Say What?

I took Isaac for his speech evaluation at the MISD this morning. First they did a hearing test and he did perfectly.

 After the hearing test, the family counselor told me about the programs that the MISD offers for children with speech delay. The first program is a group speech class where Isaac would be with a group of toddlers his age and they would all learn together very similar to a preschool class. The second option is individual speech therapy. This is for children that are severely speech delayed and would benefit from one-on-one attention. If the children qualify for the program they can remain with the MISD for 3 years and receive free preschool if needed. I was told that after the evaluation with the speech therapist, we would decide together what avenue, if any, would be best for my little guy.

Then we met with a speech therapist. We talked about my concerns for Isaac which included his lack of speaking words and also that he grunts through his nose rather than use his mouth when he speaks. The therapist asked me a bunch of questions about Isaac’s development and medical history. She watched Isaac play and heard him grunt when he was asked questions. When the evaluation was complete the therapist discussed her findings with me. Isaac can comprehend and understand commands and concepts the same as a 24 month old (he’s 23 months old). His physical skills such as jumping, running, fine motor skills etc had him at 21 months but it was not a concern at all. Then she talked to me about Isaac’s verbal skills…. My little baby is only speaking at a level appropriate for an 11 month old. I knew he was delayed but my heart sunk when I heard how behind he was. She explained to me that Isaac is very frustrated because he is desperately trying to communicate but can’t figure out how. She said that’s a very difficult life for a little one. The therapist was very encouraging by saying that Isaac is very bright in his comprehension and the amount he understands so she is very optimistic that once therapy starts, he will be talking in no time.  We decided that individual speech therapy would be the best option for Isaac and we are hoping to start in the next two weeks. He will receive therapy once a week and I will attend with him so I can learn how to help him at home.

So, how am I feeling about this entire situation? Well, I have mixed feelings. I’m extremely happy that Isaac qualified for services through the MISD because I know that it will help tremendously. I’m happy that it appears that he doesn’t have a learning disability and that speech problems are easy to overcome. But on the other hand my heart hurts for my little guy. I thought I was prepared to hear that my baby is behind in speech but when you are actually sitting there listening to how far behind he is, it’s heart wrenching. And can I be completely honest? When they told me that Isaac’s speech delay puts him in the category for “Special Education” services I almost lost it! I love teaching in the special ed classes but to be told that my child will receive special education services was hard to swallow. I know that sounds shallow but I’m being honest about my feelings. Another fear that is in the back of my mind is the thought that what if speech isn’t the real issue and there’s a bigger underlying problem that is causing his delay. Thankfully I am confident in the fact that worrying doesn’t accomplish anything. So right now I’ve decided to take this one step at a time, begin speech therapy and go from there.  

Isaac during his evaluation :)