[Hunter Mom]

Does their school district have an early intervention program? Depending on where you live, many public schools have pre-K programs now, and they provide services to special needs kiddos beginning at around age 3, earlier for some. The schools know that kids who get help early are far more likely to be successful than those who don't.

[red mares]

Good for you. Have you considered cloning you husband?

I wasn't apraxic, but I had a pretty bad stutter, and no way would my parents have put up with that crap.

My cousin is deaf, retarded and has CP; her parents never put up with that crap either.

One barn I boarded at had a boarder with son with mild downs or autism. His biggest problem was socially inept parents. They would have screwed up a normal kid.

[Superminion]

Does their school district have an early intervention program? Depending on where you live, many public schools have pre-K programs now, and they provide services to special needs kiddos beginning at around age 3, earlier for some. The schools know that kids who get help early are far more likely to be successful than those who don't.

I'm not sure. They live about 4 hours from us, it's something that I can have DH suggest. They take a lot more kindly to advice from him, than from me. I know that he needs much more help than he's getting. I pray that he's not so far behind (both in speech and behavior) by the time he hits preschool that things are much, much more difficult for him than they need to be. He seems to be the kind of kid that *could* fall through the cracks.

[Burbank]

well if nothing else you can tell his parents what a farrier told a trainer of mine as a child "if that horse kicks me, you will be the one in trouble"

it might help make them do something, but really telling him NO and actually meaning it will in the end do wonders for him

I have a few cousins that know they can almost get away with murder with their parents around and even giving them a minor correction in front of their parents really throws them for a loop, and this is a 7 year old

[Trakehner]

Yes, but the beating may do buggar all to reform the behavior of this dysfunctional kid. You'll get your arm tired, that's all.

Never said to touch the little bugger...just terrorize him so in his brain my click and bothering you or your poor daughter isn't worth risking.

[Natalie A]

All about the parenting here. I had both a serious speech impairment and was in day care and would never have been allowed to behave like that. Too bad for the kid that he's not getting the (free, since he's 3) services from the school for his speech issues...

[sparky6]

I suggested that maybe they work on some simple sign language with him, but was met with "Why? He doesn't have a real problem. They are fixing it in daycare."

As an SLP who primarily works with the birth-3 population, I just have to say grrrrr to those parents It is ridiculous to think that he will be "cured" with therapy alone-parent support is so vital! (preaching to the crowd, I know)

If he's getting "therapy" from someone with a high school degree then it's not real. Even SLP assistants have to have an associates degree. Looking into early intervention is an excellent suggestion. The two state's I've had experience with (LA and NC) offer early intervention services to children in their homes/daycares from birth-3, then therapy switches to the school system. Not sure what state they're in, but if you think they'd listen to your DH I would start with the exceptional children/special ed coordinator for their school system. Waiting until he is in Kindergarten will not be doing him (or his school SLP) any favors, especially with something like apraxia.

As far as the discipline thing goes, sounds like you were right on track OP. His tantrums might come from frustration at his lack of communication, but apraxia does not impact comprehension. Hopefully he will learn that you're not to be crossed, even if all his other behaviors do not resolve.