Speech evaluation today

[crayonblue]

We have a big speech evaluation for Hope at Children's today. I am very hopeful and a little anxious too. Hope is almost 21 months and has 5 words that she says accurately (mommy, daddy, baby, bye and hi) and maybe 10 that she says but that don't sound like the words themselves (like saying gaga for water).

She SCREAMS a lot out of pure frustration. We know she is screaming because she can't communicate but wow, it frustrates us too.

Hope will do a few signs but the whole concept of communication seems lost on her. She just started waving last week.

Hoping that today's evaluation goes well and that we can come up with a plan to help her!

[brittone2]

We have a big speech evaluation for Hope at Children's today. I am very hopeful and a little anxious too. Hope is almost 21 months and has 5 words that she says accurately (mommy, daddy, baby, bye and hi) and maybe 10 that she says but that don't sound like the words themselves (like saying gaga for water).

She SCREAMS a lot out of pure frustration. We know she is screaming because she can't communicate but wow, it frustrates us too.

Hope will do a few signs but the whole concept of communication seems lost on her. She just started waving last week.

Hoping that today's evaluation goes well and that we can come up with a plan to help her!

I hope you can get some answers and direction. Hopefully you'll have a great evaluating therapist that can shed some insight.

Best of luck, and you and Hope will be in my thoughts.

[crayonblue]

I hope you can get some answers and direction. Hopefully you'll have a great evaluating therapist that can shed some insight.

Best of luck and you and Hope will be in my thoughts.

Thanks!!!

[mariza]

Good luck! Sending PT's for some answers and help for you all!

[squimp]

Big hugs, Lana, hope it all goes well.

[BabyMine]

:hug: Good luck! M was around that age when he was tested. Learning signs did help diffuse some frustration.

[Gena]

Good for you for having an evaluation done!

I hope it goes well and you get some valuable information.

Ds ha his first speech eval at 22 months and I learned a lot from it.

[elephantmeg]

lots of P+PT! Hope it goes well!

[crl]

I think a speech evaluation is a great idea! My ds benefitted greatly from speech therapy. Best of luck!

Catherine

[maestramommy]

Good luck! Sending you prayers for some clear direction! :hug:

[Indianamom2]

Good luck. We went through this with DD, having really no words at the same age and LOTS of frustrated screaming and crying. It's tough, but you won't regret speech therapy for a moment if it helps ease the frustration.

[div_0305]

All children are different. Our ped had us quite worried about my DS, but we knew he had receptive communication skills and it was not difficult to understand him even though he only said one word until 25 months. At 26 months, there was an incredible wave of communication, and he spoke in clear, full sentences. He even told us about things he did or places we visited when he did not speak as he has a remarkable memory.

Ped is also worried now about my DD at age 22 months. I'm foregoing a speech eval this time based on my mommy instinct. She also has awesome receptive communication skills, and we trust that by about 24-26months, things will be on track.

The norm is the norm for a reason, but there are both early and late talkers on that spectrum. Hope it's the same for you and that in the next couple months communication skyrockets!

[hellokitty]

How did it go? DS3 is 26 mo old and just had his 2nd speech therapy session earlier this wk. I think it is going really well. I don't know if it is just the timing or what, but he is trying to talk a bit more. Even the therapist noticed at the 2nd appt. He loves speech therapy since it is play based, so I'm sure your dd will enjoy it as well.

[Jo..]

I hope it went well Lana.

I am thinking about you.

[crayonblue]

I think the evaluation went fairly well. They are recommending 4 months of weekly therapy to start. We have to see if our insurance will pay for any of that. Hope qualified for EI in Maryland but not here in California.

She has great receptive language and all other development is on target. She just doesn't communicate much.

[hellokitty]

I think the evaluation went fairly well. They are recommending 4 months of weekly therapy to start. We have to see if our insurance will pay for any of that. Hope qualified for EI in Maryland but not here in California.

She has great receptive language and all other development is on target. She just doesn't communicate much.

She sounds like my ds. The speech therapist actually felt that he was advanced in receptive speech and play and motor skills. He just seems reluctant to communicate verbally and needs a lot of coaxing and even then often refuses to talk. However in the past two wka he seems to be trying harder. We've been uaing some of the techniques and I think it helps. Im hoping st will kick start your dd's speech. It seems to be kickstarting ds3's speech.

[Uno-Mom]

I hope you have success with your insurance! I just spent time with my friend whose (now) 4 year old twins were in almost exactly the same situation at your daughter's age. They did EI. They spent the evening talking our ears off!!!

My friend was 100% pleased with the EI experience. She knows the girls would most likely have been fine without it but it was a lot of fun and certainly sped the process up a bit.

[zag95]

Hopefully the speech therapy will make a difference for your DD- glad you were able to get an eval done, etc. DD has been having therapy since about the same age for a bilateral cleft lip and palate, and has done speech thru EI 1 x per week and private 1x per week for almost 2 yrs- it has made such a difference!

If your insurance doesn't cover, you might look at the Scottish Rite Centers (they do speech therapy) as well as any college programs in your area that do sessions for their speech students (i.e. people working on their BA or MS in speech therapy)-

Good luck and keep us posted on your DD's progress!

[jgenie]

DS1 was about the same at that age. He started speech therapy just after his second birthday and we saw an explosion of speech at 2.5. He talks nonstop now - it's great but sometimes I really wish there was a pause button. :) Good luck with your insurance - crossing fingers that they cover it.

[niccig]

If your insurance doesn't cover, you might look at ... any college programs in your area that do sessions for their speech students (i.e. people working on their BA or MS in speech therapy)-

Good luck and keep us posted on your DD's progress!

Are you near any Cal State Colleges? Many have SLP masters and have a clinic. I'm in school to be a SLP at a Cal State college and I go to our clinic as a client (issues from my thyroid surgery). I believe it's $550 or so for about 14x 1 hour sessions. Much cheaper than private, we pay $75 for 30 mins for DS (because of scheduling I can't take him to my college). You get seen by graduate students, but the professor oversees the therapy and will spend time with you as well. I've seen other SLPs for voice over the years, who were good, but my voice Professor is amazing -as she should be. She has a PhD and this is her area of research.

Make sure you do the homework every day, a couple of times a day. I can only take DS once a week (they recommended twice because he has difficulty with several sounds), but we practice a lot at home and they're surprised at how far he's come. I do my homework a few times day as well - it's easier to do it if you tie it some routine. Eg. In the shower I do some vocal exercises, when stuck at a traffic light I do some tongue stretches etc

[Melanie]

I am going to PM you!

[NewfieNat]

Lana,
This is great, new blog written by someone I "know" from an online juvenile arthritis support group. Both my kids have a speech delay and I love reading what she has to say.

http://www.playingwithwords365.com/