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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Dr. Beate,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>it seems to me there is more than a language delay
here! And there are many questions to consider.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1) Who has diagnosed the general cognitive and
motor delay of the child? Was the child seen by a child
psychiatrist/psychologist or a peadiatrician? This is important in evaluating
language development. Is the language delay part of a general delay or is the
delay specific to language skills?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2) The point about checking hearing is very valid
and part of a routine when investigating language delay.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3) What is the child's play skills? Are they age
appropriate?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>4) How is the child communicating with siblings? In
which language? What about the father?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I agree with the suggestion that the mother should
use her own language to communicate with the child and not a language she does
possess well. Or otherwise, if the mother cannot control input from greek
relatives she should at least use her own language consistently.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think is is not only a matter of what the mother
will do. I recommend a general assessment of the child's cognitive and play
skills by a good child psychologist and a visit to another speech and language
therapist for a second opinion. This should be possible if the family lives in
Athens.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mary Kastamoula</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Speech and Language Therapist</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Greece</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>