Can you say...

Severe Expressive Language Disorder. Well, we can say it, but right now Kylie can't. No worries, we are working on getting all of that changed.

Okay, so today was the apptmt for a Hearing Test and then the Speech Evaluation through Children's Mercy. The Hearing Test was kinda neat, where Kylie sat on Matt's lap in front of a dark window. On the other side was a woman making some noises through speakers that were on both side of Kylie and in front of her. There were also clear boxes with mechanical toys in them, and the woman behind the glass controlled those as well. The idea was to get Kylie to look in the direction where the sound was coming from.

So yeah, way different than the headsets and raising your hand like we are used to from grade school. There is no way you will get a headset on Kylie, and have her comply with any of that. She did great with that, but I guess it is just a required thing when you are there for Speech issues.



Onto the Speech stuff. Our lady said that they like for kids to have 10 words by the time they are 1 yr old, and then putting two words together by the time they are 2yrs old. Also, that in order to be putting words together they need to know at least 50 words. Umm..Kylie has zero. With that said, she is giving her a diagnosis of Severe Expressive Language Disorder, as noted at the top of the blog.

Now what? Well she gave us some great things to do, which she said are going to wear us out and probably make us go a bit nutso. Hey, whatever it takes, right? Right :)

One thing to do is so power load our sentences. (Ex. Do you want your cup? Here is your cup? See, this is your green cup? Is there water in your cup? What color is your cup? ) I think that is a good example of what she was telling us.

Also to use some sort of motivator, like a cookie or something that Kylie will want. So make her point at want she wants (motivator) and do not give it to her until she points. The idea is to make her go from screaming at something to pointing, and signing, and talking. She can not have what she wants unless she does the appropriate action. And we are to ignore the screaming...ha,ha. Anyone have a surplus of ear plugs.

Umm..what else? To take a few toys in a room and she can only play with those toys for 20 minutes. The idea is to talk about the toys for the duration of the 20 minutes. Describe the toys, and talk about what Kylie is doing with the toys. The 3 ways to describe are: describe the activity, describe where Kylie is, and describe their mood. We are not to give any sort of directions, like push the car or anything.

Pick a word for the day. Pick a word to use all day long and use that word in every way possible. You can use this word for a couple days, and then change it to a new word.

The Speech Pathologist also mentioned that when we are teaching her to sign to go from behind her, so you are showing her how to do the right motions. This way she isn't going through you to sign and communicate...like looking to mom for the sign and then using it to communicate with dad. I know I have tried this a couple times, and Kylie doesn't like the help and wants to do it all herself, so this will be a bit of a challenge.

I think that is it, or at least all I can remember right now. Oh, I almost forgot. Speech Therapy. There is a wait for that....3months or so. I know, how do you get a diagnosis like Severe Expressive Language Disorder, and have a wait that long. Nothing we can do about the wait, so lots of homeschooling therapy by mom and dad until then.

K, thanks for checking in.