United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My son had speech therapy as well for about 4 years. It helped him a great deal. My feeling is that if there is any correlation to BPI it is probably in the lack of oxygen at time of birth. Maybe one day when more research is done we'll find out more.

My 5 year old granddaughter (LOBPI) I felt was delayed in acquiring language, but is fine now. I felt at the time that it was possibly BPI related, but her younger brother who is nonBPI has language skills at about the same level she did at the same age - so maybe not BPI related, may be familial - Camille B!

There are so many "ancillary" issues with BPI. And I believe speech is one of them. My daughter also had sucking problems, drooling problems, balance issues, ear infections (affected side only), her teeth are different on that side, her hair is different on that side...Most speech and occupational therapists will tell you that the hands and speech are connected. How? they don't know. But they do know that most kids who need speech (non-bpi) also need ot.

Juliana is the youngest of 4. When I first mentioned to my peds that she wasn't speaking, they automatically went to the "fourth child defense"... she has others to speak for her. Well, I didn't agree. And neither did the two speech therapists (3, if you include my cousin, a speech therapist-who just observed her) who evaluated her. Now, at 8 years old, she doesn't shut up. She has a huge vocabulary and THAT is the true "fourth child" deal. She speaks like a teenager!

I think speech therapy can be very, very effective. And they can learn to talk a mile a minute!

good luck,
claudia

My 2 Cents on this:

I had speech delay(I'm told,never documented) and stuttered badly up until around age 18 and after that only under extreme stress,anxiety and being over-tired, but as an adult I learned how to control it by using different words and/or stopped talking and/or leaving the room.{restrooms were always my refuge]. I never had therapy or any other person address this issue, not even my Ex-husband. Finally I "matured out of it". After reading all the posts and little information available conecting speech delays with OBPI's, I am convinced by the posts here by all you great Moms and Dads, that there
is a connection.

I'm going to be proved right someday. Keep on with that Spech therapy & fight to get it as part of your childrens' school day. More is better.

HUGS,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/69 & counting...


Message was edited by: Carolyn J

My daughter also had speech therapy for about a year,age 2 to 3. I read in the other comments as well, that children with gross motor delays also have speech delays. She would use wrote/memorized phrases and a lot of non verbal cues to communicate. We notice some weird words currently at age 5, but with practice she can get it straight.