The Late Talker: What to Do If Your Child Isn't Talking Yet

by Marilyn C. Agin, Lisa F. Geng, Malcolm Nicholl

Overview

Every parent eagerly awaits the day his or her child will speak for the first time. For millions of mothers and fathers, however, anticipation turns to anxiety when those initial, all-important words are a long time coming. Many worried parents are reassured that their child is "just a late talker," but unfortunately, all too often that is not the case. Nineteen million children in the United States have serious speech disorders, such as apraxia of speech. For these toddlers, early and intensive speech therapy is crucial if they are to stand a chance of ever speaking normally. This book was written to help the worried parent cut through the confusion and stress to determine if their child needs help.

The Late Talker is the first book of its kind, providing effective, practical answers to the questions every concerned parent asks. Written by Marilyn C. Agin, a highly respected developmental pediatrician, and Lisa F. Geng, a mother of two late talkers, it is a tremendously useful handbook that includes:

- Ways to identify the warning signs of a speech disorder
- Information on how to get the right kind of evaluations and therapy
- Ways to obtain appropriate services through the school system and health insurance
- Fun at-home activities that parents can do with their child to stimulate speech
- Groundbreaking evidence of the promising and dramatic benefits of nutritional supplementation
- Advice from experienced parents who've been there on what to expect and what you can do to be your child's best advocate

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312309244
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/01/2004
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.35(d)

About the Author

Marilyn C. Agin, M.D. has a master's degree in Communication Disorders and was a practicing speech pathologist; she is board certified in Pediatrics and Rehabilitation. Dr. Agin is the Medical Director of the Early Intervention Program for New York City—the biggest program of its kind in the country. She also treats developmentally disabled children in a clinic setting and does private neurodevelopmental evaluations for children of all ages.

Lisa Geng is the mother of two "late talkers" and the founder and president of Children's Apraxia Network, a non-profit organization for children with neurologically-based language disorders. Lisa also founded CHERAB, a nonprofit foundation for parents and professionals working together to provide support and information for parents of children with speech challenges and/or apraxia.

Malcolm J. Nicholl is a former international journalist whose career included a two year position as Belfast bureau chief for the London Daily Mirror. He has written extensively on nutrition and education subjects.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	vii
	Foreword	ix
	The Terms We Use	xiii
	Introduction	xvii
1.	The Road to Speech	1
2.	The Danger of Delay	12
3.	My Mouth Won't Work	25
4.	Meet the Experts: Doctors and Therapists	39
5.	Unlocking Her Voice: Getting the Right Kind of Therapy	53
6.	Getting the Help You Need	70
7.	What Parents Can Do to Help	90
8.	Alternative Strategies: Nutritional Intervention	108
9.	Coping with Your Child's Frustrations	124
10.	Coping with Your Own Frustrations and Fears	138
11.	Putting It All Together	158
	Resources	167
Appendix A.	A Week in the Life: Tanner's Diary	179
Appendix B.	Excerpt from a Neurodevelopmental Evaluation	185
Appendix C.	Letter of Medical Necessity	189
Appendix D.	Guideline for Speech-Language Eligibility Criteria/Matrix for Schools	191
Appendix E.	Abbreviations	195
	Glossary	199
	Bibliography	207
	Index	223

Editorial Reviews

This gem of a book provides useful, field-tested advice . . . offering comfort and counsel for the anxious parent.” —Richard D. Lavoie, M.S., M.Ed., visiting professor at Simmons College, former director of the Riverview School, and producer of The F.A.T. City Video

“Full of terrifically practical and encouraging information . . . Everyone on the team helping your late-talking child will benefit from reading this book.” —Martha R. Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., pediatric neurologist, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School


“This book offers reassuring and realistic advice . . . Armed with this knowledge, both parents and professionals alike will be able to help late talkers find their voice.” —ADVANCE Magazine

From the Publisher

The mother of a boy with a speech disorder and the developmental pediatrician and former speech-language pathologist who diagnosed it as apraxia team up with scribe Nicholl to pen this expert guide to understanding speech delays and problems. Parents whose child doesn't say "mama" or "dada" soon enough might hope he's a "late talker," and if that were always true, there'd be no cause for alarm. But if the child has a speech disorder, early diagnosis and intervention is crucial: "Studies have shown that youngsters with learning disabilities make up a 'disproportionately large' percentage of suicides." The authors of this volume show, via clear chapters and even clearer charts, the kinds of language milestones kids should hit at certain ages and the warning signs of potential disorders. An overview of speech disorders focuses particularly on those in which language acquisition and speech sound production is affected-e.g., apraxia, a neurological motor speech impairment that has a number of associated conditions, including sensory integration dysfunction. The authors walk parents through finding the right doctor, therapist and method of therapy; ensuring that their publicly schooled child gets an Individualized Educational Program; dealing with insurance companies; engaging in activities that encourage speech practice; understanding nutritional supplements; and dealing with fears, both their child's and their own. A careful, thorough and realistic book, this will be a great resource for any parent dealing with these issues. (Apr.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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