Speech Issues in an Almost 6 year old

[Anonymous]

My DS with Aspergers taught himself how to read when he was three, not uncommon. Does your DD have trouble answering questions about things not directly in front of her? Like "name three things in your classroom?" That sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

Seeing as her speech itself (articulation, fluency, vocabulary) is normal I would think an in-depth assessment for processing/executive functioning/learning disabilities would be of value. It could be something like a non verbal learning disability or central auditory processing disorder as others have mentioned.

How does she do socially outside of the communicating - does she enjoy socializing, and play well with others?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did the speech therapist perform the Gilliam's test on your daughter? She sounds just like my daughter who has an (very mild, IMO) Asperger's diagnosis. The key to the diagnosis was both the slow processing and the very distinct annunciation. Does she have any trouble asking for things or for help from teachers? Just might be something to think about.

Hi there, I am not sure about this. I would have to go back and check. But I have considered aspergers myself but sort of don't know exactly where to go for an evaluation. She's had a dev ped evaluation and it didn't come up. But my dd also was a very early reader (before she was 4). I never knew that the precise pronunciation was associated with Aspergers. Is your DD in a DC public School?

13:36 again...I can't imagine a developmental pediatrician would have missed it if she were on the spectrum. It's just so hard to tell because there is a big subjective element to both the ASD and Asperger's tests, in my opinion. My daughter is only 3 and doesn't read yet (she barely knows all the letters) and she hasn't started school yet. The speech evaluator pretty much pegged her with Asperger's after 2 minutes based on her annunciation and the fact that her conversational abilities don't match her verbal abilities. She has good eye contact, loves her friends, and never had any other big warning signs, so I guess what I'm saying is that a child can fit just a few of the symptoms and still reach the diagnosis, which is actually helpful in terms of getting services more easily. But again, it sounds like you've covered your bases and I'd hope they wouldn't have missed it. Good luck with everything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seeing as her speech itself (articulation, fluency, vocabulary) is normal I would think an in-depth assessment for processing/executive functioning/learning disabilities would be of value. It could be something like a non verbal learning disability or central auditory processing disorder as others have mentioned.

How does she do socially outside of the communicating - does she enjoy socializing, and play well with others?

Its taken her until now, almost 6 to really become outgoing. Now, she goes up to children and starts conversations. In her pre-school they flagged her for social delays at age 3 and 4. She doesn't do great playing until the conversation follows out along a path that she is comfortable with. She does a lot of Q and A format.

I'm trying to figure out where to go for this type of in depth assessment -- would it be a neuropsych eval? A speech language Pathologist? We've been down the devel ped route and i have no interest in going back...at least not to Childrens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS with Aspergers taught himself how to read when he was three, not uncommon. Does your DD have trouble answering questions about things not directly in front of her? Like "name three things in your classroom?" That sort of thing.

No, no trouble naming things that are not in front of her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, did the speech therapist perform the Gilliam's test on your daughter? She sounds just like my daughter who has an (very mild, IMO) Asperger's diagnosis. The key to the diagnosis was both the slow processing and the very distinct annunciation. Does she have any trouble asking for things or for help from teachers? Just might be something to think about.

Hi there, I am not sure about this. I would have to go back and check. But I have considered aspergers myself but sort of don't know exactly where to go for an evaluation. She's had a dev ped evaluation and it didn't come up. But my dd also was a very early reader (before she was 4). I never knew that the precise pronunciation was associated with Aspergers. Is your DD in a DC public School?

13:36 again...I can't imagine a developmental pediatrician would have missed it if she were on the spectrum. It's just so hard to tell because there is a big subjective element to both the ASD and Asperger's tests, in my opinion. My daughter is only 3 and doesn't read yet (she barely knows all the letters) and she hasn't started school yet. The speech evaluator pretty much pegged her with Asperger's after 2 minutes based on her annunciation and the fact that her conversational abilities don't match her verbal abilities. She has good eye contact, loves her friends, and never had any other big warning signs, so I guess what I'm saying is that a child can fit just a few of the symptoms and still reach the diagnosis, which is actually helpful in terms of getting services more easily. But again, it sounds like you've covered your bases and I'd hope they wouldn't have missed it. Good luck with everything!

PP, was it the SLP that diagnosed your DD with Asperger's? Is it typically diagnosed so young?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:" listening therapies"

"software based program"

PPs, could you elaborate on the above? my son's the same (can't do volley convsation) but it's mostly because we're not native English speakers so he has no one to model after. i'm curious if these could help.

New poster here. We just started something called "Hear Builder / Following Directions" recommended by our SLP. We've only played it a few times, so I don't have enough experience with the product to give you a review, but it seems engaging. Apparently the further you get into the program the more complex it gets in terms of the number of steps you are asked to follow and the level of background distraction.