<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

(2) THERAPY OPTIONS

(a) Depending on the age of your child, First Steps is a federal program
that evaluates delays and provides therapy - it is NOT based on income.
This typically covers until pre-kindergarten age when the school corporation
then becomes responsible for taking over the therapy and cost. 
I believe both of these are national programs, especially with the "No Child
Left Behind" act.  You might want to check into this as it could save you a
lot of money and help you avoid the aggravation of dealing with insurance.

(b) If they are over 2 ½, you should seek an evaluation from the public
school system’s Special Education Department.  A significant speech delay or
poor speech and language would make them eligible for speech therapy.  They
should also receive a complete evaluation to make sure that there are no
other problems.  Children over 2 ½  are eligible for evaluations upon a
parent’s written request.  If difficulties are found, services are to start
by [age] 3.  Services go on as long as needed.  Depending on the findings,
the school may refer you for further evaluations which they may pay for,
like a neuropsychological evaluation.  Children with speech problems should
also have a hearing evaluation.
If they are under 3 then they may be able to get services from the
department of public health's early intervention programs.  Early
intervention services begin at birth if needed.  For that you may need to
get referred by a pediatrician.
Laws keep changing. There are federal laws which mandate services.  Check
Federal and your States laws on the Internet for current laws and
regulations.  You may also want to have a meeting with the Special Education
Director of the school system your children may attend.
Insurance Companies are not under the same mandates as Department of
Education and the Department of Public Health and thus may or may not
provide services.

(c) Oxalates are a very powerful acid which occurs in a lot of foods and
which normally don't bother people. Normally, people do not absorb too much
of the oxalates.  However, fat malabsorption is associated with the
excessive absorption of oxalates.  Oxalates can also be directly irritating
in the GI tract.  Celiacs who are not completely healed have some degree of
fat malabsorption--this appears to be the last thing to clear up--and
consequently absorb too much dietary oxalate. To make things worse for
celiacs, the gluten free flours tend to be high in oxalates.  Amaranth, for
example, is exceedingly high.  The association between fat malabsorption and
the excessive absorption of oxalate is so well-established and accepted by
gastroenterologists and researchers that I am not going to provide
references.
If you decide to try lowering oxalates, there is a yahoo list that I highly
recommend and which you might want to try called Trying_Low_Oxalates run by
a biologist who specializes in issues related to the biomedical treatment of
autism.  This list is open to people with any diagnosis and has a mixture of
people with various diagnoses including many parents of autistic spectrum
children.  Autistic children have a lot of gut problems as well as cognitive
symptoms, and many of them have had amazing improvements in gut problems and
core autistic symptoms including speech, executive function and sociability
on this diet after many other interventions failed to help significantly.
They, generally, have been eating gf and using the high oxalate flours also
prior to trying a very low oxalate diet.
I have been really low oxalate and have had some cognitive problems--which I
thought were permanent damage from gluten--clear up. 
This occurred five years after going gf.  The Trying_Low_Oxalate list is
using the low oxalate diet in a unique way.  People on the list are going
lower oxalate and staying low longer than others using a low oxalate diet in
order to persuade the various tissues in the body to release the stored
oxalate.  At least this is what we believe is happening.  If you are going
to try low oxalate in this manner, I would recommend joining this list
because after a honeymoon period, when you start dumping oxalates, symptoms
can get worse before they get better. 
People on the list have a lot of tips for managing this.  The improvements
in some of the autistic spectrum children have been so dramatic that in
their cases at least, autism is beginning to look more like a toxic problem
(from oxalates) than a neurodevelopmental disorder.

(d) If you are in the United States going through the school system or
whatever is the equivalent to woman and children services for under 4 years
of age…  Our third child at the age of almost three did the full load of
tests in St. Petersburg, Florida and enrolled in the states program and he
was seen twice a week one on one till age 4 when he was optioned for full
time school or as we choose 3 times a week for one hour at school…So good
luck with health insurance, I believe the state system if in the USA and
than into the school system is the best help you can get.  Not to go celiac
cause but to go speech problem.

(3) INSURANCE / APPEAL RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Suggestion to look for related articles online via MedLine Plus,
photocopy them and get your pediatric GI doctor to give you a statement that
will substantiate the articles.

(b) A letter from your pediatrician which links the need for speech with
developmental delay.

(c) Reference to two very well designed studies of celiac children in
connection with learning difficulties and developmental delays; go to your
local university library and photocopy these studies in their entirety in
order to persuade your insurance company that your claim is legitimate.
[See abstracts pasted below, under (4) (d).]

* Send administrative questions to mailto:[log in to unmask] *
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC