amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Goonboy · 10-24-2002, 05:30 PM

I second that on the apraxia kids website, it's awesome. Has all sorts of recommendations for toys, books, music, etc. to use with speech delayed kids. (Although many of them would be great for any kids to help them develop better speech/communication skills.)

I got a wonderful CD there called Time to Sing that has slowed down the words of popular kid's songs, like The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc. The tempo of songs is just as fast, just the words are in double time, kwim? It's put out by a Symphony Co, it's very high quality and worth the $16. My Speech Path loves it, he made a copy to keep and is already using it with other kids.

Here is a peek at it:

http://www.apraxia-kids.org/resources/toyscds.html

I also highly recommend a book for Autistic and Speech delayed kids called Relationship Development Intervention. Horrible title, but it is chock full of activities to do with kids that are fun, easy, and really help to develop some of the skills that these kids need to come out of their shells and interact/communicate more with others. My Speech Path told me about it, he works with Autistic kids every day and this is his number one resource. Even better, they have one book for young kids, and one for slightly older.

Take a look:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...22518?v=glance

HTH. Thanks again Stacy, I'll have to go back and read your whole post. Man, you must have sore fingers! ; ) -Laura

babybubble · 10-24-2002, 06:05 PM

There is alot of info and so much to comprehend also. I just got off the phone with Children's trying to come up with something for my 5 year old daughter to chew on. Her chewing need is getting worse. Buttons off clothes, sleeves soaking wet and all stretched out and she is complaining about them all. She won't use the rubber tubing, so she suggested some gum for her to chew but she doesn't like them and then she swallows them also. Any other suggestions for me. We are running into dead ends. She won't use baby toys or teathers and can poke holes in ones with gel in them. Need something she can use at school as well.

Thanks,
Tonia

10-24-2002, 06:55 PM

I'd say sugarfree bubble gum or lollipops. Be sure it's written into her IEP so that no one gives her crap for it!

Tyler, the little boy I bbsit, also does this. I've found that giving him VERY hard, crunchy or chewy foods seems to help this. How about tiring out her jaw with something really chewy before school? Like, um.....apples, rice cakes, starburst or twizzlers? (I know, sugary candy...but if they had it sugarfree, my ds would have them more often! He seeks extra oral motor stimulation, too!).

How about just bic pens with the ink part taken out? Or straws to chew on?

HTH and if you need more ideas LMK and I'll ask my ds' speech path and his old OT as well....maybe get together a few more ideas.

OH! How about having her use one of those vibrating teethers before school.....the vibrations will give her the sensory stim she craves and after a few minutes, desensitizes her mouth/jaw, too!

Quote:

Originally posted by babybubble
There is alot of info and so much to comprehend also. I just got off the phone with Children's trying to come up with something for my 5 year old daughter to chew on. Her chewing need is getting worse. Buttons off clothes, sleeves soaking wet and all stretched out and she is complaining about them all. She won't use the rubber tubing, so she suggested some gum for her to chew but she doesn't like them and then she swallows them also. Any other suggestions for me. We are running into dead ends. She won't use baby toys or teathers and can poke holes in ones with gel in them. Need something she can use at school as well.

Thanks,
Tonia

HeatherM · 10-26-2002, 03:20 AM

ok, I know dd scored a 66 which would put her at moderately autistic but that test has one major error, it doesn't take into account NORMAL development for different ages! A 2 yr old is going to score very differently then a 4 yr old. I refilled it out making allowances for NORMAL 2 yr old behavior and ability and she scored a 7. I can live with that! I feel like writing those people and telling them they need to state the test is only good for X age and older!

momufactured · 10-28-2002, 01:08 AM

but...just wanted to post before I forget....

And, maybe it's already been suggested, but I'm still reading all the awesome info

You could read "The Out of Sync Child". It is about SID and a good book IMO. Explains how, yes, your child can be overly (hyper) sensitive to one thing, but under (hypo) sensitive to something similar. That was always what drove me nutty about Lorenzo....he could do one thing and love it, but something similar...he'd scream over.

Another book that we've found helpful with behavior issues is "The Explosive Child" by Dr. Ross Greene.

If I get the chance, I'll find our eval and put it in also. My ds (6)was dx with Asperger's Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) at 5.5, although we had been receiving private speech, PT, OT, play therapy, and group social therapy since 2y3m. Luckily, his insurance is SOOO good about paying! He's had at least $40K in therapy, docs, and evals in the 4 years we've been 'doing' this.