not expect them to act accordingly. Those instances generally leave me exhausted and emotionally volatile in the aftermath. It is with those who know me, who are aware of the fact that I have had difficulties long before me or them ever heard of AS and who I have even managed to talk to expressly about my need to talk, that lead to more explosive outbursts or reactions to their behavior. I'm sorry that it is something you have to face as well, as I know it is one of the most pervasive thorns in my mind that I experience.


M.

I often wonder the same thing---where will my son's language end up? My son had many words before he was even 2 years old. He could pronounce 4 syllable words like "diagnosis" for instance. But if you asked him if he wanted to go outside, he would just look at you. Most of his issues were related to low muscle tone, so I had a hard time believing that he was on the spectrum because he had good eye contact, and had many, many words. But what I learned from his therapists, he was not using the words functionally. He was not having back and forth communication. Then he started with repeating everything that he heard on tv or what others said. He had some really strange language connections.

However, he has been receiving speech therapy for about 2.5 years now, and his speech has improved by leaps and bounds! He now answers who, what,where questions (a few why questions) He makes comments on things and he is starting to tell me little stories. Oh, he is now 4.5 years old. His memory about things from even as far back to 1 year old is amazing! He also likes to talk a lot about cars and churches (his special interests).

His speech is still not as spontaneous or as natural as other kids his age, but I am so much more hopeful now that I am seeing the progression of his language. I agree with one of the other posters that we as parents can do just as much or more for our chlidren in the way of speech improvement as the teachers and therapists can.

One thing my son does not do is ask me a lot of questions about things. I wonder if or when that will happen!

Anyway, hang in there and just keep working with him. I think reading to him, talking to him as much as possible is going to help!

Good luck!

Wow, what a lot of great posts and answers to my original questions and musings! Thank you everyone that has given me heaps to think about and quite some hope for the future of his language. Also thanks to the people who gave me some ideas around specific types of therapy and literature to look into

Another book recommendation: "Baby Talk" by Dr Sally Ward. You can get it from a library or a bookshop, it's widely available. It describes a home-based speech therapy programme which was designed as a very early intervention to prevent or treat speech delay. It's based on a daily playtime, just you and your child together for half an hour. The book is full of information about how language and communication develops.

I do think those kinds of questions that you used as examples the "what would you like to eat?" and "What's wrong?" are hard conceptually. With my NT 30mo DD if I by mistake ask one of those questions, I always offer some suggestions, otherwise she blanks me out. And I correct "what's wrong?" to "you are crying, are you crying because blah blah..."

After a few months of this she is beginning to be able to answer the open questions occasionally... the eat question does get the reply "chocolate" LOL. Another reason not to ask an open question there!

Hope these ideas help