What would you do? Moving child to a speech and language school

[catty]

Hello! My first ever post in the kids section!

My son has a speech delay/disorder. It's a very lengthy process and improvements are very slow.
The speech therapist told me before the summer holidays that she thinks he might be a candidate for a speech and language school. I was a bit shocked at the time as it had never been brought up before and I thought we were making progress.
Anyway fast forward 3 months and my son has settled into P1 really well. He has lots of friends and is a sociable happy little boy. He has been recieving speech therapy 1 hour a week (all he can get) and she called me yesterday to say she thinks we should still go ahead and apply for the speech school if im happy to.

I should also add this goes to a panel and he might not even be accepted. To be the right candidate you basically need to have nothing 'wrong' apart from the speech delay.
Im so torn!
It would be for around 6 months to 1 year he will leave the local primary. He will go this other school and have speech therapists with him all day. It is a very small class (under 10) and everyone I've spoken to said the school is amazing.

Should I put him? I know deep down I should take what im given but at the same time he's made friends, people seem to somehow understand him there and he's happy

Help!

 

[VALiz]

Me personally, I would send him to the speech school. I know change is scary and always a risk of course. It sounds concerning that “people seem to somehow understand him there.” Meaning maybe you’re surprised they can even understand him? I’m not sure how severe the delay is... You could always apply and give yourself more time to think about. You don’t know that he’ll even get in.

Best of luck!

 

[catty]

Me personally, I would send him to the speech school. I know change is scary and always a risk of course. It sounds concerning that “people seem to somehow understand him there.” Meaning maybe you’re surprised they can even understand him? I’m not sure how severe the delay is... You could always apply and give yourself more time to think about. You don’t know that he’ll even get in.

Best of luck!

The wording does sound bad actually. I just find I notice alot of adults struggle to understand if they don't know him but kids just seem to understand. I was also surprised at the parents evening that the teacher understood everything he said because my mum or sister always look like they can't understand although they see him alot less than the teacher .

I don't feel it's severe at all he can say any word there is and has no problems putting together long sentences etc. The problem is he can't say certain letters and she said she doesn't think that will fix on its own he needs to be helped an hour a week just isn't enough.

I think we will definitely go to the meeting and take it from there

 

[SarahBear]

If it is a lengthy process, I would apply so that you can find out if it is even an option. That being said, it seems extreme to me to pull a kid out of public school for an articulation problem. If an hour a week is not enough, why can't the school increase his time? What about speech consultation to the gen ed teacher so they can help the rest of the week? What about speech homework so you can help? What about private speech if you can afford it or if insurance will pay?

 

[catty]

They are very short staffed and an hour is all they can give. I have looked into private but it is £70/£80 per session and unfortunately just can't afford it.

We get homework home but it's things like playing a game and everytime it's his shot he has to say T (the letter he struggles with) or S. half the time he just messes about with it as he just wants to play the game.
We also hide duplo blocks around the house and he has to go find which colour is for each part of the mouth ie. Red for lips and then make the sound that part of the mouth uses. He's very good at this but unfortunately he still doesn't get any nearer to saying it.

We've also had a cleft palate appointment, he's had his hearing tested and he's had a hospital appointment with someone higher up but it doesn't appear to be anything physically wrong


I should also say it's not the school doing the speech therapy it is a speech and language therapist but she sees him at the school. There is nothing in place at the school for children with additional needs

 

[Babybump87]

We had the option of sending DD1 to Speech school 2 days a week last year . She was already settled in reception and after speaking to her teacher we decided not to send her .

We didn’t want the confusion / upset with her being in two schools . She was settled and happy . Her teacher and the time felt like she didn’t need to go but , because she had received 1-1 Speech sessions for a while they had to give us the option . Her sessions were only 1/2 an hour and involved playing games much like your sons sessions .

It’s a decision we don’t regret . Her speech has come along so much that she’s been discharged from speech therapy. No issues in school and is achieving like her classmates . I didn’t see how sending her to a school were all the kids had some kind of Speech issue would help her. Given that generally kids copy other kids.

Have you spoken to his school teacher ,get their opinion ? . Does he miss the T and S sounds out of words ? . Has the therapist mentioned his Jaw/Tongue May be uncoordinated so he might not be able to get his tongue around certain words?

 

[superfrizbee]

Speaking as a mother of a child with a speech disorder here. Some context... My son is nearly 4 and had a stroke as a baby which has resulted in a mild left sided weakness. His speech is very unclear because his tongue and lips do not move as they should, because of the messages getting through from the brain injury via the nerves. His cognitive ability is just fine, as is his receptive language. Its purely physical. He is making progress with speech therapy (we pay privately to see a specialist) but he is still very unclear. His is due to start mainstream school next September.

I guess it doesn't hurt to start to process assuming that you can either accept or decline the place should he be offered one? Cover your bases.

But ultimately, your son is understood at school for the most part and settled. I would be hesitant to change that if he is happy.

I wonder if the nhs would at least part fund extra therapy. It would cut the cost for both of you.

Re the school, whi would be his classmates? My niece who was 5 and non verbal moved from mainstream to a specialist school. She does have some learning difficulties but is now back in mainstream education. All of the kids in her speech class had different issues, some behavioural as well and who socially weren't as forward as her. To be honest, she picked up some pretty negative behaviours from being there.

For my son, practice, practice, practice is what progresses him. He doesn't get this through a salt, he gets this from interacting with his family and other children. He is not going to get that same peer on peer interaction in that school environment.

My son is a mainstream child with additional needs and I believe I can offer him the salt support he needs with the guidance of our private salt. I dont find the nhs understand his needs at all, as he is quite a singular case. They push oral motor activities, but there is a lot of evidence now that they dont help speech, for instance. Yet they persevere in pushing them.

I know you cant afford a private salt long term, but if you can manage short term for some investigations and advice our guy is amazing. Such a lovely and knowledgeable man. I'd be happy to send you his details. He's an American living in Vietnam and we do sessions weekly by Webex. Such is the lengths we have to go to to get a specialist. Good luck with decision, it's a tough one. Ultimately trust tour instincts. Go with where you think your son will be happiest and get most social interaction.

 

[superfrizbee]

Sorry for the typos. Speed writing on my phone!

 

[lau86]

Personally I would keep him where he is- is seems extreme for purely a speech problem.

 

[BelleNuit]

Hi there I'm an occupational therapist and work closely with other speech language pathologists I would strongly encourage you to pursue the specialized speech school. Right now he is in the process of building his brain, including his speech and language centers. You want to build the strongest brain possible! It sounds like his speech sound disorder is quite severe from what you're describing. You will definitely want that fully addressed before he starts Jr high and high school when kids will be less forgiving. The thing with kids is that they make new friends. Often times changing schools is more difficult for parents!

 

[jensonsmummy]

My son is currently in P2 at a speech and language unit. Its his second year and will go back to full time mainstream next year. He currently does 4 days speech school and 1 day mainstream. It was the best decision we ever made for him. He has a language disorder which apparently when goes to panel gets them further up the list for a place.

 

[catty]

Hi there, just a quick update. We went to panel and my son was accepted into the speech school. He actually starts on Monday!! Was a very quick acceptance in the end and they said the initial periods is 6 weeks but I'd personally think he will be there 6 months to 1 year.
In actually very happy about it now, he will get speech therapy all day and he seems completely happy about the idea which has really surprised me...although all could change on the day!

 

[superfrizbee]

Best of luck! I'd be really interested to hear how your son gets on if you don't mind giving an update.

 

[catty]

He has been at the school a week and it so far has been amazing!!
I don't know if his speech has improved any yet but the extra help in other areas is REALLY helping him. He struggled with writing any letters, for his name he could do an L U C and he couldn't do A S. just in this week he can write his name and actually wants too. I think his confidence was knocked in his other class as he didn't even want to try and write and said he wasn't as good as the others .
He has been getting excersises to strengthen his grip and he seems so excited about drawing/writing.

I do think maybe he has an overall mild delay in most areas but not severe enough to get a label.
He also points to books and says there a G , L, A, etc which he didn't so the week before.

I will update again later as it has only been a week but im really happy for him

 

[BelleNuit]

I'm so glad to hear things are working out at the new school!

 

[Eleanor ace]

That's so great! I would have loved this option for DS at that age, and even now. It sounds like the school will be so great for Lucas and developing his confidence & self-belief too.

 

[catty]

Thought I would do a quick update since my son has now been at the school for a little while now and we have had his first assesment.
Basically they said he definitely should be there and he will need to do his second year of primary school there too. They don't tell you any further than that as obviously don't know how each child will progress.
The speech therapist said his vocabulary is scoring at an 8 year old level (he is 5)
However he has many different types of problems with his speech that gives him a significant speech delay.
He is going to be getting physio as she said his core muscles are very weak.
They also notice how clumsy he is and will bring that up with physio too.
He had many positives but I guess you always focus in on the ''problems' im fully expecting they will be telling me he is dyspraxic but I think it's too early to be told yet.
I feel very satisfied with him being there I actually am so glad we did it .

 

[Eleanor ace]

It sounds like you really made the right decision opting to send him there. He'll get so much support .