4 year old speech delay

[dyscovery]

Hello.  

My four and a half year old son has speech delay and has been receiving speech therapy for a year without much success.  Although I had not been unduly concerned about this previously, I was shocked to learn from his school teacher that she feels his gross motor skills are at a toddler level, although fine motor skills are normal.  This has worried me especially as my seven year old daughter has classic dyspraxia with poor fine and gross motor skills.

Should I be as concerned as I feel at this moment?  Is there a greater risk of him having verbal developmental dyspraxia and could this be why he has not improved in his speech and ? delayed gross motor skills.

His behaviour at school is poor and does not interact well with the other children.

Thanks for your support.

[MimiLiz]

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[rose308]

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[redheadk]

Thank you so much for having this conversation!!!  I've been complaining since my son was 2 that something is not quite right, I couldn't put my finger on exactly what but there was something wrong w/his speech.  He was diagnosed at 2, 3 & 4 and they told me he was fine and that he was ahead w/his sounds.  I asked him to repeat a sentence at the 4yo screening and he couldn't do it.  I asked him to say 'Mommy, I want to talk to you.' he could say each word by itself but in a sentence he would say 'Mommy I talk for you'.  He has very poor fine motor skills and I thought his gross motor were okay but he still takes one step at a time on the stairs.  I really appreciate the ideas of lego's and play-dough, I will definitely get some playdough and pull out the legos!  Thanks again!!  Mom in NC

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There is reason for concern, but not for alarm. It is not unusual for children like your son to display several related developmental conditions. In light of what you have learned, and in the context of the family history, it would be sensible to have him undero a developmental evaluation. Such evaluations examine the broad scope of a child's development, and usually involve a team of specialists (including developmental pediatrician, developmental psychologist, speech/language clincian, occupational therapist, etc.). Such an evaluation would answer your questions (and more) and point in the direction of whatever therapies might be required.

[LukeL]

I too had the classic symptoms of dyspraxia but have never been given a diagnosis of it so I could immediatly tell what your son has before seeing you also have a daughter with it.

Your  school should some sort of physical and occupational therapy program that your son could be enrolled in. Also to improve his motor skills I would suggest getting him some toys like legos, blocks, modeling clay, and play-dough.  You also may want to try things like playing catch, kicking a ball back and forth, jumping rope and other things which require complex motions of multple parts of the body to improve his gross motor skills.

I would discuss the above with his doctor and see what he reccomends. Just remember he can improve as I am now 22 and short of poor handwriting and a stutter have no other symptoms of dyspraxia.