Piper, that is...and she's doing just fine! One of our nicknames for Piper is "The Biscuit." Long story...we called her this even since she was in utero and is still fits her somehow.
We had our follow-up meeting with the physical therapist on Thursday. Piper spent some time playing while the therapist ran through the remaining screening tools with me (social/emtional, cognitive and adaptive skills)...as well as testing her on a few items directly. All in all she's doing well! Later, the therapist told me she mentioned earlier in the day that she had the follow-up with Piper and the other therapists that met with us last week said "Oh that Piper? She's doing great!" So, this was even before she did the testing today.
That was so nice to hear as we have been through so much with Morgan. I think another reason I pushed to have this done was because Piper is the absolute youngest in her "pre-preschool" class. Her birthday is August 27, and our cut-off for K in Washington State is August 31. Sooo, that means we'll have to deal with the dreaded "do we hold her back?" question as we get closer, but we'll take it year by year. It is just hard to gauge how she is doing because all the kids in her class are older and showing so much more of their social skills.
The therapist did give us some activities and other recommendations of what we can do with her at home to be sure she is making progress in her gross motor development. She's also going to call us in about six weeks to see how she's doing.
Yay Piper!!
Showing posts with label Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Development. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Piper's Developmental Screening - Part 1
So, I don't think I mentioned this here...but a few weeks ago I decided to schedule a developmental screening for Piper. Wondering if she was developing on track was making me nuts, so I thought the best thing to do about it was have some professionals help me determine where she is at. I went through all the protocol required to sign up with Early Intervention, as we did with Morgan, just in case Piper qualified for services. We finally went for the screening Tuesday morning.
I got up in the morning thinking, "Okay, good or bad, we're going to have all the info we need today." Well, not quite.
As usual, these things never get completed quickly and it's still more waiting for us. BUT...we did get some good information and good news, just not everything we wanted to know.
First off, as soon as we showed up and checked in...out of nowhere comes Morgan's old Speech Therapist. I can't remember if I posted about this, I think I did...but, this is the woman who just offhandedly stated, while walking out the door after an appointment, that she thought Morgan would be diagnosed with Asperger's or some other form of high-functioning autism. This was after we had been to one consultation where they said no autism. Of course, ultimately she was right, but it was brought up so nonchalantly like it was no big deal. I remember that feeling of my blood running cold and somehow knowing my life was changing forever...then she just left me there alone.
Anyway, she walks up to us in the waiting area, says hello and asks about Morgan. I went on to tell her she was doing well in school and then it dawned on me that she didn't know Morgan DID actually get a PDD diagnosis (this was after I mentioned it like she knew). The way she approached us, I though she was going to be one of Piper's screeners...but then she asked if I'd checked in and then disappeared into a back room never to be seen again. It was so strange. Then I got a little angry...it was like she showed up just to get the satisfaction that she was right about Morgan. And how the heck did she know we were there? I didn't see her talk with any other patients/clients, then she was gone.
So...back to Piper. After that therapist disappeared, the actual screening therapists came out and greeted us. We went back to a large room and they started running Piper through the usual paces, a lot of it familiar as we went through it with Morgan many times.
I was SO proud of Piper! She did better than I expected at following directions and listening to the therapists. I thought she might get shy or non-cooperative, but she got through it with only minor redirection.
In the end she was evaluated in the areas of Speech/Language, Physical Therapy (gross motor) and Occupational Therapy (fine motor/sensory). She scored slightly behind in OT, but still within the average range and the same was the case with PT. This surprised me as gross motor was an area of more concern for me. I was surprised that she didn't qualify for services. Go Piper! The Physical Therapist does want to do a follow up next week to go over some exercises we can do at home. That works for me.
As for Speech/Language she also scored within the average range and actually above it in expressive language. Wow! Here's the odd thing...they didn't fully complete the test. They had to decide to stop as our appointment time was ending. Piper wasn't getting enough questions/items wrong in a row to stop the test in the way it is structured (they have to get 5 or 6 in a row incorrect to stop the testing). Does that make sense? This only makes me nervous because Morgan always does this with this particular test. She can go on and on and complete questions/items much higher than her age because it only requires "static" answers that are easy for her (like identifying colors/shapes, pictures, etc.) To me, this means we could be concerned...or the reality might be that Piper is really just pretty smart. Of course, I hope he latter is the case.
So, they're scoring up their tests and I ask "What about the social/emotional, and adaptive skills tests"? They paused and said "Funny you should ask that..." They did not have a designated person to administer these tests at that time. I was quite annoyed because those are the areas that are crucial in knowing if Piper is doing okay. Morgan was/is obviously delayed in these areas.
So, when we have our follow-up with the PT next week, she will administer the social/emotional and adaptive skills screenings. More waiting. They did say from what they saw yesterday, their gut says Piper is doing just fine. That was nice to hear. It was especially nice to hear from the Speech Therapist that she thought Piper's language was developing typically and her usage of her language is as is should be. In comparison, Morgan was/is drastically different.
So, all in all it was good, but I'm still a little nervous about next week.
I got up in the morning thinking, "Okay, good or bad, we're going to have all the info we need today." Well, not quite.
As usual, these things never get completed quickly and it's still more waiting for us. BUT...we did get some good information and good news, just not everything we wanted to know.
First off, as soon as we showed up and checked in...out of nowhere comes Morgan's old Speech Therapist. I can't remember if I posted about this, I think I did...but, this is the woman who just offhandedly stated, while walking out the door after an appointment, that she thought Morgan would be diagnosed with Asperger's or some other form of high-functioning autism. This was after we had been to one consultation where they said no autism. Of course, ultimately she was right, but it was brought up so nonchalantly like it was no big deal. I remember that feeling of my blood running cold and somehow knowing my life was changing forever...then she just left me there alone.
Anyway, she walks up to us in the waiting area, says hello and asks about Morgan. I went on to tell her she was doing well in school and then it dawned on me that she didn't know Morgan DID actually get a PDD diagnosis (this was after I mentioned it like she knew). The way she approached us, I though she was going to be one of Piper's screeners...but then she asked if I'd checked in and then disappeared into a back room never to be seen again. It was so strange. Then I got a little angry...it was like she showed up just to get the satisfaction that she was right about Morgan. And how the heck did she know we were there? I didn't see her talk with any other patients/clients, then she was gone.
So...back to Piper. After that therapist disappeared, the actual screening therapists came out and greeted us. We went back to a large room and they started running Piper through the usual paces, a lot of it familiar as we went through it with Morgan many times.
I was SO proud of Piper! She did better than I expected at following directions and listening to the therapists. I thought she might get shy or non-cooperative, but she got through it with only minor redirection.
In the end she was evaluated in the areas of Speech/Language, Physical Therapy (gross motor) and Occupational Therapy (fine motor/sensory). She scored slightly behind in OT, but still within the average range and the same was the case with PT. This surprised me as gross motor was an area of more concern for me. I was surprised that she didn't qualify for services. Go Piper! The Physical Therapist does want to do a follow up next week to go over some exercises we can do at home. That works for me.
As for Speech/Language she also scored within the average range and actually above it in expressive language. Wow! Here's the odd thing...they didn't fully complete the test. They had to decide to stop as our appointment time was ending. Piper wasn't getting enough questions/items wrong in a row to stop the test in the way it is structured (they have to get 5 or 6 in a row incorrect to stop the testing). Does that make sense? This only makes me nervous because Morgan always does this with this particular test. She can go on and on and complete questions/items much higher than her age because it only requires "static" answers that are easy for her (like identifying colors/shapes, pictures, etc.) To me, this means we could be concerned...or the reality might be that Piper is really just pretty smart. Of course, I hope he latter is the case.
So, they're scoring up their tests and I ask "What about the social/emotional, and adaptive skills tests"? They paused and said "Funny you should ask that..." They did not have a designated person to administer these tests at that time. I was quite annoyed because those are the areas that are crucial in knowing if Piper is doing okay. Morgan was/is obviously delayed in these areas.
So, when we have our follow-up with the PT next week, she will administer the social/emotional and adaptive skills screenings. More waiting. They did say from what they saw yesterday, their gut says Piper is doing just fine. That was nice to hear. It was especially nice to hear from the Speech Therapist that she thought Piper's language was developing typically and her usage of her language is as is should be. In comparison, Morgan was/is drastically different.
So, all in all it was good, but I'm still a little nervous about next week.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The little things
Sometimes with Morgan's development, the "little things" give me the most hope. The other night she finished her bath and she asked me to "put her dress on." This means that I wrap her towel under her arms, kind of like a strapless dress. Then she stepped up on the stool in front of the mirror and said "I'm Tiana!" If you're not familiar, this is one of the Disney "princesses." This is the first time she has pretended to be someone other than herself. Also, most of the time we have to remind her to say "I" or "me" instead of "Morgan" when talking about herself, so to say "I'm" anything, was amazing!
Then just a few minutes later we were in Piper's room putting them in their pajamas. Morgan went right up to Piper with a big smile and said, "Mmm, Ice Cream!" and proceeded to pretend to "lick" the picture of the ice cream cone on Piper's PJ's. Too cute!
Maybe she's continuing to show some more emerging skills with imaginary play? Any sort of progress makes me happy!
Then just a few minutes later we were in Piper's room putting them in their pajamas. Morgan went right up to Piper with a big smile and said, "Mmm, Ice Cream!" and proceeded to pretend to "lick" the picture of the ice cream cone on Piper's PJ's. Too cute!
Maybe she's continuing to show some more emerging skills with imaginary play? Any sort of progress makes me happy!
Friday, December 10, 2010
School Girl
Morgan started her new (and second) preschool on Tuesday. I just looked back in my posts and realized I haven't talked much about Morgan's developmental issues much lately. On her birthday she aged out of the Early Intervention program (EI). Back in September we had a "transition" meeting with the psychologist from the school district as well as a representative from EI. They told us what the options might be for continued therapy as well as a possible preschool program. We then scheduled her evaluation for mid-November, so she would be able to start as soon as she turned three.
The evaluation was pretty intense. There was a speech therapist, occupational therapist (fine motor) and the psychologist all taking turns asking her questions and asking her to perform tasks. There was woman who also tried to test her hearing and vision. Morgan did not cooperate well with this (tell me what almost three year old would want to put earphones on their head?!), but it was determined that her hearing and vision are fine. Finally she met with the physical therapist who put her through her paces... and let her jump on a trampoline a lot, which she loved!
A week later the psychologist called to discuss the results. She said Morgan had been "keeping her up at night" because she wanted to figure out what was best for her. Morgan (at that point) didn't have any qualifying scores. We were afraid of that. She is behind in all areas, but not enough to qualify for services at this time. The psychologist had one more score to collect and she called me back the next day. That day we learned that she had just qualified in the area of occupational therapy (OT - fine motor skills). I wasn't surprised. This is one area she had not been fully evaluated on with EI and I always have trouble keeping her interested in things like coloring. With the score she received she also needed to qualify in another area to attend the preschool. The psychologist made a "professional judgement" to allow her to attend based on the area of social skills, since Morgan did seem to be challenged in this area. She said that she does this only once or twice a year with a child that doesn't have all the qualifying scores, yet somehow seems like they would benefit from the preschool. This is what they call a "developmental preschool." There are kids there with various developmental issues that need early assistance and therapy so they are ready for Kindergarten when they are older.
I was very grateful that they were able to make an exception for Morgan. It is easy for kids like Morgan to fall through the cracks in the system. I think the developmental preschool will especially help her in the social area. She will still attend her "regular" preschool on Mondays, but will attend the developmental one Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is a lot of school, but I think having the teachers and therapists there will help make sure she is getting the extra assistance she needs.
There may also be an option of her attending a program called AIM early next year. It is the Alternative Instruction Model. It is a program for autistic kids. Currently they have lower-functioning students in there now, but there may be kids more at Morgan's level starting early next year. We still do not have an official diagnosis of autism for Morgan, but the school psychologist confirmed that she thought this was a strong possibility. We are scheduled for the official evaluation with the other child psychologist next week. I'm nervous about it, but ready to know what we are really dealing with so we can tackle it head-on.
So, for the report on school this week, Morgan is doing well. It was a long week and two of the four mornings I had to wake her up she said "no school!" Once she was there she did great through. They did say she seemed kind of out of it today, but she really was pretty tired after such a busy week. She'll adjust to the schedule. Since they go by the school schedule we have one more week until Christmas break, then she'll be back in school the week of January 3rd. I spoke with the OT about her first session today and she said she did great! They think she's really going to "take off" with it. I was really excited to hear this. I also got some tips on things we can work with her at home.
Since Morgan did not qualify for speech therapy with the disctrict I'm thinking of continuing with some private therapy after the holidays are over. Her teacher is really impressed with her language skills, but I think it is compared to the other kids in her class. She is still quite behind typically developing kids.
Thanks for sticking with my long post, but this should catch you all up on Morgan's progress. Overall we are so proud of her for the progress she's made. Despite her struggles, she is such an awesome little personality. We just want the best for her.
The evaluation was pretty intense. There was a speech therapist, occupational therapist (fine motor) and the psychologist all taking turns asking her questions and asking her to perform tasks. There was woman who also tried to test her hearing and vision. Morgan did not cooperate well with this (tell me what almost three year old would want to put earphones on their head?!), but it was determined that her hearing and vision are fine. Finally she met with the physical therapist who put her through her paces... and let her jump on a trampoline a lot, which she loved!
A week later the psychologist called to discuss the results. She said Morgan had been "keeping her up at night" because she wanted to figure out what was best for her. Morgan (at that point) didn't have any qualifying scores. We were afraid of that. She is behind in all areas, but not enough to qualify for services at this time. The psychologist had one more score to collect and she called me back the next day. That day we learned that she had just qualified in the area of occupational therapy (OT - fine motor skills). I wasn't surprised. This is one area she had not been fully evaluated on with EI and I always have trouble keeping her interested in things like coloring. With the score she received she also needed to qualify in another area to attend the preschool. The psychologist made a "professional judgement" to allow her to attend based on the area of social skills, since Morgan did seem to be challenged in this area. She said that she does this only once or twice a year with a child that doesn't have all the qualifying scores, yet somehow seems like they would benefit from the preschool. This is what they call a "developmental preschool." There are kids there with various developmental issues that need early assistance and therapy so they are ready for Kindergarten when they are older.
I was very grateful that they were able to make an exception for Morgan. It is easy for kids like Morgan to fall through the cracks in the system. I think the developmental preschool will especially help her in the social area. She will still attend her "regular" preschool on Mondays, but will attend the developmental one Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It is a lot of school, but I think having the teachers and therapists there will help make sure she is getting the extra assistance she needs.
There may also be an option of her attending a program called AIM early next year. It is the Alternative Instruction Model. It is a program for autistic kids. Currently they have lower-functioning students in there now, but there may be kids more at Morgan's level starting early next year. We still do not have an official diagnosis of autism for Morgan, but the school psychologist confirmed that she thought this was a strong possibility. We are scheduled for the official evaluation with the other child psychologist next week. I'm nervous about it, but ready to know what we are really dealing with so we can tackle it head-on.
So, for the report on school this week, Morgan is doing well. It was a long week and two of the four mornings I had to wake her up she said "no school!" Once she was there she did great through. They did say she seemed kind of out of it today, but she really was pretty tired after such a busy week. She'll adjust to the schedule. Since they go by the school schedule we have one more week until Christmas break, then she'll be back in school the week of January 3rd. I spoke with the OT about her first session today and she said she did great! They think she's really going to "take off" with it. I was really excited to hear this. I also got some tips on things we can work with her at home.
Since Morgan did not qualify for speech therapy with the disctrict I'm thinking of continuing with some private therapy after the holidays are over. Her teacher is really impressed with her language skills, but I think it is compared to the other kids in her class. She is still quite behind typically developing kids.
Thanks for sticking with my long post, but this should catch you all up on Morgan's progress. Overall we are so proud of her for the progress she's made. Despite her struggles, she is such an awesome little personality. We just want the best for her.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
To The Store
Morgan is now wearing Pull-Ups instead of a diaper. I swore I wouldn't do this, but I had to give in. We were having epic battles over diaper changes, she just didn't want to lie down and let me change her. It would become a game where she would run into the kitchen and want to play "I'm gonna get you!"...which means I'd have to run into the kitchen, tickle her and carry her back into the living room. Ugh! Exhausting. Now that she wears the Pull-Ups, she can take them off herself and only needs a little help to get a new one on. No more battles. I hope it's worth it, because it kills me how expensive these things are. Hopefully it's a short phase until she decides she wants to use the potty on her own.
Now, these Pull-Ups are also fascinating to Morgan because they have "Princesses" on them. Disney princesses, to be exact. In fact, we don't call them Pull-Ups, we call them "Princess Pants," (thanks Gram). She has learned all their names. Tiana, Belle and Cinderella. This is different from Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty who are on her sneakers. Her overnight Pull-ups have Sleeping Beauty on them too, appropriate.
There are two patterns on the Pull-Ups, one with Belle alone and another with all three princesses. The other day Morgan looked at the one with only Belle and said "Tiana and Cinderella went to the store." Huh?! I was puzzled for a second, then I laughed. There was one time we went to our neighbor's house to see if their little girl could play. They were not home. Morgan got upset and didn't understand why her friend wasn't there. So, in the moment I decided to say "Mya went to the store," (this is how we say we are going to the grocery store). That seemed to make sense to her and she stopped being upset. A few times that night she looked out the window, didn't see her friend and said "Mya went to the store!" So, now that she noticed Tiana and Cinderella weren't on that particular Pull-up...she decided that they must have gone "to the store." OK, I can work with that. No, princesses probably don't need to go to the grocery store, but that is beyond her understanding at this point. Its just nice to see her thought process.
Now, these Pull-Ups are also fascinating to Morgan because they have "Princesses" on them. Disney princesses, to be exact. In fact, we don't call them Pull-Ups, we call them "Princess Pants," (thanks Gram). She has learned all their names. Tiana, Belle and Cinderella. This is different from Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty who are on her sneakers. Her overnight Pull-ups have Sleeping Beauty on them too, appropriate.
There are two patterns on the Pull-Ups, one with Belle alone and another with all three princesses. The other day Morgan looked at the one with only Belle and said "Tiana and Cinderella went to the store." Huh?! I was puzzled for a second, then I laughed. There was one time we went to our neighbor's house to see if their little girl could play. They were not home. Morgan got upset and didn't understand why her friend wasn't there. So, in the moment I decided to say "Mya went to the store," (this is how we say we are going to the grocery store). That seemed to make sense to her and she stopped being upset. A few times that night she looked out the window, didn't see her friend and said "Mya went to the store!" So, now that she noticed Tiana and Cinderella weren't on that particular Pull-up...she decided that they must have gone "to the store." OK, I can work with that. No, princesses probably don't need to go to the grocery store, but that is beyond her understanding at this point. Its just nice to see her thought process.
Monday, October 11, 2010
It's all about the "bribe"
The last two weeks after preschool I've had to deal with HUGE meltdowns trying to get Morgan in the car to leave. She loves to run up and down the grassy hill right next to the school. Two weeks ago she ran and ran and ran and just didn't want to leave. Last week it was raining and she refused to listen when I told her it was too wet.
This week I figured out how to get her in the car without screaming and tears. The bribe. Morgan LOVES these Kashi granola bars that I buy for myself. She doesn't get them very often, and when she does it's a special treat. I snuck one in my purse this morning. Once she had run up and down the hill many times and all of her friends were leaving I decided to test things out. I said, "Morgan, I have a granola bar for you in the car." She immediately started saying "Granola bar! Granola bar!" and made her way right over to the car. When we got there I pushed it further and told her she had to get into her car seat before she could have it. There was no messing around...she got right in her seat! I gave her the granola bar and once I packed Piper in we were on our way in record time!
This didn't used to work for Morgan...she usually would ignore me and keep doing whatever I wanted her to stop doing. This is encouraging in that she is understanding what I am saying. I'm sure this won't work in all cases and her stubbornness will prevail, but for this purpose it worked well. Maybe I should consider giving her pieces of granola bar if she uses the potty? Hmm...
This week I figured out how to get her in the car without screaming and tears. The bribe. Morgan LOVES these Kashi granola bars that I buy for myself. She doesn't get them very often, and when she does it's a special treat. I snuck one in my purse this morning. Once she had run up and down the hill many times and all of her friends were leaving I decided to test things out. I said, "Morgan, I have a granola bar for you in the car." She immediately started saying "Granola bar! Granola bar!" and made her way right over to the car. When we got there I pushed it further and told her she had to get into her car seat before she could have it. There was no messing around...she got right in her seat! I gave her the granola bar and once I packed Piper in we were on our way in record time!
This didn't used to work for Morgan...she usually would ignore me and keep doing whatever I wanted her to stop doing. This is encouraging in that she is understanding what I am saying. I'm sure this won't work in all cases and her stubbornness will prevail, but for this purpose it worked well. Maybe I should consider giving her pieces of granola bar if she uses the potty? Hmm...
Friday, October 1, 2010
Postponed
I meant to post about this earlier this week, but now it's suddenly Friday and I'm just now getting a little time to blog.
We postponed Morgan's evaluation with the child psychologist. It turns out that this particular doctor is not in-network and cannot be approved as such quickly. We would like to avoid paying out of pocket for this evaluation. It will take up to 90 days for her to be added to our in-network plan, but hopefully it will be faster. She told us she will contact us as soon as she receives approval and will get Morgan scheduled for her next evaluation slot.
I really wanted this to happen and considered forking over the money. I just want to know where she is at so we can move forward with whatever the diagnosis is (or isn't). Of course, patience has never been one of my strengths, so this is hard on me. So we will spend a while longer not knowing quite what we're dealing with, but the psychologist assured me that it wouldn't make much of a difference. Morgan has a good therapy plan in place now until she's three in December. Hopefully we'll be able to get the evaluation done around that time anyway.
We postponed Morgan's evaluation with the child psychologist. It turns out that this particular doctor is not in-network and cannot be approved as such quickly. We would like to avoid paying out of pocket for this evaluation. It will take up to 90 days for her to be added to our in-network plan, but hopefully it will be faster. She told us she will contact us as soon as she receives approval and will get Morgan scheduled for her next evaluation slot.
I really wanted this to happen and considered forking over the money. I just want to know where she is at so we can move forward with whatever the diagnosis is (or isn't). Of course, patience has never been one of my strengths, so this is hard on me. So we will spend a while longer not knowing quite what we're dealing with, but the psychologist assured me that it wouldn't make much of a difference. Morgan has a good therapy plan in place now until she's three in December. Hopefully we'll be able to get the evaluation done around that time anyway.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Play Place
We have a spot we go on rainy or cold days. It's called the "Play Place" at the mall...not much shopping goes on, but it's great fun for the girls. We've been enjoying being outside all summer, so Saturday was the first day since last Spring that we needed to get the girls out, but it was not nice outside. Rain, rain go away...
I think a lot of malls have these play areas now. They are enclosed spaces with seating all around them. There are fun things to climb on like little boats and a tunnel that looks like an overturned tree stump (Piper's favorite). There's also a little patch of flowers, a ladybug and a fish. There is even a big tree slide! All these things are made of a sturdy, yet soft plastic, so if the kids fall they're unlikely to get hurt.
It was fun to see Piper tool around and play with all the toys and features. Last Winter she was still so little, that she didn't get much out of it. David and I would take turns holding her while the other chased Morgan.
We still had to chase Morgan a little, but not much. She's now able to handle many of the features, like the tree slide all by herself! Last Winter she could get up the steps by herself, but she would sit at the top of the slide and wait until we came to "catch" her. We literally had to pull her off the top of the slide. This time she was up and down it so fast. We just got to sit and enjoy it. Ahhh, that and a nice coffee treat made my day.
I think a lot of malls have these play areas now. They are enclosed spaces with seating all around them. There are fun things to climb on like little boats and a tunnel that looks like an overturned tree stump (Piper's favorite). There's also a little patch of flowers, a ladybug and a fish. There is even a big tree slide! All these things are made of a sturdy, yet soft plastic, so if the kids fall they're unlikely to get hurt.
It was fun to see Piper tool around and play with all the toys and features. Last Winter she was still so little, that she didn't get much out of it. David and I would take turns holding her while the other chased Morgan.
We still had to chase Morgan a little, but not much. She's now able to handle many of the features, like the tree slide all by herself! Last Winter she could get up the steps by herself, but she would sit at the top of the slide and wait until we came to "catch" her. We literally had to pull her off the top of the slide. This time she was up and down it so fast. We just got to sit and enjoy it. Ahhh, that and a nice coffee treat made my day.Friday, September 17, 2010
It's been a while
Ah yes, the inevitable first post after a long break. What do I have to say? We've been busy, but it's boring to just list what's been going on. An update on the "Mama's sad" post? I'll just start writing and see what happens.
Both of my babies are sleeping. I treasure this time not only because I get a little time for myself, but also because it makes me appreciate them more. Sometime I can't wait for naps, but when they're sleeping I miss them. I love Morgan's chatter and how she wants to jump off everything in the living room. I love how Piper constantly crawls up my legs because she wants me to pick her up. She's become a little more clingy with me lately.
Gram and Grandpa B came to visit this last week and David and I got a much-needed two night getaway. While it was wonderful to have some free time (and no diapers), I missed my babies. They had a great time with their Grandparents and only missed us a little. It was just the right amount of time to be away. I was SO excited to see them when we drove back in the driveway.
Mama's feeling a little better. I'm a little anxious about our upcoming evaluation. We have an appointment set for the 29th of this month to start a FULL evaluation by a well-respected child psychologist. This was the one we couldn't get a hold of the first time. I started calling her every day and persistence paid off. The evaluation starts with a two hour consultation in her office, followed by some observation outside the office. I'm not sure of those details, but all in all she said it would be about 5-6 hours of her time to make a proper diagnosis (or none at all). This is much more comprehensive than the one hour consultation we had with the other psychologist.
I'm still going back and forth on where I think Morgan is at. Previously I was resigned to a spectrum diagnosis, now I'm back to hoping we won't get one. Morgan started her once-a-week preschool class this week. She seemed to have a great time! There are 12 kids in her class and I think she interacted with them appropriately. There is a wide range of development in all the kids and also in age from 2-3 years old. So much happens during that time. I don't think Morgan stood out as being odd or different. As it is a parent/toddler class, we were in the classroom some of the time and also out in the lobby area having our own class. The kids were in and out of the classroom, some shy, some just wanting to show their Moms new toys, some not wanting to be in the class at all. Morgan came out a few times just to say "hi" or to see the fish in the large aquarium. When I escorted her back in the class she stayed and found something to do. She seemed interested in the activities and the other kids. I think it's a good place for her. We'll see how she does.
We're looking forward to a weekend of playing at the park and time with Daddy. We've also been more regular with our church attendance lately and the girls have been doing better and better in the childcare/Sunday school. It's good for us as a family. I'm also back to a women's bible study that I took a year off from and our church small group will be back to meeting at our house next week. It all just feels right and we need this.
There's my stream of consciousness for now. More soon! Ideas are coming.
Both of my babies are sleeping. I treasure this time not only because I get a little time for myself, but also because it makes me appreciate them more. Sometime I can't wait for naps, but when they're sleeping I miss them. I love Morgan's chatter and how she wants to jump off everything in the living room. I love how Piper constantly crawls up my legs because she wants me to pick her up. She's become a little more clingy with me lately.
Gram and Grandpa B came to visit this last week and David and I got a much-needed two night getaway. While it was wonderful to have some free time (and no diapers), I missed my babies. They had a great time with their Grandparents and only missed us a little. It was just the right amount of time to be away. I was SO excited to see them when we drove back in the driveway.
Mama's feeling a little better. I'm a little anxious about our upcoming evaluation. We have an appointment set for the 29th of this month to start a FULL evaluation by a well-respected child psychologist. This was the one we couldn't get a hold of the first time. I started calling her every day and persistence paid off. The evaluation starts with a two hour consultation in her office, followed by some observation outside the office. I'm not sure of those details, but all in all she said it would be about 5-6 hours of her time to make a proper diagnosis (or none at all). This is much more comprehensive than the one hour consultation we had with the other psychologist.
I'm still going back and forth on where I think Morgan is at. Previously I was resigned to a spectrum diagnosis, now I'm back to hoping we won't get one. Morgan started her once-a-week preschool class this week. She seemed to have a great time! There are 12 kids in her class and I think she interacted with them appropriately. There is a wide range of development in all the kids and also in age from 2-3 years old. So much happens during that time. I don't think Morgan stood out as being odd or different. As it is a parent/toddler class, we were in the classroom some of the time and also out in the lobby area having our own class. The kids were in and out of the classroom, some shy, some just wanting to show their Moms new toys, some not wanting to be in the class at all. Morgan came out a few times just to say "hi" or to see the fish in the large aquarium. When I escorted her back in the class she stayed and found something to do. She seemed interested in the activities and the other kids. I think it's a good place for her. We'll see how she does.
We're looking forward to a weekend of playing at the park and time with Daddy. We've also been more regular with our church attendance lately and the girls have been doing better and better in the childcare/Sunday school. It's good for us as a family. I'm also back to a women's bible study that I took a year off from and our church small group will be back to meeting at our house next week. It all just feels right and we need this.
There's my stream of consciousness for now. More soon! Ideas are coming.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Mama's Sad
This is what Morgan said to me today when she saw/heard me crying. I've been crying on and off all day today. I think it's a lot of things hitting me at once. Most of them are thing I cannot control and just feel totally incompetent to deal with. I'll try to explain.
About a week and a half ago Morgan's speech therapist made a sudden comment...."Amanda (the physical therapist) and I were talking the other day and when Morgan is older we think she'll be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or something like that." Huh? Then she said a few things and quickly left for another appointment. I was devastated by this comment. Yes, we had a consultation with a psychologist in May who said she did NOT see any signs of a "Pervasive Developmental Disorder," her therapists, whom she has seen every week since January think she does have a PDD. I was initially very upset at how this was dropped on me, but since then have had a talk with the therapist and we've worked things out. All in all, I was more upset that my own suspisions were confirmed.
So...we are looking for another opinion. I've been in contact with another highly-recommended psychologist. We are working through the insurance details, but she said she thought she could have Morgan fully evaluated within a month. This evaluation will be very thorough, not just a short office visit. We will definitely get some more concrete answers this time.
I'm definitely afraid the answer will be Autism. In fact, I think I'm sure of it. In the past week and a half I have done more research and I do think Morgan falls somewhere on "the spectrum." Hopefully she is on the higher end. The odd thing is that I don't see it as Asperger, since this diagnosis does not usually include a speech delay. This was tough to swallow too, as she may just be plain Autistic and this lessens her chances of leading a productive life. The speech therapist said she is sure Morgan will be able to function well enough to have great success...but I think I need to hear that from the psychologist.
So, we have no diagnosis yet, but I'm in really dire need of support right now, especially from other parents of Autistic kids. I'm really struggling with some normal parenting challenges such as potty training and discipline, but I have no clue how to approach it with Morgan. With potty training she will sit on the potty, but she really doesn't have that desire most kids show at some point to accomplish this goal. Morgan is very much a creature of habit, so that approach might work, but the communication is still not there and that is key. With discipline, we use a time-out technique, but she thinks it's a game and it just doesn't work. Ugh! Maybe other parents with Autistic kids might be able to shed some light on what has worked with their kids.
David also left on an overnight trip...loneliness is the worst. It just makes me so sad when I watch Morgan doing her usual activities and she can't converse with me. She can't tell me how her day is going or what she is feeling or thinking. I'd love for her to play with Piper or try to teach her things, but most of her interaction with her lately is pushing her over. We've all been sick too, so I'm still wary of having them around other kids for a few more days. It's just an especially lonely time right now.
There's another fear that's starting to haunt me, that Piper will have development issues too. She's doing fine right now, but I'm so afraid at any moment she'll stop or slow her progression. We're also in the process of weaning from nursing and that is an emotional thing for me. I've felt such a nice bond with Piper this past year and I don't want to lose that.
So, that's my saga for today. I understand that it will be a process coming to terms with Morgan's pending diagnosis. There will be sad days, angry days, and days of hope and joy. We'll just keep trying to love Morgan the best we can and to encourage the best from her.
About a week and a half ago Morgan's speech therapist made a sudden comment...."Amanda (the physical therapist) and I were talking the other day and when Morgan is older we think she'll be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or something like that." Huh? Then she said a few things and quickly left for another appointment. I was devastated by this comment. Yes, we had a consultation with a psychologist in May who said she did NOT see any signs of a "Pervasive Developmental Disorder," her therapists, whom she has seen every week since January think she does have a PDD. I was initially very upset at how this was dropped on me, but since then have had a talk with the therapist and we've worked things out. All in all, I was more upset that my own suspisions were confirmed.
So...we are looking for another opinion. I've been in contact with another highly-recommended psychologist. We are working through the insurance details, but she said she thought she could have Morgan fully evaluated within a month. This evaluation will be very thorough, not just a short office visit. We will definitely get some more concrete answers this time.
I'm definitely afraid the answer will be Autism. In fact, I think I'm sure of it. In the past week and a half I have done more research and I do think Morgan falls somewhere on "the spectrum." Hopefully she is on the higher end. The odd thing is that I don't see it as Asperger, since this diagnosis does not usually include a speech delay. This was tough to swallow too, as she may just be plain Autistic and this lessens her chances of leading a productive life. The speech therapist said she is sure Morgan will be able to function well enough to have great success...but I think I need to hear that from the psychologist.
So, we have no diagnosis yet, but I'm in really dire need of support right now, especially from other parents of Autistic kids. I'm really struggling with some normal parenting challenges such as potty training and discipline, but I have no clue how to approach it with Morgan. With potty training she will sit on the potty, but she really doesn't have that desire most kids show at some point to accomplish this goal. Morgan is very much a creature of habit, so that approach might work, but the communication is still not there and that is key. With discipline, we use a time-out technique, but she thinks it's a game and it just doesn't work. Ugh! Maybe other parents with Autistic kids might be able to shed some light on what has worked with their kids.
David also left on an overnight trip...loneliness is the worst. It just makes me so sad when I watch Morgan doing her usual activities and she can't converse with me. She can't tell me how her day is going or what she is feeling or thinking. I'd love for her to play with Piper or try to teach her things, but most of her interaction with her lately is pushing her over. We've all been sick too, so I'm still wary of having them around other kids for a few more days. It's just an especially lonely time right now.
There's another fear that's starting to haunt me, that Piper will have development issues too. She's doing fine right now, but I'm so afraid at any moment she'll stop or slow her progression. We're also in the process of weaning from nursing and that is an emotional thing for me. I've felt such a nice bond with Piper this past year and I don't want to lose that.
So, that's my saga for today. I understand that it will be a process coming to terms with Morgan's pending diagnosis. There will be sad days, angry days, and days of hope and joy. We'll just keep trying to love Morgan the best we can and to encourage the best from her.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Back on the Roller Coaster
Not that we ever really got off it. I had a frustrating conversation with Morgan's speech therapist on Friday that completely threw me for a loop. As I have included in this blog, we took Morgan to see a child psychologist last May because one of her therapists recommended it. She said she saw something in the way Morgan "processes" things and that it was "subtle," but we should have her evaluated. Immediately my mind went to Autism. Admittedly, Morgan is a quirky kid, but some kids just are.
Anyway, we were relieved when the psychologist ruled out any "Pervasive Developmental Disorders" such as Autism, Asperger Syndrome, etc. For whatever reason, Morgan is delayed in her speech development and is behind socially. We are continuing to work on these areas with therapists and she starts a preschool program in September.
So, on Friday at the end of Morgan's appointment, I asked the speech therapist some questions on Morgan's progress and how she's doing. I am puzzled by the fact that Morgan does not learn a lot of basic language skills socially (i.e. she doesn't pick up on a use pronouns like "my" and "your"). We are having to teach this to her more directly. I've asked the speech therapist about this before and she said "I don't know why." This time I brought it up again and she said, "well, Amanda (the physical therapist) and I were talking yesterday and we think when Morgan's older she'll be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or something like that." HUH?!! A cold chill went down my spine. I thought "what is she saying?"
It's kind of a blur to me what she said next, a few things that were positive on how once we are able to teach Morgan directly, she gets it. But then (as she's walking out the door) she says, "everybody has stuff with their kids, I had it with mine." Well, I know none of her kids were diagnosed with life-long, life-changing developmental disorders. When she left I think I was in shock for a bit. And let's just say this weekend just SUCKED! Sorry to those who don't like that word, but it's all I can say. David and I argued about this a lot. We went from being upset with the therapist to just feeling lost again to what is going on with our daughter and could the psychologist's opinion be wrong?! I feel like we are right back where we were the last time a therapist made a comment.
One decision we've made is getting another opinion. I've put calls into two other people that I was referred to last time, one other psychologist and a developmental pediatrician. They probably have long waiting lists, but I'll make an appointment anyway. It can't hurt to do this. It will be great if they agree with the first doctor, but if not we can make sure we have Morgan in the best therapy possible for whatever the situation might be.
Not that it changes Morgan's diagnosis (or non-diagnosis), I also felt it was important to speak with someone at the therapy clinic about this. I thought it was inappropriate and really somewhat careless to say something like this to a parent. Someone made a comment to me that possibly these therapists get a little desensitized to how this might emotionally impact the family. Yes, but it's still not OK. The owner was out this week, but I spoke with the office manager. She was surprised that the therapist said this to me and said she would speak with both therapists and get back to me. I'm supposed to hear from her in a few days.
Up and down we go on the roller coaster...trying to hang on tight.
Anyway, we were relieved when the psychologist ruled out any "Pervasive Developmental Disorders" such as Autism, Asperger Syndrome, etc. For whatever reason, Morgan is delayed in her speech development and is behind socially. We are continuing to work on these areas with therapists and she starts a preschool program in September.
So, on Friday at the end of Morgan's appointment, I asked the speech therapist some questions on Morgan's progress and how she's doing. I am puzzled by the fact that Morgan does not learn a lot of basic language skills socially (i.e. she doesn't pick up on a use pronouns like "my" and "your"). We are having to teach this to her more directly. I've asked the speech therapist about this before and she said "I don't know why." This time I brought it up again and she said, "well, Amanda (the physical therapist) and I were talking yesterday and we think when Morgan's older she'll be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome or something like that." HUH?!! A cold chill went down my spine. I thought "what is she saying?"
It's kind of a blur to me what she said next, a few things that were positive on how once we are able to teach Morgan directly, she gets it. But then (as she's walking out the door) she says, "everybody has stuff with their kids, I had it with mine." Well, I know none of her kids were diagnosed with life-long, life-changing developmental disorders. When she left I think I was in shock for a bit. And let's just say this weekend just SUCKED! Sorry to those who don't like that word, but it's all I can say. David and I argued about this a lot. We went from being upset with the therapist to just feeling lost again to what is going on with our daughter and could the psychologist's opinion be wrong?! I feel like we are right back where we were the last time a therapist made a comment.
One decision we've made is getting another opinion. I've put calls into two other people that I was referred to last time, one other psychologist and a developmental pediatrician. They probably have long waiting lists, but I'll make an appointment anyway. It can't hurt to do this. It will be great if they agree with the first doctor, but if not we can make sure we have Morgan in the best therapy possible for whatever the situation might be.
Not that it changes Morgan's diagnosis (or non-diagnosis), I also felt it was important to speak with someone at the therapy clinic about this. I thought it was inappropriate and really somewhat careless to say something like this to a parent. Someone made a comment to me that possibly these therapists get a little desensitized to how this might emotionally impact the family. Yes, but it's still not OK. The owner was out this week, but I spoke with the office manager. She was surprised that the therapist said this to me and said she would speak with both therapists and get back to me. I'm supposed to hear from her in a few days.
Up and down we go on the roller coaster...trying to hang on tight.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Let's get physical
We got Morgan's physical therapy progress report yesterday. She's shown some great improvement! She is now within the "average range," still on the lower average side, but no longer in the "delayed" category. Yippee! This makes more sense to me, even with regard to her original evaluation. I know she walked later (still within the range of "normal") and may not be as agile as other kids, but I never thought she would qualify for therapy. We originally approached Early Intervention in regard to her speech/communication and I was surprised to see how low she scored on her motor skills.
That said, I think the therapy has helped her a great deal. She's improved climbing up and down stairs using both legs (she favored one side previously). She's improved her balance as well as her hand-eye coordination. We have a progress meeting with her EI coordinator in two weeks. With these results I'm not sure if she qualifies for therapy (as least as covered by the state) in this area any longer. We'll see what the coordinator says.
The only progress report I am waiting for is from the speech therapist. Morgan has really steadily improved in this area and continues to meet goals. I just don't know overall where she is at and what will be recommended as next steps at this point. All will be revealed soon!
Here are some shots of Morgan going "round and round" the kitchen with her doll stroller. This cracks me up because my parents have home movies of my sister and I doing this at Morgan's age.
Here she is...
...there she goes!
Around the corner
Making sure her "baby" is OK
And around the other side... and around again!
That said, I think the therapy has helped her a great deal. She's improved climbing up and down stairs using both legs (she favored one side previously). She's improved her balance as well as her hand-eye coordination. We have a progress meeting with her EI coordinator in two weeks. With these results I'm not sure if she qualifies for therapy (as least as covered by the state) in this area any longer. We'll see what the coordinator says.
The only progress report I am waiting for is from the speech therapist. Morgan has really steadily improved in this area and continues to meet goals. I just don't know overall where she is at and what will be recommended as next steps at this point. All will be revealed soon!
Here are some shots of Morgan going "round and round" the kitchen with her doll stroller. This cracks me up because my parents have home movies of my sister and I doing this at Morgan's age.
Here she is... 
...there she goes!
Around the corner
Making sure her "baby" is OK
And around the other side... and around again!Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Testing Testing
By several people's request, Morgan has been in the process of some "re-testing" with her Early Intervention therapists the last few weeks. She has been in the program a little over six months, so she is due for a progress report. Here are a few of the details we have so far:
Receptive Language
Morgan tested appropriate for her age on this part of the language evaluation! The therapist also said the score can be used also in figuring IQ (which she has not been tested for) and it put her right in the average range. That great news! Next week she'll test her for "expressive language." I'll admit I'm a little nervous about this. Morgan knows a lot of words, but will she say them when put on the spot? We'll see...
Social and Emotional
She also tested age appropriate in this area as well! This is exactly what the therapist said, but then she said she tested a little behind in the social area, but not as far behind as she was before. I figure she tested ahead in some areas (letters, numbers, etc.) and that helped her average out. As far as the social area is concerned the therapist suggested we get her in a preschool setting at least three days a week. We won't know for a while whether Morgan qualifies for the School District developmental preschool, but if not we may need to find another "regular" school that will allow her to attend more often. The current school we have her registered for is only one day per week. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Children First Developmental Preschool (ages o-3)
Currently there is not any space in the Children First program we visited a few weeks ago. Their regular school year just ended so they will see if spaces open up during the summer and will let us know.
More on the School District preschool (to start at age three)...her therapists agree that she'll probably be the "model" student, possibly more advanced than many of the kids. If that is the case David and I may decide to forgo this school and put her in a "regular" school. We feel that we want Morgan to be challenged and she may not get that at the developmental school. We've also been advised of this by our friend/neighbor who is a pediatric nurse practitioner. We greatly value her opinion in this area. I'm sure there will be much more discussion on this moving forward.
Gross and Fine Motor Skills
Morgan will be re-tested in this area this week.
Receptive Language
Morgan tested appropriate for her age on this part of the language evaluation! The therapist also said the score can be used also in figuring IQ (which she has not been tested for) and it put her right in the average range. That great news! Next week she'll test her for "expressive language." I'll admit I'm a little nervous about this. Morgan knows a lot of words, but will she say them when put on the spot? We'll see...
Social and Emotional
She also tested age appropriate in this area as well! This is exactly what the therapist said, but then she said she tested a little behind in the social area, but not as far behind as she was before. I figure she tested ahead in some areas (letters, numbers, etc.) and that helped her average out. As far as the social area is concerned the therapist suggested we get her in a preschool setting at least three days a week. We won't know for a while whether Morgan qualifies for the School District developmental preschool, but if not we may need to find another "regular" school that will allow her to attend more often. The current school we have her registered for is only one day per week. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Children First Developmental Preschool (ages o-3)
Currently there is not any space in the Children First program we visited a few weeks ago. Their regular school year just ended so they will see if spaces open up during the summer and will let us know.
More on the School District preschool (to start at age three)...her therapists agree that she'll probably be the "model" student, possibly more advanced than many of the kids. If that is the case David and I may decide to forgo this school and put her in a "regular" school. We feel that we want Morgan to be challenged and she may not get that at the developmental school. We've also been advised of this by our friend/neighbor who is a pediatric nurse practitioner. We greatly value her opinion in this area. I'm sure there will be much more discussion on this moving forward.
Gross and Fine Motor Skills
Morgan will be re-tested in this area this week.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Preschool Visit
Thursday I packed up the girlies and headed off to see the Children First, the developmental preschool that was recommended to us by the psychologist. It is pretty close to our home so it was a quick trip. It was pouring down rain, but I was grateful to have our bigger car so it was easier to get the kiddos in and out.
The coordinator met me right away when we walked in. She was really nice and very helpful. We went right into the classroom to observe. Morgan made her way right over to some toys and helped herself. She didn't get nervous or upset at all the whole visit, even when I left the room with Piper to go over some paperwork in the office.
The class was just starting snack time. A few little ones came over to Piper (in the stroller) and said "baby", "baby." I noticed right away that there was a wide range of ages of kids. I soon found out that this classroom had kids from 14 months to 3 three years old. They also have a class for infants, so there are just two classrooms total that make up the developmental preschool (there is also a full time daycare in the building). The classroom itself was divided into three sections, one for speech therapy, one for physical therapy and one for both occupational therapy and overall play. The speech therapy section had lots of books and a ball pit (fun!). The physical therapy section had larger play structures and a large open area where the teachers can use equipment like balance beams and throw balls, etc. the middle section had kid-sized tables and chairs where they ate and did art projects as well as an open area with lots of toys. I also noticed that the toys were not random, they all had a purpose and were educational in some way.
Another thing I noticed right away was that the majority of the kids actually looked like they had some sort of disability or issue. Along with the ages, there was a wide range here too. The coordinator said that they had quite a few kids that suffered from shaken baby syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome. Hearing that just made my heart hurt for those kids. Such little innocent faces. Finally, some of the kids were more like Morgan in that they didn't show any physical signs, but had some sort of developmental delay.
To be totally honest, the visit was really hard for me. I thought right away "does Morgan really belong here?" Of course this was a place we never expected to be, so it came as a shock. As Morgan made her way around the classroom the teachers made comments and asked questions about her. One of the speech therapists heard Morgan say "triangle" and she looked at the other teacher in surprise and said "did you just hear her say triangle?!" I guess they don't hear that word much around there. I did tell them that she had these higher end skills of knowing her letters, numbers, shapes and colors. They just nodded their heads. In the physical therapy room Morgan climbed right up on one of the play structures and went down the slide. The coordinator had seen her physical therapy "score" on the assessment from last December and told the therapist (the number means nothing to me). She looked at Morgan quizzically and said "really?!" I guess she's made some progress, but I never agreed with that initial assessment anyway. The same therapist also told me "she's really smart!" Morgan had pointed at a picture on the rug and said "yellow duck." That's my girl!!
So....even though it was hard I think it will be a good place for her to experience social situations and structure. When we were in the speech therapy room the other kids were sitting together on a blanket playing with toy food while the teachers read "Teddy Bear Picnic." Morgan went over and stood by them for a bit, then went off and did her own thing. They said that was common when kids start. It takes time to get used to participating in group or "circle" time.
The Children First program is two days a week from 9 am to 11:15. They also have snack and lunch during this time. I thought it was a bit early for lunch, but the coordinator said lunch was great teaching time for occupational therapy, speech therapy as well as socialization. That makes sense.
Morgan's speech therapist came to our house for her regular visit today. I told her about the trip to the school. She asked when Morgan would turn three and I said December. The school we visited only serves up to age three, then the kids may move on to the school district's preschool. Apparently the qualifications for the school district's preschool are much more stringent as they only take the bottom 7 percent of three year-olds in the district. She said by the Fall Morgan may not even qualify. Her other therapists mentioned this a few times too a few weeks ago...they kept saying "if she qualifies." This assures me that Morgan may be delayed, but she is not too far behind. I spoke with the director of the "regular" preschool the other day. I wanted to inform her that Morgan is having some delays and wondered if it was still OK that she start their one day a week program in September. She assured me that they have had some kids similar to Morgan and she is welcome to attend. She said much of the time kids like Morgan do just fine and catch up before Kindergarten.
Sorry this got so long. So, we'll take it a bit at a time as we move forward. I'm waiting for a start date from Children First. It will be good to have her in this setting over the summer, though it's only one day a week. She'll move to two days a week in the Fall and one day in the "regular" school. Then we'll just see how it goes when she gets closer to her third birthday.
The coordinator met me right away when we walked in. She was really nice and very helpful. We went right into the classroom to observe. Morgan made her way right over to some toys and helped herself. She didn't get nervous or upset at all the whole visit, even when I left the room with Piper to go over some paperwork in the office.
The class was just starting snack time. A few little ones came over to Piper (in the stroller) and said "baby", "baby." I noticed right away that there was a wide range of ages of kids. I soon found out that this classroom had kids from 14 months to 3 three years old. They also have a class for infants, so there are just two classrooms total that make up the developmental preschool (there is also a full time daycare in the building). The classroom itself was divided into three sections, one for speech therapy, one for physical therapy and one for both occupational therapy and overall play. The speech therapy section had lots of books and a ball pit (fun!). The physical therapy section had larger play structures and a large open area where the teachers can use equipment like balance beams and throw balls, etc. the middle section had kid-sized tables and chairs where they ate and did art projects as well as an open area with lots of toys. I also noticed that the toys were not random, they all had a purpose and were educational in some way.
Another thing I noticed right away was that the majority of the kids actually looked like they had some sort of disability or issue. Along with the ages, there was a wide range here too. The coordinator said that they had quite a few kids that suffered from shaken baby syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome. Hearing that just made my heart hurt for those kids. Such little innocent faces. Finally, some of the kids were more like Morgan in that they didn't show any physical signs, but had some sort of developmental delay.
To be totally honest, the visit was really hard for me. I thought right away "does Morgan really belong here?" Of course this was a place we never expected to be, so it came as a shock. As Morgan made her way around the classroom the teachers made comments and asked questions about her. One of the speech therapists heard Morgan say "triangle" and she looked at the other teacher in surprise and said "did you just hear her say triangle?!" I guess they don't hear that word much around there. I did tell them that she had these higher end skills of knowing her letters, numbers, shapes and colors. They just nodded their heads. In the physical therapy room Morgan climbed right up on one of the play structures and went down the slide. The coordinator had seen her physical therapy "score" on the assessment from last December and told the therapist (the number means nothing to me). She looked at Morgan quizzically and said "really?!" I guess she's made some progress, but I never agreed with that initial assessment anyway. The same therapist also told me "she's really smart!" Morgan had pointed at a picture on the rug and said "yellow duck." That's my girl!!
So....even though it was hard I think it will be a good place for her to experience social situations and structure. When we were in the speech therapy room the other kids were sitting together on a blanket playing with toy food while the teachers read "Teddy Bear Picnic." Morgan went over and stood by them for a bit, then went off and did her own thing. They said that was common when kids start. It takes time to get used to participating in group or "circle" time.
The Children First program is two days a week from 9 am to 11:15. They also have snack and lunch during this time. I thought it was a bit early for lunch, but the coordinator said lunch was great teaching time for occupational therapy, speech therapy as well as socialization. That makes sense.
Morgan's speech therapist came to our house for her regular visit today. I told her about the trip to the school. She asked when Morgan would turn three and I said December. The school we visited only serves up to age three, then the kids may move on to the school district's preschool. Apparently the qualifications for the school district's preschool are much more stringent as they only take the bottom 7 percent of three year-olds in the district. She said by the Fall Morgan may not even qualify. Her other therapists mentioned this a few times too a few weeks ago...they kept saying "if she qualifies." This assures me that Morgan may be delayed, but she is not too far behind. I spoke with the director of the "regular" preschool the other day. I wanted to inform her that Morgan is having some delays and wondered if it was still OK that she start their one day a week program in September. She assured me that they have had some kids similar to Morgan and she is welcome to attend. She said much of the time kids like Morgan do just fine and catch up before Kindergarten.
Sorry this got so long. So, we'll take it a bit at a time as we move forward. I'm waiting for a start date from Children First. It will be good to have her in this setting over the summer, though it's only one day a week. She'll move to two days a week in the Fall and one day in the "regular" school. Then we'll just see how it goes when she gets closer to her third birthday.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Piper's 9-Month Stats
Though Piper won't be 9 months old officially until Thursday we had her 9-month check up at the Dr. yesterday. She did so great!! Here are her stats:
Weight: 20 lbs 13 oz (85%) - chunk-a-monk!
Length: 28 inches (69%)
Chunky, yes, but the Dr. thought her proportions were fine. We all like a chubby baby, right?
While waiting for the Dr. to come in she had a great time playing with her reflection in the mirror over the exam table. The Dr. gave her a brief exam and said she looked "perfect" and asked a lot of questions about her development. He said she was right on track! We also lucked out with no shots at this appointment which was nice because I was on my own with her as David is out of town for work. My wonderful friend Danell watched Morgan so I could take Piper without distractions.
Great job Piper and we'll post 9-month pictures on Thursday!
Speaking of Thursday, we have a tour of a developmental preschool on that morning. I've gotten some great information about what is available for Morgan to start now and what we will do when she turns three. There are some solid programs here and I am thrilled to get her started and see how she does socially and in a structured learning environment. More soon...
Weight: 20 lbs 13 oz (85%) - chunk-a-monk!
Length: 28 inches (69%)
Chunky, yes, but the Dr. thought her proportions were fine. We all like a chubby baby, right?
While waiting for the Dr. to come in she had a great time playing with her reflection in the mirror over the exam table. The Dr. gave her a brief exam and said she looked "perfect" and asked a lot of questions about her development. He said she was right on track! We also lucked out with no shots at this appointment which was nice because I was on my own with her as David is out of town for work. My wonderful friend Danell watched Morgan so I could take Piper without distractions.
Great job Piper and we'll post 9-month pictures on Thursday!
Speaking of Thursday, we have a tour of a developmental preschool on that morning. I've gotten some great information about what is available for Morgan to start now and what we will do when she turns three. There are some solid programs here and I am thrilled to get her started and see how she does socially and in a structured learning environment. More soon...
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The BIG appointment
It went great!!! It wasn't all good news, but WAY more good news than bad news. I got to hear the "magic words" from the Dr. "I don't think she is showing signs of any of the spectrum disorders, autism, etc." Yippee! This was my worst fear.
Morgan did so well! I had talked with her about it all day. The appointment was late, at 5:00 pm, but that was way better than having to wait until September for a morning appointment. I dropped Piper off with our neighbors. Morgan kept asking "Piper? Piper?" on the way over. I don't think had taken her anywhere without Piper since Piper was born. We met David at the office. Morgan played nicely in the waiting room and the Dr. came in pretty quickly (after reviewing a TON of paperwork I filled out beforehand) and we went back to her office.
The office was large with a few couches. We all sat down and Morgan immediately went to pull out the baskets of toys she spied as soon as she walked in. The Dr. asked us lots of questions and she also engaged Morgan in some questions and interaction. She watched how Morgan interacted with us as well. She was encouraged by how interactive Morgan was and she gave her good eye contact.
For the "bad news" ... she did acknowledge that since she is in the EI program, obviously Morgan has some delays, mostly in the language/communication area. Since there was no family history (expect for a cousin, but the Dr. seemed more interested in parents/grandparents) and there wasn't any pregnancy/birth issues that we know of, she couldn't pinpoint why this was happening.
A key thing that surprised me is that she said that even if Morgan "catches up" with her peers she is always at risk of falling behind again. This is something we need to be aggressive with and have her re-evaluated every six months as she progresses through preschool and her school years. She just may need some extra help along the way. There may be some potential learning disabilities as well, but it is impossible to predict at this point. This didn't bother me too much as I know a few people that have learning disabilities and have become very successful in spite of it.
The Dr. is going to write a brief report and some recommendations as well. She encouraged us to keep her in the EI program and when she is discharged or ages out, a "developmental preschool" might be a good option. They have therapists on staff that can work with her in specific areas. We are going to look into this. We already have Morgan signed up for a one day a week preschool starting in September. I'm going to talk with them about having her start and see how she does. The developmental preschools don't start until kids are at least three and I want to see how she does socially before then.
Lastly, the Dr. said that some of her areas of delay (pretend play, some interaction with other kids, etc.) may be due to the fact that Morgan doesn't yet have the vocabulary to express herself. We are going to work on this at home. She also said that if she is somewhat less engaged with other kids it might just be due to her temperament...being shy, not any other bigger issue.
Thanks for bearing with my long update. I'm sure there are things I've forgotten. I've already got lots of question for the Dr. now that the appointment is over. I hate that! After I heard the "magic words" I think I had trouble processing everything else she said. I'm looking forward to seeing her report and recommendations. She also said she'd like to see us again in a year to check in how Morgan is doing. I'm so glad we don't have to do any further evaluations at this time. I think overall this was a great result!
Morgan did so well! I had talked with her about it all day. The appointment was late, at 5:00 pm, but that was way better than having to wait until September for a morning appointment. I dropped Piper off with our neighbors. Morgan kept asking "Piper? Piper?" on the way over. I don't think had taken her anywhere without Piper since Piper was born. We met David at the office. Morgan played nicely in the waiting room and the Dr. came in pretty quickly (after reviewing a TON of paperwork I filled out beforehand) and we went back to her office.
The office was large with a few couches. We all sat down and Morgan immediately went to pull out the baskets of toys she spied as soon as she walked in. The Dr. asked us lots of questions and she also engaged Morgan in some questions and interaction. She watched how Morgan interacted with us as well. She was encouraged by how interactive Morgan was and she gave her good eye contact.
For the "bad news" ... she did acknowledge that since she is in the EI program, obviously Morgan has some delays, mostly in the language/communication area. Since there was no family history (expect for a cousin, but the Dr. seemed more interested in parents/grandparents) and there wasn't any pregnancy/birth issues that we know of, she couldn't pinpoint why this was happening.
A key thing that surprised me is that she said that even if Morgan "catches up" with her peers she is always at risk of falling behind again. This is something we need to be aggressive with and have her re-evaluated every six months as she progresses through preschool and her school years. She just may need some extra help along the way. There may be some potential learning disabilities as well, but it is impossible to predict at this point. This didn't bother me too much as I know a few people that have learning disabilities and have become very successful in spite of it.
The Dr. is going to write a brief report and some recommendations as well. She encouraged us to keep her in the EI program and when she is discharged or ages out, a "developmental preschool" might be a good option. They have therapists on staff that can work with her in specific areas. We are going to look into this. We already have Morgan signed up for a one day a week preschool starting in September. I'm going to talk with them about having her start and see how she does. The developmental preschools don't start until kids are at least three and I want to see how she does socially before then.
Lastly, the Dr. said that some of her areas of delay (pretend play, some interaction with other kids, etc.) may be due to the fact that Morgan doesn't yet have the vocabulary to express herself. We are going to work on this at home. She also said that if she is somewhat less engaged with other kids it might just be due to her temperament...being shy, not any other bigger issue.
Thanks for bearing with my long update. I'm sure there are things I've forgotten. I've already got lots of question for the Dr. now that the appointment is over. I hate that! After I heard the "magic words" I think I had trouble processing everything else she said. I'm looking forward to seeing her report and recommendations. She also said she'd like to see us again in a year to check in how Morgan is doing. I'm so glad we don't have to do any further evaluations at this time. I think overall this was a great result!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Psyched Out
We have an appointment!! Friday I was able to obtain the names of some other psychologists in the area that could evaluate Morgan. I got an appointment with one for May 17th! I'm looking forward to this appointment, but also dreading it at the same time. Such continues the roller coaster. At least this is a step in the right direction to getting some answers.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
More of life on the Roller Coaster
This week, so far, has been a whirlwind of emotions and stress. We had a FABULOUS weekend to start with. It was the girls' first Shock game of the season. We were lucky enough to be able to sit in the owner's suite again. I know I wouldn't be able to do it without that. Morgan was able to run around and there was lots of space to comfortably feed Piper. Like when Morgan was a baby, I also did my "trick" of strolling her around the concourse during halftime to get her to go to sleep. Success!! We all had a nice time, as much of the game we were able to actually watch.
On Sunday we had lunch and a nice leisurely afternoon with our friends Danell and Tim. They are friends from San Francisco that moved here recently. We've been having a good time getting to know each other again. They have a beautiful home on the South Hill. It was such a pretty day. We hung out in their backyard, took a walk to the park and had a delicious homemade lunch.
Then, on Tuesday morning Morgan woke up throwing up in her bed. Yuck! Poor thing. She threw up one other time that morning and was just not feeling good the rest of the day. Tummy issues have continued (the other end kind), so we are nursing her through it. Piper has not shown signs of it. Our friend who's a pediatric nurse practitioner thinks it might be rotovirus. Piper had her vaccination more recently so she might be safe from it, but Morgan's is a little weaker, so she has gotten it fairly mildly. We hope it stays that way and the rest of us do not get sick.
Finally, my fears and stress about Morgan's development has resurfaced with a vengeance. In the course of two days one friend (who works for the State in social services for kids with mental disabilities) invited me to a seminar on Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Fragile X. I know she meant well, but it threw me for a loop. And today that same friend that is in pediatrics told me that she thinks something is off with Morgan too, that she is not as "engaged" as she should be by now.
I put in another call to the child psychologist (that has yet to call me back after several messages). I'm going to call the pediatrician's office again to see if there is anyone else he can refer me to. It is hard to be patient at this point. I need to know what is going on with my child. Morgan is crying from her nap, so I've got to go...more updates will come as I have them.
On Sunday we had lunch and a nice leisurely afternoon with our friends Danell and Tim. They are friends from San Francisco that moved here recently. We've been having a good time getting to know each other again. They have a beautiful home on the South Hill. It was such a pretty day. We hung out in their backyard, took a walk to the park and had a delicious homemade lunch.
Then, on Tuesday morning Morgan woke up throwing up in her bed. Yuck! Poor thing. She threw up one other time that morning and was just not feeling good the rest of the day. Tummy issues have continued (the other end kind), so we are nursing her through it. Piper has not shown signs of it. Our friend who's a pediatric nurse practitioner thinks it might be rotovirus. Piper had her vaccination more recently so she might be safe from it, but Morgan's is a little weaker, so she has gotten it fairly mildly. We hope it stays that way and the rest of us do not get sick.
Finally, my fears and stress about Morgan's development has resurfaced with a vengeance. In the course of two days one friend (who works for the State in social services for kids with mental disabilities) invited me to a seminar on Autism, Asperger Syndrome and Fragile X. I know she meant well, but it threw me for a loop. And today that same friend that is in pediatrics told me that she thinks something is off with Morgan too, that she is not as "engaged" as she should be by now.
I put in another call to the child psychologist (that has yet to call me back after several messages). I'm going to call the pediatrician's office again to see if there is anyone else he can refer me to. It is hard to be patient at this point. I need to know what is going on with my child. Morgan is crying from her nap, so I've got to go...more updates will come as I have them.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Testing, testing...
Here's the latest in Morgan's possible "evaluation" with a child psycologist... the Pediatrician and therapist talked, but I had not received any info back on a referral. A few days passed, and after still not hearing anything I called the office and he was out for the day. One of his nurses said she would go through his notes and see what she could find. She called me back later and said she found the name of a psychologist in his notes. OK... she assumed he was going to refer Morgan and she gave me the psychologist's contact information. I haven't received a call from him saying this was not the case so I called to see if I can get an appointment.
That's about all I have. I have left a few messages, but have not heard back yet. She noted on her voice mail that she also works for the school district three days a week in addition to her private practice. Busy woman. I have a feeling that once she does call back it will be a while until we actually see her.
The therapist did tell me to get an appointment set up, even if it's three months down the road. If we get there and the concerns no longer warrant an evaluation, we can cancel. I liked hearing this from the therapist, as it seemed that whatever is going on with Morgan is not a huge issue.
Just wanted to let everyone know where we were in the process. Morgan is still making progress, so that is good news. We'll keep you informed on how she's doing and any new information we might receive.
That's about all I have. I have left a few messages, but have not heard back yet. She noted on her voice mail that she also works for the school district three days a week in addition to her private practice. Busy woman. I have a feeling that once she does call back it will be a while until we actually see her.
The therapist did tell me to get an appointment set up, even if it's three months down the road. If we get there and the concerns no longer warrant an evaluation, we can cancel. I liked hearing this from the therapist, as it seemed that whatever is going on with Morgan is not a huge issue.
Just wanted to let everyone know where we were in the process. Morgan is still making progress, so that is good news. We'll keep you informed on how she's doing and any new information we might receive.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
My Sweet Morgan
I had a disconcerting conversation with Morgan's "teacher" yesterday. As I've mentioned, she's been participating in some speech therapy and "special instruction" with a teacher. It had been a few weeks since we'd seen her with Morgan and Piper's colds. During our session yesterday I asked the teacher about whether she thought Morgan would catch up with the other kids her age. I hoped she would say yes, but instead she recommended that we have Morgan evaluated by a child psychologist. Huh?!
She explained that she was concerned about the gap in development levels Morgan has. She shows high levels (3-4 years old) in the fact that she can recognize all letters and numbers, but she functions at levels lower than her age in language and cognitive/emotional areas. She said it was "subtle", but there were some concerns.
I asked her what she though the problem was and she said she "didn't know," but it may have something to do with the way she "processes" information. This frustrated me because someone with her experience must have an idea...I think she didn't want to scare me with putting a name to it.
Truthfully, I.am.terrified. When you have a child, you want the absolute best for them...of what you can give them as well as hoping they can live the best, most full life. I am so scared that my Morgan will not be able to be fully independent or won't be able to develop friendships, relationships or...my mind goes to the worst places. My poor baby. I just want to fix this for her.
So sad right now. I'm waiting to hear back from the Pediatrican for a referral. Will post more as we learn what might be going on.
She explained that she was concerned about the gap in development levels Morgan has. She shows high levels (3-4 years old) in the fact that she can recognize all letters and numbers, but she functions at levels lower than her age in language and cognitive/emotional areas. She said it was "subtle", but there were some concerns.
I asked her what she though the problem was and she said she "didn't know," but it may have something to do with the way she "processes" information. This frustrated me because someone with her experience must have an idea...I think she didn't want to scare me with putting a name to it.
Truthfully, I.am.terrified. When you have a child, you want the absolute best for them...of what you can give them as well as hoping they can live the best, most full life. I am so scared that my Morgan will not be able to be fully independent or won't be able to develop friendships, relationships or...my mind goes to the worst places. My poor baby. I just want to fix this for her.
So sad right now. I'm waiting to hear back from the Pediatrican for a referral. Will post more as we learn what might be going on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)