Evaluation February 14, 2008

Yesterday was the “official” evaluation of Squeaks.  Four very nice ladies ( a nurse, physical therapist, speech therapist, and child psychologist ) showed up at the house.  I thought I would be very nervous, but they were great and made me feel at home.  We all had our shoes off and were perches around the floor on the rug.  It was so funny, like kindergarten storytime, only for adults.

Squeaks took to these women right away, but only because they came armed with toys.  While they had her playing games and showing off skills, they asked The Hubby and I what seemed like 800 questions about her.  I was proud to see some skills Squeaks possessed that she had never shown us before.  They tested her in all areas of her life, basically, and the results were great.

As far as speech and language goes, she’s only testing a month behind in the way she communicates with us.  She is going through what is known as “jargoning”, which some toddlers do before actually talking (and that is what we were so concerned about).  When tested on how much language she understands, she tested at the level of a 3 year old.  I have such a smart kid!  But I’m also concerned about the words I know she hears that she shouldn’t — usually ones I say!

She also excelled in other areas.  The women were very impressed with her and her intelligence.  They said she has excellent social skills for a 2 year old, saying they usually had a hard time keeping the focus of ones this age.  The only time she had a meltdown was when they tried to test her hearing.  She did not want anything stuck in her ear, so she freaked out.  Thankfully, they will retest all of that at another time — after we get her used to having ear buds in her ears.

There were only two concerns.  We have to get her vision tested.  They are concerned that her eyes are bad.  Which would make sense with her being my child, but it’s just something we hadn’t seen yet.  But when they were showing her pictures and watching her color, she would get really close to the pages.  I guess we always brushed it off as concentration, but we’re going to get those eyes checked out.  I’m just trying to figure out how people keep glasses on a 2 year old!

The second issue was in the way she sits.  It’s been an issue since she first started sitting, but I was told by a certain doctor that it was not an issue for her.  Well, that’s not the case now.  Apparantly the “w-sitting” has affected her hips already.  We were told that if she continued to sit like that she would eventually not be able to walk.  So now we’re teaching her to sit “criss-cross applesauce”.  We’re also doing some really fun games to build up her core so that she doesn’t feel the need to w-sit.

So there is the short version of what’s going on.

Getting Sappy February 7, 2008

So the ball is rolling on the evaluation.  It actually occurs next week, although we started preliminary questionnaires today.  The lady today told me that Squeaks is obviously not way behind, but that she might have some problems that need to be addressed.  The concerning factor is what was hiding.  From the questions I answered today, they are concerned that she might be lacking in personal-social skills.  This is never anything I would have labeled my daughter as.  She has excellent social skills with both strangers and those close to her.  And the questions seemed like they should be more directed to motor skills (she can’t dress herself yet, she plows over her toys when pushing a play stroller, she shoves food in her mouth and then gags because there is too much).  I don’t see how these things have anything to do with social skills, but I guess I’m not the professional.

I’m trying to keep an open mind so that Squeaks can get the help she needs, whatever it may be.  I’ll be glad when the evaluators actually deal with her, rather than it being based on my answers.  Some of the questions were hard to answer.  For example, they asked if Squeaks is able to walk up and down the stairs without help.  We don’t know because we’ve taught her not to do it without holding our hands.  Not being overprotective, just trying to prevent her splitting her head open.  So I’m glad that we only have to wait a week for the “real” testing to begin.

As I was told today, they would much rather tell me that there’s nothing wrong with her and that I shouldn’t consider it a waste of time if that’s the case.  They calmed a lot of my fears and anxiety I’ve had and made me realize that it’s okay to do this, even when other people (cough, cough, my MIL) think that it’s stupid to even be doing this. 

So that’s where we stand for now.  Thanks to all of you for your supportive comments and emails.  It’s times like this when I am so thankful for such a great community of parents to turn to for help!