.jpg)
we just finished the 'help me grow' intake (with a graduate of ohio state college of social work...she has her masters & i don't though, but she was an LSW {licensed social worker, what i was), with a masters, so she just recently graduated apparently b/c it takes 2 years of supervision to get your LISW {licensed independent social worker]). within the next week, a speech therapist will be calling me to set up the speech evaluation & we have a tentative appointment with westerville school district in mid june (if adeline qualifies from the speech evaluation) to enroll her in a special needs preschool for next year where she will get daily speech therapy (& hearing therapies if she doesn't pass her next hearing test). i'm not sure exactly what the special needs preschool looks like, whether it's more specifically for speech & hearing or if all special needs kids will be in the same classroom. either way i'm sure it will be helpful for her...
the help me grow intake lady did say that from what she can tell, from info i gave her & her own interactions with adeline, that she will qualify for all the services. *sigh* i guess it's good to know what we're up against instead of hearing from her pediatrician "there is a large range of verbal/speech abilities, i'm sure she'll start talking soon"... i really like our pediatrician (okay, she's not a dr. beautiful or anything!) but she has put us behind on this by saying this wasn't a concern when wes & i both knew it really was.
another interesting thing: her clumbsiness is most likely not from vision problems, according to this worker, but probably from inner ear or balance. hhmm...we didn't suspect vision problems, but something has to explain how she can totally run into large things & fall over randomly. one thing for sure: it's very humorous to watch.
she also said that speech is the fastest skill to improve on & once speech therapy is started that adeline will make significant progress (meaning her first year of preschool may be in the special needs pre-k, then her 2nd year could be in a regular pre-k)...then if she doesn't pass her hearing test, she would qualify to attend the columbus speech & hearing preschool (which would be very very helpful & amazing!).
this worker also noted that kids with hearing loss & speech delays (comparable to adeline's) usually have severe behavior problems as well...we had talked a few minutes about how i was a social worker prior to having kids & that i worked in a school/behavior modification setting with dual diagnosis mental health children & teens. she then said that she believes that adeline has such good behavior b/c of my knowledge & skills & that i've probably been using behavior modification on her & didn't even realize it. which is sorta interesting, but it makes sense. i did tell her, of course, about her hour long tantrums & other things like that & apparently that is minor compared to what some kids with speech delays portray. so...i guess my 5 1/2 years in college are useful to me still, even if i'm not working in social work or outside the home! (does that make my student loan payments easier to pay?? hhmm, not really).
so, yes, 1 evaluation down. now we apparently have 3 or even 4 more to go! should be an exciting summer filled with visits to specialists.
adeline just brought me a fortune cookie from the snack drawer & i opened it for her. the fortune says: your vibrant personality inspires others; stay that way. how true it is, adeline is simply vibrant.
& poor amelia, she has somehow fallen asleep in her exersaucer! i guess it's nap time?
the help me grow intake lady did say that from what she can tell, from info i gave her & her own interactions with adeline, that she will qualify for all the services. *sigh* i guess it's good to know what we're up against instead of hearing from her pediatrician "there is a large range of verbal/speech abilities, i'm sure she'll start talking soon"... i really like our pediatrician (okay, she's not a dr. beautiful or anything!) but she has put us behind on this by saying this wasn't a concern when wes & i both knew it really was.
another interesting thing: her clumbsiness is most likely not from vision problems, according to this worker, but probably from inner ear or balance. hhmm...we didn't suspect vision problems, but something has to explain how she can totally run into large things & fall over randomly. one thing for sure: it's very humorous to watch.
she also said that speech is the fastest skill to improve on & once speech therapy is started that adeline will make significant progress (meaning her first year of preschool may be in the special needs pre-k, then her 2nd year could be in a regular pre-k)...then if she doesn't pass her hearing test, she would qualify to attend the columbus speech & hearing preschool (which would be very very helpful & amazing!).
this worker also noted that kids with hearing loss & speech delays (comparable to adeline's) usually have severe behavior problems as well...we had talked a few minutes about how i was a social worker prior to having kids & that i worked in a school/behavior modification setting with dual diagnosis mental health children & teens. she then said that she believes that adeline has such good behavior b/c of my knowledge & skills & that i've probably been using behavior modification on her & didn't even realize it. which is sorta interesting, but it makes sense. i did tell her, of course, about her hour long tantrums & other things like that & apparently that is minor compared to what some kids with speech delays portray. so...i guess my 5 1/2 years in college are useful to me still, even if i'm not working in social work or outside the home! (does that make my student loan payments easier to pay?? hhmm, not really).
so, yes, 1 evaluation down. now we apparently have 3 or even 4 more to go! should be an exciting summer filled with visits to specialists.
adeline just brought me a fortune cookie from the snack drawer & i opened it for her. the fortune says: your vibrant personality inspires others; stay that way. how true it is, adeline is simply vibrant.
& poor amelia, she has somehow fallen asleep in her exersaucer! i guess it's nap time?
2 comments:
i've been reading your blog for a while and i just wanted to let you know that i think your family rocks! i love how you guys are doing everything for adeline. personally, i didn't start talking until i was 3 and even then i had a speech impediment that didn't get brought to anyones attention until i was in the second grade. 2 years of speech therapy and i was set. my delay in speech in was caused by hearing loss that was caused by extreme allergies. i also had ( and still to an extent have ) horrible balance. it's really great that you guys are doing everything you can for her now. i applaud you! heres to only great things for adeline!!!
kristi w: thanks for sharing your speech/hearing story...i don't think we realized how many folks deal with this at some point.
btw: i've never met another person who spelled their 'kristi' name ending in an 'i' except my sister. i have always liked it ending with an 'i' :o)
Post a Comment