I'm trying to be positive about Paige's appointment this morning. Simple you say? Well, I might not be the most positive person... imagine that.
There were four of them. A public health nurse. A speech and audio pathologist. An early childhood development specialist. And one other... sans title.
"Can Paige draw a horizontal line across the paper?" check
"Can Paige walk down stairs?" check
"Paige, can you point to this doll's nose? Where is your nose? check, check
"Can she get put these little balls of rolled play-dough into the container?" Wha...?? check
"Can she jump backward? Can she catch a ball? check check
The whole while I'm running circles around the poor kid (who really just wants to pick her nose in peace) and is wondering why these strangers keep offering her new toys only to take them away and give her something different. I think what they really wanted to know if she ever sits still.... no, she doesn't, no check there.
Over the last six months I've filled out pages (and pages) of Ages and Stages questionnaires about Pages development and in every. single. one. I was very clear about how I was concerned about her speech... and only her speech. She really is a smart kid. She just does not talk. The only word she said during the whole 1 1/2 hour appointment was ball... which really is just ba. So I hope I did not come off as rude when every ten questions or so I said "yes, she can do all of these things... quite well... she just does not talk." (that is why we are here, no?)
So we have a follow-up appointment on Monday. And if they try to send me home with a bag full of Child Development pamphlets and Canadian Food Guides I will no longer be feeling so positive. (no matter how many suckers they give her) There must be some way to decipher horizontal lines and stair-stepping into useful information about speech delay, right?
And on a whole other note... another test for me today (and everyday lately) is patience. Feeding Natalie solids. (why do we use that word...solids, least appetizing word ever). So anyway, she loves big people food. In fact, she eats quite a bit, and she is in no rush to do so. After every bite she pops her little thumb in her mouth... yes, I said after every bite. I love that she sucks her thumb but this habit is a little test of patience for me at every meal. Open wide for a spoonful, pop in the thumb, take a few sucks, swallow, open wide for a spoonful. It really is quite slow... er, I mean adorable.
There were four of them. A public health nurse. A speech and audio pathologist. An early childhood development specialist. And one other... sans title.
"Can Paige draw a horizontal line across the paper?" check
"Can Paige walk down stairs?" check
"Paige, can you point to this doll's nose? Where is your nose? check, check
"Can she get put these little balls of rolled play-dough into the container?" Wha...?? check
"Can she jump backward? Can she catch a ball? check check
The whole while I'm running circles around the poor kid (who really just wants to pick her nose in peace) and is wondering why these strangers keep offering her new toys only to take them away and give her something different. I think what they really wanted to know if she ever sits still.... no, she doesn't, no check there.
Over the last six months I've filled out pages (and pages) of Ages and Stages questionnaires about Pages development and in every. single. one. I was very clear about how I was concerned about her speech... and only her speech. She really is a smart kid. She just does not talk. The only word she said during the whole 1 1/2 hour appointment was ball... which really is just ba. So I hope I did not come off as rude when every ten questions or so I said "yes, she can do all of these things... quite well... she just does not talk." (that is why we are here, no?)
So we have a follow-up appointment on Monday. And if they try to send me home with a bag full of Child Development pamphlets and Canadian Food Guides I will no longer be feeling so positive. (no matter how many suckers they give her) There must be some way to decipher horizontal lines and stair-stepping into useful information about speech delay, right?
And on a whole other note... another test for me today (and everyday lately) is patience. Feeding Natalie solids. (why do we use that word...solids, least appetizing word ever). So anyway, she loves big people food. In fact, she eats quite a bit, and she is in no rush to do so. After every bite she pops her little thumb in her mouth... yes, I said after every bite. I love that she sucks her thumb but this habit is a little test of patience for me at every meal. Open wide for a spoonful, pop in the thumb, take a few sucks, swallow, open wide for a spoonful. It really is quite slow... er, I mean adorable.
6 comments:
Hang in there girl...we all have those days when we are tested...our patience that is. I swear some people think we are just trying to get attention when it comes to our kids...like seriously!!! I hope you get the help you need with your little one. How old is she now?
Keep up the good work. You are her advocate and she needs you to be honest with these people. We will pray that something good comes of all this time and effort. As far as Natties concerned hang in there.Love Mom
Paige was two in October. I love two year olds. They're so fun.... In fact, at dinner tonight dan said "I love how Paige listens" and he meant it seriously because she loves to do favours for people. For ex. "go find my slippers for me". She loves to do things like that. However, that is about he only time that she does listen. When I gave Dan a funny look and he realized what he just said he replied with a shrug of his shoulders ..."well, sort of anyways."
my friend had the same problem with getting her sons speech looked at, and she finally found a group that is amazing and he has improved SOOO much in just the 3 weeks he has been there, her blog is Growing Paynes. you can send her a message if you have q's just tell her i told you to, also shes Cindy Crawfords sis in-law
Oh my...I can totally relate to you! With my son Carson I took him to test after test for various reasons. He constantly threw up as a baby...projectile and they couldn't find ANYTHING wrong with him. Also he wasn't talking well at all. He never, ever has had an ear ache but after having his hearing tested they found fluid in his middle ear. I learned that people can have fluid in their ears without it being infections. It was as if Carson where hearing thing like in a tunnel cause his ears were so plugged, but the fluid will build up and drain. Last December he had tubes put in his ears and my what a differenc it made! I am totally an advocate when it comes to getting kids hearing tested if they aren't talking. Needless to say he is scheduled for his 2nd set of tubes in April. They only last about 6mo-1year. But it sure helped.
Hang in there...you will eventually find some answers. I know the road can be LONG and tedious with all the paper work, but don't give up until you get to the bottom of it. If you need a good Ear Dr. I recommend Dr.Pabbis, he is FAB!
Good luck Andy. Sometimes you just want to knock the doctors on the heads. They really should give mothers more credit, we really do know what we are talking about sometimes.
Post a Comment