pediatric neurologist

I am taking my daughter to see a pediatric neurologist to be evaluated for speech issues tomorrow. She had a speech delay which has improved tremendously, but she still has some speech issues. She has been evaluated by early intervention a couple times and despite them telling me that she does have speech issues, she did not qualify
for early intervention because her scores in other areas tested were way too high. So the speech therapist that evaluated her last time basically told me she wouldn't get services through early intervention and that I should go the neurologist route so that she gets help sooner rather than waiting until she is in elementary school and has to be pulled out of the classroom. She told me that she is concerned about speech apraxia. She is just about 3 and a half now. I was just wondering if any one had any experience with this and could tell me what I should expect. TIA!

Message edited 8/19/2009 6:57:54 PM.

Re: pediatric neurologist

Did you have her evalauted by the county or by the school district?

DH's cousins son was denied 3 x's by Suffolk County EI. She finally had to go through the school district and was diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech. He unfortunately doesnt have many words or even sounds. He will be 3 in September.

I am not sure that a neurologist will be able to help you much if there is not something neurologically wrong. I could be wrong though. Maybe a developmental pediatrician would be a better route? Unfortunately I think it takes months to get an appt. with one.

Re: pediatric neurologist

We had her evaluated by nassau county twice and then by the school district. The school district starts evaluating them when they turn 3 in nassau county. The speech pathologist told me that she was apraxic, but when evaluated by the school district, they test them in 3 areas and the combined score is what counts towards whether they get services or not. My DD test scores in the areas other then speech cause her to not qualify because she is advanced in all areas except speech. Our pedicatrician and the speech therapist we saw both told me that the next step is a pediatric neurologist who will rule out any other issue and can then diagnose speech apraxia. If the pediatric neurologist rules it as speech apraxia, then the school district doesn't have any say in the matter and automatically has to give her services no matter what the scores were and what they have ruled in prior evaluations. I just hope that we get the answer we need because it is so frustrating for her when people don't understand her. And it's even more upsetting for me especially when I can't understand her. She is bright, so she knows that people don't understand her and she gets so mad at herself. that we get the answers we need tomorrow.

Re: pediatric neurologist

which nuero are you going to???? we went to atluru...you wait forever!!!

Re: pediatric neurologist

We are going tol her too! Do you mean that we wait forever for an appointment or in the waiting area? I made the appointment like 3 months ago, so definitely a long wait there, but if you mean in the waiting area, thanks for the heads up. Gotta bring lots of stuff to entertain the girls in my diaper bag!

Re: pediatric neurologist

We are going tol her too! Do you mean that we wait forever for an appointment or in the waiting area? I made the appointment like 3 months ago, so definitely a long wait there, but if you mean in the waiting area, thanks for the heads up. Gotta bring lots of stuff to entertain the girls in my diaper bag!

Re: pediatric neurologist

Dr. Mirer with Good Samaritan was great! We had an appointment pretty early in the morning and were seen almost immediately.