On January 15, 2009 an 8 yr. old male presented for Assessment that had been diagnosed by two Speech Pathologists with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (aka Developmental Dypraxia) and Auditory Processing Disorder. He was also diagnosed by a Medical Doctor with ADD. He was given 7 years of speech therapy which helped him advance sufficiently to communicate. His first two years of public school he received services from a Speech Therapist, an Occupational Therapist, a Physical Therapist, a Special Education Teacher and an Aid that was by his side the duration of school hours. (He could not work independently.) He also participated in FastforWord reading program both years.
This client was diagnosed with Microencephaly in utero. The doctors were concerned additionally because the occipital opening around his brain stem appeared to be too large. When he was born he looked normal but as time passed he showed developmental delays. He was tested at age 18 months and began speech therapy at age 2. From his earliest age he was shy and withdrawn. He did not smile and it was believed he did not have the muscular ability to smile. He was a stiff baby and did not like to be cuddled. At age 4 his vocabulary was 20 words. Read the rest of this entry »
