Special Needs
earobics
DD's SLP recommended this program
Any ideas what version to get for a 3yo? best place for prices?
thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
DD's SLP recommended this program
Any ideas what version to get for a 3yo? best place for prices?
thanks!
Re: earobics
I actually just posted about this one on the Listening Program thread, so that will probably be helpful to you.
To add on to my Listening Program comments, I personally don't think it's so great that I would encourage a family to buy it. There is nothing super educational about using the computer that makes it so critical, and to me, Earobics is just basic language games. It is supposed to train listening, but it isn't doing some magical program. I would try very hard to test this out before purchasing it.
And honestly, I would have a hard time using it with a 3-year-old! I usually did it with 5+, and even then they need to have some basic computer skills and impulse control.
If she likes the program, she should be able to help you find a copy to test out before you sink money into it, and should be able to help you get a 3 yo to use it! Personally, with kids that young I usually avoided the computer or used traditional (inexpensive) little kid games...sesame street, little bear, etc. With the guidance they need anyway, I usually felt that I was completing the same goals with those programs or with toys, books, and games. I just don't see much special about Earobics.
I think the Step 1 program is not intended for kids under 4. I think it is for 4-7 year olds (I too can see that even a 4 year old would need help doing it initially) and the Step 2 is for 8-10, or something.
The home version is about $60, I believe.
I agree that there is nothing magical or that wonderful about this program.
However, if you have a computer loving child who is going to be spending time on the computer playing games anyway, and you don't mind spending $60, I see no reason why this program shouldn't be added to the mix....assuming it is age/skill appropriate.
It addresses some worthwhile skills (sound discrimination, rhyming, following directions), but nothing a therapist, teacher or parent can't do, really. Nor is it anything that is going to remediate huge receptive language deficits on its own.
But, one thing this program would do that other games (like on websites, etc) wouldn't do, is that it alters the level dependent on the child's success. It will not get more complex until the level presented is mastered. You can put that is the "plus" column.
Thanks for the feedback. We need to work on articulation with her at home. Her expressive and receptive is age appropriate. I do feel her social pragmatic speech is behind, though.
Being a parent and not trained in speech therapy, I do need guidance. Aging out of EI means we are left with no one to guide us and help her speech progress. This means I may have to resort to computer programs, unfortunately!
If there is a phonological problem (thus the speech errors) and she needs consistent and systematic work at home, I am going to lean in support of using earobics as yet another tool in your arsenal. It definitely won't hurt and will, at the very minimum, give her a few minutes of fun while exercising her phonological and processing skills.
I found it on Amazon for $65. When I googled it, I was getting about that same price from other sources I know nothing about.
So, does she not qualify for services through your public school district?
I don't know as much as I should about the public school system (or EI for that matter) regarding what qualifies a child for services. I will say however, that if that is the case - her weaknesses are too mild for assistance through your school district - it completely breaks my heart that the system blows that much. Ugh.
In most states, if you are part of the EI program you automatically qualify for a school evaluation (not services, but you get the eval without a screening). Your service coordinator and therapist should help with this.
Your current therapist should also be training you in speech - that's her primary job in EI. When she leaves, you should know what your child's continuing areas of need are and have specific ideas about how to pursue those goals at home. You should have home programming to help you, and you can practice in your sessions with the therapist.
I still don't really see how Earobics is going to help much with articulation. In my experience, the best artic therapy comes from hearing a model and repeating it with a little bit of guidance. You can say the words - Earobics saying it for you isn't going to help much in any special way. If you want to use the computer (which I think can be fun and helpful!) there are also early phonics programs (Elmo teaches sounds, etc) that would probably work just as well.
If you think your child still has measurable speech deficits, push the school district for a good eval to document. However, social/pragmatic language in the absence of other issues can be tough to document and at this age can vary wildly.
Articulation is the same. While you may not be able to understand all of her sounds, there are many MANY sounds that are not developmentally required yet. At 3, my schools were typically looking for strong vowels plus w, m, n, p, b, t, d, and possibly k and g, although those can be tough. That leaves out a lot! s, l, r, th, ch, ing, and many other sounds. For a lot of kids, these fill in naturally, and you can do more harm than good by pushing before they're ready. Yes, many kids need work on s by second grade, but I have seen 3-5 year olds forced into s therapy with damaging results.
My point is...your therapist and coordinator should be helping you determine if school services are appropriate, and if re-evaluation should be scheduled for 6 months to a year from now. If they aren't warranted because her remaining issues are still too mild, your therapist should be setting you up with simple home programming and helping you learn to do it. There are so many good things that you should be getting before somebody tells you to go buy a $65 computer program.
she tested too well (note: on their testing) to qualify for an IEP
we are going in on a peer slot and, in the meantime, working w/ a very $ advocate to help us get her on an IEP. we just went through a battery of testing done by a neuropsych to help us prove our case.
While we wait, I need to do some ST at home and am looking for appropriate means of doing this.
I'm sorry. So FRUSTRATING!!!