I have a student who does not talk with peers or adults, but uses gestures and crying to communicate. The child is able to hear, but lives with family members who are deaf. This student has had minimal exposure to hearing peers, so his delay is due to lack of exposure. I am targeting repeating modeled sounds and words, but I want to brainstorm more.
Answer
I would think of that child mostly in terms of social type goals and consider putting him in social playgroups with other children. This would give him positive experiences and opportunities to communicate. It probably is a child who just needs exposure and practice with communicating with others so that he does not meltdown and get frustrated when he is put in difficult situations that he has not been in before. Keep in mind that even though at surface level it looks like a communication or language goal, sometimes behavior is at play too. Maybe not necessarily for this child, but it can happen. Many times, I will consult with the behavior specialist in our building if I feel the child's communication issues are due to frustration, anxiety, and other internal factors that the SLP does not have control of or know how to treat.
Meredith Poore Harold, PhD, CCC-SLP is a Speech–Language Pathologist with an academic research background. She currently works for a large Kansas City-area school district and owns her own private practice (www.meredithharold.com).
Meredith Poore Harold, PhD, CCC-SLP
Meredith Poore Harold, PhD, CCC-SLP is a Speech–Language Pathologist with an academic research background. She currently works for a large Kansas City school district and owns her own private practice. She also teaches at Rockhurst University, Nova Southeastern University, and provides local and international lectures on communication disorders and treatment.
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