My youngest just turned three years old and I have recently noticed that his speech is not progressing like it should. I can tell that he is slowly lagging behind his peers. I don't think he has any hearing or vision problems. Luckily, I know what to do. I called the Public School System and was able to get an evaluation scheduled free of charge. It took a few phone calls, but I was able to find the right person. Make sure that you do that or else you will find yourself being directed to a private Speech Therapist who will charge you approximately $65 to come and evaluate your child.
When your child is evaluated for speech they don't just test the articulation and language. They also test fine and gross motor skills. They test for comprehension. Also, they are an unbiased opinion about where your child is at this point. All those things are very critical when you have other things taking place that you might not be aware of. For me, it was very difficult to gage my son's progress because he was so far advanced compared to my other children. As a matter of fact, my new pediatrician did not seem worried at all. However, he told me that it might help relieve my fears if I had him evaluated. Personally, I think that it's better to get him help early than to wait and see. Plus, right now I am able to get him services free of charge. That is definitely the deciding factor for me. I don't want to lose that window of opportunity.
Why evaluate for speech, you might ask? Well, there are many reasons why you should. First, the earlier you intervene the better chances of a good outcome. You might end up with a child that does not require services by the time they get to kindergarten. Secondly, when you evaluate for speech you have the resources of a professional who can offer their input and advice. Thirdly, this is a service that you pay for with your tax dollars. Why not take advantage of it if you feel you need it? It makes no sense not to. Fourth reason, you might find out your child has other things that require immediate attention such as hearing loss, autism, or other learning disabilities. Lastly, why not? There is no reason why you shouldn't take advantage of this valuable resource that you already have paid for. Programs like this are designed for people like you and me. They aren't just for low-income families. That is a BIG misconception. Also, you get some very qualified individuals who are dedicated to helping kids. I've had nothing but good experiences with these people.
I will definitely update you all on my son's evaluation and progress. I am hopeful that whatever the outcome, it will be for the best. If he requires speech therapy, then I will feel great that I listened to my gut. If he doesn't require it, then that would be WONDERFUL!!!! I would be so excited!!! However, I am definitely not holding my breath at the moment.
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Waiting to exhale.........
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2 comments:
Good to Know! I'll check it out!
We did the same thing with Josh when he was 1 1/2 or 2. He had a speech delay that dated to his age when Lilly was born. We think he was traumatized from me being in the hospital 3 days and not seeing him. He was 13 months old and we had always held him before that, then suddenly we were gone for a couple of days. Poor guy.
His speech therapy and preschools solved any delays and he didn't need anymore services by kindergarten age. I was relieved at that so he wouldn't be labeled.
Have you tried sign language? Our children have been able to learn signs very quickly at young ages.
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