OP here - I'd love to find a fun group or class for my 2 year old. Maybe one where he can work on things he needs to improve but can have fun and be in a group type setting while doing it. Any suggestions?

Anonymous wrote:PROMPT is one approach and it works particularly well with kids who are not forming many words, but PROMPT is less helpful for kids who need help with conversational speech. Then you just need a good speech-language pathologist who can help with working on articulation at the conversational level.

I disagree. I have a kid with apraxia and one without. The one without apraxia has problems with Rs and Ls and retracting her lips on certain sounds. When she reached an age she should have out gown it, she began seeing the same PROMPT certified SLP that works with my kid with apraxia because PROMPT certified therapists ARE speech/language pathologists. PROMPT has been very effective for both kids. It's certainly not the only approach they use. Lke any good service provider, they use multiple techniques according to the need and according to the child. It also hasn't cost any more for a PROMPT certified SLP than one who doesn't use PROMPT.

PROMPT is one approach and it works particularly well with kids who are not forming many words, but PROMPT is less helpful for kids who need help with conversational speech. Then you just need a good speech-language pathologist who can help with working on articulation at the conversational level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My two and 1/2 year old also has apraxia and he is unable to clearly say any words yet. He has been seeing a prompt therapist weekly for the past two months and has learned to make the "u","ah",and "m" sounds. It has been very slow going. He also sees a private occupational therapist weekly. We live in Fairax County and since September he has had a resource teacher come from the school twice a week, but it has been a complete waste of time. She doesnt seem to have a clue how to help him. Does anyone know if I can get occupational therapy and/or speech therapy from FCPS instead of this useless resource teacher? Or are there good resource teachers out there that I might be able to switch to a better one? Or does anyone have any better suggestions?

When does he turn 3?

I was less than thrilled with Fairfax County infant and toddlers therapy program, but I have been extremely, extremely pleased with the FCPS early intervention preschool services. Night and day difference for us. They still don't do a whole lot to actually direclty address apraxia, but just having my kids in a small class every day with extremely qualified teachers and nice aides experiencing a strong curriculum in a very structured, consistent, and caring environment has been fabulous -- and free. We still do private ST and OT to address the motor planning issues more specifically, but the non-cat preschool classes through FCPS have been wonderful for both my kids.

A child can start the September after he/she turns 3. So, if your kiddo turned 3 prior to Sept, he would be qualified to start now. If not, he'll be qualified on the day he turns 3.

Best wishes to you.

I had the same exact experience with my now 2 1/2 year old DD. We love the FCPS early intervention preschool services. Fairfax County infant and toddlers was.. ah... okay.. but we are so happy we made the switch to the preschool program. We also do private PROMPT and love that too.

So many of these disorders have overlapping symptoms and many of them are 'spectrum' disorders - meaning there is a huge range of affliction and severity. Since apraxia of speech is a planning/coordination disorder, it's not uncommon for people to be afflicted in other physical areas. However, people with ASD can have motor planning/coordination issues, people with ADHD can have it, people with sensory can have it. People with nothing else going on can have it. Hyperactivity can be a symptom of ADHD but it can also be a symptom of low muscle tone. When muscles are fatigued, there's more movement to relief the stress muscles. Other people will exhibit increased movement as mental effort increases. Finally, "strong" isn't very descriptive. Almost everyone can be 'strong' in their way, even people with low muscle tone. "Strength" has nothing to do with tone.

So, in short, of course hyperactivity/strong can be seen in people with apraxia but it's also seen in a whole lot of other people, too. It's not a defining characteristic.

The hyper/strong sounds like sensory processing. Most kids with apraxia have sensory issues too. Its common. My two year old is very strong.

Not all kids with speech delays have apraxia. And, yes, some can have motor skill issues too. A child can have any combination. The hyperactive/strong probably has nothing to do with the actual delay but that may be their way of communicating.

Do kids with apraxia also have problems with motor skills, other than just speech? Can a child by hyperactive/ strong and still have aPraxia? Thanks!

Yes we are in frederick and I believe it's 3 here.

Anonymous wrote:Wait he is eligible for preschool now at 2? For frederick co I thought they had to be three? They said the transition starts at 2.5 so you have six months to transition? Their preschool runs for 3-4 year olds....so at two he can't get into anything. We do try to do alot of playdates because he loves kids!!

I'm sorry. I thought you were in Fairfax County. (If by chance you indeed are in Fairfax County, then yes, he's eligible now because he turned 2 prior to September 1st. In Fairfax County, a child is eligible for school-based services starting the September after they turn 2.)

I do not know the eligibility rules for Frederick County. I'm sorry if I confused you.