HOH & Apraxia

[deafgal001]

He can see what you say by lipreading. But he can't hear all the consonants.

Yep speechreading.
that is my method of communication.
but wow if it is true, it's amazing the he's a pro at his age
But then again, that's how so many deaf from our past generation got undiagnosed for so long like my older sister. She is deaf for a long time and no one knew. Everyone spoiled her by talking to her alot close to her. So she wasn't delayed. Just that the teacher knew there's something wrong with her hearing

 

[faire_jour]

He can see what you say by lipreading. But he can't hear all the consonants.

Right, if he can understand, it doesn't mean he can hear it. You speak the way you hear (barring what you are specifically taught!)

 

[deafdyke]

I have contacted Tyler's SLP and suggested apraxia... I have also arranged an appointment with a pediatrician to discuss as well.

Could you get an appointment with a really good SLP? Apraxia is one of those "seen but not all that common" dx.....but yeah I think you're onto something. I wonder too if he may have a syndrome or something. Anyone know if there are syndromes where apraxia is common? I'd ask someone about that.

 

[faire_jour]

Could you get an appointment with a really good SLP? Apraxia is one of those "seen but not all that common" dx.....but yeah I think you're onto something. I wonder too if he may have a syndrome or something. Anyone know if there are syndromes where apraxia is common? I'd ask someone about that.

I think apraxia is way over dx'ed in kids with hearing loss. How can you separate out what is from not hearing? You would have to do very in depth speech perception testing to see what the kiddo is hearing and what he isn't and see if that matches up to the sounds that he is making or not making.

Plus, I really don't get searching for MORE "wrong" when there is a clear possible cause. Why not rule that out? I think kids with hearing loss are way too often dx'ed as having learning disabilities, ADHD, apraxia, and sometimes even ASD when most of these issues (not always, but often) can be traced back to not hearing spoken language (when it is their primary method of communication).

Oh, and my sister had severe childhood apraxia and she still to this day struggles with motor planning issues. She drools in her sleep and sometimes when she talks too much or too fast, she has to literally stop and swallow. She never learned to coordinate that. Does Tyler have motor planning or drooling issues?

 

[deafdyke]

I think apraxia is way over dx'ed in kids with hearing loss. How can you separate out what is from not hearing? You would have to do very in depth speech perception testing to see what the kiddo is hearing and what he isn't and see if that matches up to the sounds that he is making or not making.

Plus, I really don't get searching for MORE "wrong" when there is a clear possible cause. Why not rule that out? I think kids with hearing loss are way too often dx'ed as having learning disabilities, ADHD, apraxia, and sometimes even ASD when most of these issues (but always, but often) can be traced back to not hearing spoken language (when it is their primary method of communication).

I do see what you're saying......and I agree with you to a point. Oral only kids ARE overdx with mild co morbid issues when in fact, it's basicly just the result of them having only one tool in their toolbox. But, I also think you're missing that in some cases, there IS a legit co morbid. I mean, I was looking at one of my first audiograms from when I was a little girl. ('82) They said that after I was aided, I made HUGE strides.....but there was still a significent speech delay (which would prolly have been dx as apraxia if it was today)

 

[ryancher]

Does Tyler have motor planning or drooling issues?

Drooling... no.

The SLP mentioned at the last visit that Tyler has a Motor Speech Delay. He also has issues with some other gross/fine motor skills. He just recently started to use a fork/spoon and drinking from a straw... up until a few weeks ago he would struggle with this. We're still having issues with drinking from a cup - he wants to constantly put his tongue inside the cup - like drinking like a cat - tasting the fluid first.

He has no problems jumping, running or climbing... or even dressing or brushing his teeth. It seems to be the fine motor and speech (mouth/tongue) that he has issues with.

 

[KristinaB]

Drooling... no.

The SLP mentioned at the last visit that Tyler has a Motor Speech Delay. He also has issues with some other gross/fine motor skills. He just recently started to use a fork/spoon and drinking from a straw... up until a few weeks ago he would struggle with this. We're still having issues with drinking from a cup - he wants to constantly put his tongue inside the cup - like drinking like a cat - tasting the fluid first.

He has no problems jumping, running or climbing... or even dressing or brushing his teeth. It seems to be the fine motor and speech (mouth/tongue) that he has issues with.

My daughter went through this as well. Even at 16, she will slip and do that, but will mentally catch herself and stop.

 

[AlleyCat]

My daughter went through this as well. Even at 16, she will slip and do that, but will mentally catch herself and stop.

What makes that happen? I'm just curious. This is new stuff to me.

 

[KristinaB]

What makes that happen? I'm just curious. This is new stuff to me.

For my daughter, we never got a diagnosis regarding that. I know she had poor oral/facial muscle control. She had, and still does, fine motor and gross motor skill problems. But as far as the facial muscles, she had a hard time making her lips move at all. She always had problems with a baby bottle and could not suck the nipple. Doctor never said anything when I mentioned it. I went to 5 pediatricians and none of them had an answer. She had extensive therapy and eventually her exercises involved having a lollipop in her mouth, the therapist would pull at it and she was to hold it in her mouth without using her teeth. It took 5 years to master that. She had poor muscle control in the neck and back of throat. She could not say her "L" sound. Trying to say the word "yellow" was "yeyoh" for a long time. She could not say the hard "g" sound or the "ck" sounds. It took her about 7 years to get a "tr" sound out right. She still slips and we have to correct her and make her slow down and realize what she's doing. She was and still is a heavy drooler when she sleeps, but then, I also have been since birth according to my mother.

 

[deafdyke]

The SLP mentioned at the last visit that Tyler has a Motor Speech Delay. He also has issues with some other gross/fine motor skills. He just recently started to use a fork/spoon and drinking from a straw... up until a few weeks ago he would struggle with this

Yes. Tyler is meeting almost all the symptoms listed for apraxia. This is NOT "oh he has a mild hoh style spoken language delay so we're gonna dx him with apraxia" Plus it seems like he has it severely.
And you know what? I'd contact whatever Cerebal Palsy organizations are out there. Apraxia is seen quite a bit in the CP population. They may be able to help you or hook you up with appropreate therapists and stuff like that.

 

[faire_jour]

Yes. Tyler is meeting almost all the symptoms listed for apraxia. This is NOT "oh he has a mild hoh style spoken language delay so we're gonna dx him with apraxia" Plus it seems like he has it severely.
And you know what? I'd contact whatever Cerebal Palsy organizations are out there. Apraxia is seen quite a bit in the CP population. They may be able to help you or hook you up with appropreate therapists and stuff like that.

Miss Kat would have met all those criteria as well.....most kids unable to access spoken language would.

 

[KristinaB]

With that list, both my daughter and I would have met everything.

 

[ryancher]

I contacted his SLP and Pediatrician today... hopefully we can get some answers or atleast some therapy suggestions.

 

[AlleyCat]

For my daughter, we never got a diagnosis regarding that. I know she had poor oral/facial muscle control. She had, and still does, fine motor and gross motor skill problems. But as far as the facial muscles, she had a hard time making her lips move at all. She always had problems with a baby bottle and could not suck the nipple. Doctor never said anything when I mentioned it. I went to 5 pediatricians and none of them had an answer. She had extensive therapy and eventually her exercises involved having a lollipop in her mouth, the therapist would pull at it and she was to hold it in her mouth without using her teeth. It took 5 years to master that. She had poor muscle control in the neck and back of throat. She could not say her "L" sound. Trying to say the word "yellow" was "yeyoh" for a long time. She could not say the hard "g" sound or the "ck" sounds. It took her about 7 years to get a "tr" sound out right. She still slips and we have to correct her and make her slow down and realize what she's doing. She was and still is a heavy drooler when she sleeps, but then, I also have been since birth according to my mother.

That's really very interesting. Thank you for explaining. It sucks that you were not ever able to get a diagnosis.

 

[deafdyke]

Miss Kat would have met all those criteria as well.....most kids unable to access spoken language would.

Yeah but all or some? And the thing that you're missing is that his receptive language is on par. If it wasn't, I would suggest looking into going to see a good audi.
Kristinia that doesn't surprise me with your daughter, since severe speech delay is a hallmark of the more significent LDs/milder nereological issues.

 

[KristinaB]

Kristinia that doesn't surprise me with your daughter, since severe speech delay is a hallmark of the more significent LDs/milder nereological issues.

Yeah - but ya know - she is doing so much better. She does have her little issues, but all in all, she is doing a heck of a lot better. She will purposely try to do crafts that make her work on her motor skills and still to this day, will read aloud to the teddy bears and dolls. Yes, at 16 she still has dolls and does play with Shirley. I'm not about to make her stop as it makes her happy. She reads to them and like to try and explain the story, pretending they don't understand.

 

[faire_jour]

Yeah but all or some? And the thing that you're missing is that his receptive language is on par. If it wasn't, I would suggest looking into going to see a good audi.
Kristinia that doesn't surprise me with your daughter, since severe speech delay is a hallmark of the more significent LDs/milder nereological issues.

All. (As soon as she started losing hearing)

I think the key is what he is getting receptively as well. Has he had really good speech discrimination testing? What did they use? The WIPI? HINT? Also, what language test did they use to measure his receptive language?