Results of Receptive Language Testing

We are attempting to get the eye gaze noted here from PRC. We have the ECO-14, and want to get the upgrade.
Insurance asked that we prove D needed this and his language skills. Here is some of the testing that was done.
These are the results!




Age: 4 yrs 7 months
Diagnosis: Bilateral Perisylvian Polymicrogyria; Dysarthria; Apraxia

"D" was given the Auditory Comprehension Sub test of the Preschool Language Scale - 4 (PLS-4) during his regular speech/language therapy sessions. Testing was broken up into smaller segments of time (approximately 30 minutes) in order to maintain motivation and prevent frustrations related to the extra effort and time required for "D" to execute his physical pointing responses.

Additionally, due to the increased tone throughout his musculature, particularly affecting functioning of "D's" upper extremities for pointing to pictures, the following adaptions of the standardized testing procedures were used. Daniel was positioned in his customized wheelchair and seating. The testing easel was held in a slightly upright position, off to his right side. He was also given a type of adaptive pointer to use, which extended his ability to reach across the range of the testing easel and compensated for his difficulty to consistently point with an isolated index finger. Because of his muscle tone, his ability to move his hand/adapted pointer increased his reaction time before he executed a clear response; as a result, verbal stimulus items were presented from one to three times when necessary, based on the speed of his physical responses. "D" was also provided with adequate time to visually scan all the pictures on each page of the PLS-4 before presenting the stimulus question. At times, he was also provided with a visual cue to scan each picture, along with a verbal reminder to "look at all the pictures".

As a result, the specific scores obtained need to be interpreted with these adaptions to the standardized testing procedure in mind; however, it is felt that they are reflective of "D's" true strengths in receptive language skills. It is felt that "D" demonstrated purposeful, clear responses to the testing items. The score for the Auditory Comprehension Sub test were as follows:

Raw Score: 59
Standard Score: 120
Percentile Rank: 91
Age Equivalent: 5 yrs, 9 months

D's standard score fell between one and two standard deviations above the mean score of 100. This indicated receptive language skills above what would be expected for his chronological age. D also demonstrated emerging literacy readiness skills as he was able to complete the testing item which required him to identify initial sounds in words (e.g. "Show me the picture that begins with the /p/ sound.")

The expressive Communication portion of the PLS-4 could not be administered due to the dysarthia and apraxia.

The results support the fact that D needs access to material which is at an appropriate level which will motivate and facilitate his language comprehension skills and literacy skills. He must have access to a range of assistive technology which bypasses his difficulties executing physical actions, including, but not limited to the areas of speech production, computer accessing, early literacy skills, and the ability to learn to generate letters and text in the future.