Have you experienced this?

[MamaGlitterBug]

Ok so every time Isaac gets a new therapist, within a month or two they state hes getting better & speech is improving. Now while I agree he talks more, meaning he's coming out of his shell, he is not understood by general population. I am constantly translating as I speak "Isaac" fluently. We have one "new" therapist that keeps stating that we're indirectly causing the apraxia because we allow him to talk however he talks.

I so disagree. We correct him all the time. He CAN speak the words properly when prompted, however; on his own he cannot reproduce them. This is where the apraxia falls into place. Everything goes in, what DOES come out sounds like babble or jargon. Words that sound similar in nature, are the same for him. Ex. Shoes is said like "boosh", fish is "bish" when he says it fast, it's hard to know which one is means...unless you see a picture or something. He is obsessed with octopus & color yellow. So he says those all the time, and it's more like "belo" and "occopus" so it's understandable....

It seems every time I turn around someone is telling me his speech is improving. I see he speaks MORE but to me it's not improving at rate they make it sound...

Today we were late. Normal parents of normal children drop their kids off at curb & they go inside and sign in. Not me, I take them in & sign them in, cause I know of Isaac's speech issue. Well as I signed in, the lady at desk asked my daughter her name & teacher's name. Amethyst stated the information, and the lady turns to Isaac. She said "what's your name and teacher's name"? He said "Ischac Sebens Swarlz. Ok, His name is Isaac Stevens, his teacher is Mrs. Schultz. The lady looks at me with a face of "what the heck did he say" so I translated. 

We are waiting on his augmentive communication device. I know when he gets this it will help his speech, but I just feel that these people are just getting "used" to his speech issues, so they mistake it as improvement. They keep mentioning maintstreaming eventually, and I am against it. I don't see how a teacher can teach him if she can't communicate with him. In a normal class there is no way he can do it yet. 

I realize Isaac is high functioning, but they make it sound like he's not autistic, when he definately is. He has one therapist that everytime he says his ears hurt she says its just an excuse not to work.  She has a loud voice that gets on MY nerves at times when she gets excited, so I know it's really hurting him. I've expressed that to her as well, that he DOES have sensitivity to sounds & lights. 

He's very smart, I don't doubt that. Honestly, once his speech is more of a normal consistancy it wouldn't surprise me if his diangosis was changed to Asperger's.....but that's not what he is NOW. I care about his future, but I've told them I have accepted Isaac AS IS but I want to give him all the help and support as possible. I just don't know if he's getting it if they think he's "normal" or not having issues that he's obviously having.

Have you experienced this? Any suggestions?

[destiny29]

     I don't like therapists that look at the parents and blame them rather than just making suggestions on how to help. That would have put a red flag up for me. A therapist should know better than to approach a parent that way. I think we as parents have enough guilt on our own, we don't need people adding to it. And, sometimes you have to "test-drive" a couple of therapists before you find the right one that clicks with your child. If your child has developed a relationship where they dread seeing the therapist because she looks a certain way or in your case, has a certain demeanor, no "healing" is going to come of that. Our kids are the most stubborn people in the whole world when it comes to whether they want to work or not. If he feels he's being picked on or that she doesn't really care, he's not going to work with her. I'm not talking about when the OT is pushing a child to confront a fear or something, I mean when it's just weird chemistry, does that make sense? I would look for a different therapist. I had to do this with a few of our therapists- we had a speech pathologist who would buckle him into a seat every time he came for speech. Well, my son has the sensory issues and spent the whole time fidgeting with the belt rather than listening to her. She refused to give up the seat belt so we switched pathologists. We have also been through several neurologists and psychiatrists for similar reasons. Sometimes people just don't work well together and with our kids that doesn't work out. Grab that mommy instinct and I would start calling around to other places.

[MamaRita]

I believe if therapists lived with Autism 24/7, they would be much more understanding in what Parents do everyday of their life. I know therapists are very important & very appreciated for their work. In your case, She needs to understand what you are doing as parents works for your Son. Good Luck Mama.

[MamaGlitterBug]

Isaac responds to her & loves her to death....it's just towards the end of therapy when he's getting tired or overwhelmed that he does the "ears hurt" thing. He sees her 6 hrs a week sometimes more...

[destiny29]

Quoting MamaGlitterBug:

Isaac responds to her & loves her to death....it's just towards the end of therapy when he's getting tired or overwhelmed that he does the "ears hurt" thing. He sees her 6 hrs a week sometimes more...

    I wonder then if the sessions are just too long at this point? Sometimes we have to go back to just 30 minutes for a while and then up to 45 and then a full hour. I wonder if he's "Burning out" before the session is over?

[MamaGlitterBug]

That's what I'm wondering. He had this week off so I'll see how it goes next week. My main thing is it seems that a lot of the therapists that spend the most time with him claim his speech is getting better. While he's more apt to try to talk, it's not understandable. so he's babbling more, but no one but me understands him....so is that really better or is it his confidence and insecurity is getting better, make sense?

[MommyJanice44]

 Always follow that instinct inside that is telling you what it is your feeling and your thinking . We are always right on the money when it does come to how or what is really going on with or around are children . Good luck with the new device .. Let us no how that works I have been wanting one for my Kyle forever . I pray it does help with your son . As far as the school''s Ugh on that one . I am not a huge fan on what they think or say .. I have had to learn to show the teachers ect staff aids , how to do there jobs , where my Child stands as far as his education . Your a great Mommy I no you don't have any problems saying what it is your feeling to these people . LoL on the loud voice . If it is bothering you there no doubt in my mind it is bothering the little one .. Good luck sweets .. He will start talking when he is ready . Just watch .. They can do all they want to help him . But until he feels inside he is able then he will . Just my experience with my Kyle .. I really think the computer is going to help him and you in so many ways . Again can't wait to hear how that go's .. AWESOME .  

[MamaGlitterBug]

Quoting MommyJanice44:

 Always follow that instinct inside that is telling you what it is your feeling and your thinking . We are always right on the money when it does come to how or what is really going on with or around are children . Good luck with the new device .. Let us no how that works I have been wanting one for my Kyle forever . I pray it does help with your son . As far as the school''s Ugh on that one . I am not a huge fan on what they think or say .. I have had to learn to show the teachers ect staff aids , how to do there jobs , where my Child stands as far as his education . Your a great Mommy I no you don't have any problems saying what it is your feeling to these people . LoL on the loud voice . If it is bothering you there no doubt in my mind it is bothering the little one .. Good luck sweets .. He will start talking when he is ready . Just watch .. They can do all they want to help him . But until he feels inside he is able then he will . Just my experience with my Kyle .. I really think the computer is going to help him and you in so many ways . Again can't wait to hear how that go's .. AWESOME .  

It has taken me 2 yrs to get the device. I requested evaluations & was ignored for almost 2 yrs then we moved and this new school listened. He was evaluated and I was todl it could take almost a year to get approval, he was approved within a month, which tells me they see it the way I do and not how the school does. (It was outside agency)