Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Pragmatic Language Help

I put out several calls, a few months ago, for an SLP to work with my son on his pragmatic language delay (approx 4yrs delayed, according to the neuropsych!) but I've not gotten a single call back. While I am trying to hunt down a professional, does anyone have any good computer-based recommendations to help DS8? He loooves video games, so if there are any pc-based games or iPad games that are meant to help teach social interactions he would totally get into that. He does not have any functional language delay, just pragmatic.

Thanks for any recommendations! Currently we just spend a lot of time talking about social situations whenever DS says he feels/felt angry, or insulted, or hurt, or whatever.

We never did find an SLP who was equipped to remediate pragmatic language delays due to autism. They appear to be *still* relatively rare.

We worked on this through a home ABA program instead; it was effective.

ETA: I would not choose a computer-based method for a kid who is already too engaged with glowing boxes and too little engaged with humans. If you don't have time to work on it intensively yourself, you can hire a college student to practice having engaging conversation and work on pragmatics and social skills.

DeeDee

Thanks DeeDee. DS will be attending group therapy sessions with a handful of other kids his age starting next month, so I am hoping that will really help. We'll keep working on it together at home, and I'll make sure his regular counselor knows we are working on it, I'm sure he can help some as well.

My thought for the iPad app thing was that he tends to want to withdraw for a bit when he gets home from school (probably just a bit overwhelmed from the day) and instead of him just reading or playing minecraft, I could have him play a game that's meant to help his social skills.

I've been having the same problem with DS4. And I'm realizing after having him evaluated by 3 speech pathologists on 3 different occasions that regular speech pathologists don't seem to pick up on these things unless maybe they'd be with the child every single day?

I had been so frustrated trying to get him to understand certain things over and over and over and nothing seemed to work. And then couple weeks ago he started watching Daniel Tiger neighborhood show on the PBS kids tv and it's been doing wonders for us! Maybe just watch one of the shows yourself and see if it's something your son would be interested in watching? It's not just the things they teach on the show but the way they teach them .... DS4 really seems to get EVERYTHING they say!

... I had to laugh so hard yesterday ... DS4 was playing with play-doh in the living room and suddenly I hear him say ... "hm, the wall is green!" ... I jumped up since the wall is light cream color! ... go into the living room and see neon green play-doh spot on the wall! So, my immediate reaction is "what you did is very BAD! Do not do this again! Do you understand?" ... and my dear child responds with a word by word with a song quote from the Daniel Tiger show: "When something seems bad, turn it around, and find something good!" ... He was so serious telling me, like he fully understood what it meant! ... and it's times like these where I'm realizing he's finally starting to "get" some of the things we say that I never thought he would get

anyways, don't have much advice for you ... but I know how you feel!

if u were here in socal i would have a name for you my sons SLP last year was awesome! her "specialty" is pragmatic speech! yes she works for lausd, and is 2schools but it was so AMAZING to meet her! because this is my DS6 biggest hurtle. she even agreed he should have 3 ST/wk all last year! he really came a long way with her! it is HUGE what a difference someone who really wants to work with kids in this area, can make to the child..
VS
now.... his new SLP does not care at all re pragmatic speech. she said she is there only to help with articulation as it relates to the school setting. i'm like "whaaaa?" i was like are you serious? do you understand pragmatic speech issues???? do you understand it affects a STUDENTs "ability to access curriculum" very much?????
(((((i should have asked if she cared about these kids she works with!!)))))
fact is,
she is without even assessing my DS6, but simply by mtg him 1time, she admitted she didn't know why he was receiving any ST at all! she said she would recommend he discontinue. i was incredulous. i pointed out she hadn't even had a sesh with him, she said there are children with greater needs than my DS and they should come first.
wow.
i won't go on...
my DS goes to her 3x/wk because that is the SLP @ his current school. another reason to leave!
but keep looking and talking.
the one here is amazing and i am thinking maybe i should transfer my DS there for now, just for the SPEECH.
ahhhh one of many issues.
good luck to you.
don't give up.
it will make a huge difference for your child
all the best!