The Speech Therapist's Eval.

Ryan goes to this program called Partnership for Kids every Thursday morning. It's just a play group for moms and tots under the age of 3. Once a month they do an evaluation on the kids.

Of course I could go on and on about how smart and over developed his skills are, just like every other mother could, but I will save that for his daddy and grandparents. After the eval they asked me if we had any concerns for him. And I told him about his talking. He can say many words. But some are only the beginning, middle or the end of a word. So they gave me a brochure on some a developmental program for kids 3 and under.

So after much deliberation for Matt and I, we decided to call. We both had speech as a child, but not till school aged, and we decided if we could take care of it now, lets do it.

So a counselor came out last week and took some info, I picked out some therapists and waited for the phone calls. I wanted a Speech Therapist and a more specific hearing test (since being deaf is hereditary in my family), and no matter what they send out a Behavioral Therapist, just to check all other skills.

So today was the day the Speech Therapist came out. I must admit, I was nervous. So I had to explain my worries to her. And like I told her, I was not worried at all about the knowledge he has, just the verbalizing it. He has always been a great communicator, and now that he is getting older he wants to say more and express more and I am not understanding him as much as I feel I should be.

And she agreed immediately, he knew everything she asked him, and of course said it. Verbally said it. So, now I am looking like that mother who expects so much more out of there child. That is so not the case. I have told her, in the past few weeks he has picked up a lot more words...he even said his own name last week. But, even though he is saying them, they don't seem to be really clear to me, and apparently that does not matter since we can, for the most part, understand him. I didn't realize how much he could say till today.

But...he can only say single words. Not words put together. She said that is not an issue right now, but will be if it does not keep progressing. She thinks by watching him today that there is no need for concern, but just keep watching him. He can say Word World, thank you, good night Jesus, and a few other phrases. But those words already go together, we are not having, more milk please, go outside and play, he isn't putting his own words together.

But if that is the worst it is, than that's okay with me. The only other concern would be his hearing test. She said he may have fluid in his ears or maybe have his anoids looked at and maybe removed. So hopefully by next week we will have had a hearing test. And in May we go to his doc for his 2 year well visit and we are going to have her refer an ENT at Children's. I personally think there is something with his hearing or ears, not necessarily hearing loss, but something, since the whole word is not coming out or is tweaked just a bit.

In order to qualify for the therapy program, we would have had to score in the 3o%, which she said we were not going to do. Unless, something comes back with hearing loss, and we automatically qualify then.

So, over all I think I am pleased. He is not lacking in anything, but I was kinda hoping for some ideas and help with his speech, that now we won't be able to get.