E.I - Speech Therapy?

Have any of your received services from E.I? My twins have been consistently evaluated for almost a year now. Thankfully, they haven't qualified for services for the most part. 6-9 months ago the had 30% delay (38% evaluation today). However, we decided to hold off and see what happened. I feel that my kids aren't really far behind but then again sometimes I do. They do not have very many words but I have heard of many children who didn't start talking much until 2 and were just fine. Sorry, I am rambling. I guess I just want to gather anyone's experience with E.I, with enrolling for therapy, how it went, thoughts on doing it before 2 years. It would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi there,
My boys were 2 when we started E.I. it was the best thing for them. They both needed speech and have come so far during this past year. The way I looked at it is I need to do whatever I can for my children to make their lives better, easier. If there was a chance that they needed something and I didn't have it provided for them I would really regret not getting them help. I would rather be over protected over taught, over therapied then no therapies at all. They learn so much in the first years of life I wanted my kids to have every opportunity they could get. They are turning 3 in March and 1 of them will qualify out of the next line of intervention whereas the other twin will still need therapy. I will make sure he gets it and I will never have any regrets when he is older that I could have done something more to help him. I hope this helps you in your thought process and decision making.

 

Hi

My B/G twins are a month older than yours, and have very few words. We just had them evaluated and both qualify for EI speech therapy. We haven't begun the therapy yet, but will within a couple of weeks as soon as they give us a schedule.

I can't speak for whether it will help or not, but I figure it certainly cannot hurt. Nothing I am doing with them all day seems to be working, so I am looking forward to getting all the help I can. It is never too early to check this stuff out, in my opinion. If yours qualify then I say go for it even though they are under age 2. If you are not happy with the results, you can opt out.

I am anxious to get started, becuase it seems every thread I read lately, other kids the same age are counting and doing their entire alphabet and saying so many words, it has made me very concerned.
:huh:

 

We are receiving services for gross motor delays and have had a good experience with it. The evaluation--what you have already done--seemed like the most involved part to me. If they qualify I would recommend taking advantage of the help, they have a lot of little "tricks" that I would have never considered.

 

Jon was evaluated at 21 months for speech. He needed to score 14 months or lower to qualify, he scored 15. She told me to follow up with a call in 3 months if he didn't improve. Well, at 2 he started speaking more, so I figured he was catching up on his own. At 3 years, 5 weeks, he had his toncils out, and started to do a weird tougue thrust--so I had an independant therapist evaluate him--figuring it wasn't a big deal, but I would get it taken care of. Well, that turned out to be nothing, BUT he did have a HUGE expressive language delay--so much so, it was causing him to act out, I just didn't realize it--just figured he was more active, and physical than his brother. End result was he qualified for the preschool disabled program due to the speech delay, and the resulting behavior. He was then dismissed to K, with no special ed services at all, and this past week started in the Gifted program--one of 2 K AM students in the program.

Bottom line, I should have asked for the follow up eval and gotten him speech therapy at the time. My point is, if he qualifies, don't wait, it can't hurt, but can definately help!

 

We qualified for EI since the girls were preemies. We have worked with them for 2 years and plan to continue working with them until they are 3 which is when they will no longer qualify. They had their hearing tested and had only partial hearing which delayed their speech. At 12 months we started working with a communication specialist through EI. She taught us techniques to use to get the girls to use their words. They were signing many words but just not vocalizing them. They turned 2 on 1/30 and you would never know that they were delayed. They are using 5-6 word sentences, they can say the whole alphabet...basically they talk nonstop. I owe it all to what EI taught us. Their new sentences tonight that surprised me were..."Papa is a silly boy. Nana is a silly girl". We haven't really worked on girl vs boy so that one surprised me. I do have to say that Baby A is more vocal than Baby B but when Baby B is alone than she is just as vocal.

The girls have not been delayed since 18 months but still qualify since they were preemies. I plan to keep EI involved just so they can catch if they start to slip in any areas. I am so appreciative of this resource in our community.

 

QUOTE(nicolepag @ Feb 8 2008, 09:05 PM) [snapback]613622[/snapback]
Thankfully, they haven't qualified for services for the most part. 6-9 months ago the had 30% delay (38% evaluation today).


Double edged sword.

My girls have both received about every type of EI there is. Now they both receive CPSE (for preschool aged kids) services.

The services are great. It's almost like at this point you should just hope they DO "qualify" -- although I certainly understand your "thankfully, they haven't." Clearly you have concerns and they would definitely benefit from the services. When Jade didn't qualify for speech anymore last year I was sort of bummed because she clearly blossomed under the system. She's had excellent therapists, educators, and clinicians working with her.

 

My DS was evaluated by EI at age 19 months and qualified for speech therapy. He literally had no words at all up until 18 (not even Mama or Dada). My pedi dismissed my concerns at his 18 month appointment; she told me that "twins are often delayed with their speech" and, since my kids are learning both English and Spanish, she said that wil also delay him. Well, I was still concerned so I contacted EI and had the evaluation the next month; during the one month wait to have the evaluation DS finally started talking, but had only 5 or 6 words at the time of the evaluation. EI told me he had a significant delay in expressive speech and tested at the 12 month old level. He qualified for services and began attending speech therapy. He didn't really improve much for the first 3-4 months, but once he hit 2 years old he's now finally begining to take off. I can't say for sure the speech therapy has helped, he may have improved at this same rate without the therapy, but I was worried about his delay and I wanted to give him any help I could...I didn't want to think years later "I wish I had gotten him help earlier." I wanted to share my experience, I don't want you to think I'm trying to tell you what to do; that's a very personal decision and I do wish you well.

thea

 

Mine qualified b/c they were preemies (24 weekers), so of course that is an automatic delay. They have been receiving physical therapy for gross motor delay since they were six months, twice a month. Just recently, i requested speech and fine motor evaluations. Not that i don't think they are doing well, but i want to be sure i am completely on top of it now, while they are young. I don't want to get to three years of age to realize that they need work. Take advantage of the services you get. It is a wonderful support. We get so many tips and ideas on how to help them during play and normal everday activities. I think it is a blessing.

 

We didn't do EI, but wanted to share my story (hopefully will ease your mind a little). My boys are now 2.5 (born at 37.5). One started talking a little after a year and just kept going. He is very articulate and says up to 7 (and a few 9) word phrases (not repeats -- on his own). Then I have another that said mama and nothing else for the longest time. I worried, worried, worried. My pedi said wait until 30 months to have him evaluated (he had no other delays) and we'll get him evalutated if he isn't saying more. His take is that a lot of kids who get EI would probalby have talked on their own down the road. Well, we hit 30 months and he started talking. Now at 31 months, he doesn't stop talking -- LOL.

I did have him screened by EI last month and he didn't qualify. The evaluator said if he wasn't saying 3-4 word phrases in 3 months to call them back. He is already doing that so we are good.

I guess (looking back) I wish I had done EI, but in our case, things came out ok. He is doing great and I have to remind myself that I wanted him to talk when he doesn't stop talking .

Good luck with EI!
Mendy

 

I have had wonderful luck with EI physical therapists for Matthew (he's got cerebral palsy), but absolutely HATE the speech and occupational therapists. They have these whiny voices that send both of the boys around my neck. They are neat nicks. Sorry My house isn't spotless. Heck some days it's barely clean. Today not yet. It added so much stress I fired the speech and occupational therapists. We ONLY get physical therapy from them, and we have added a speech therapist from a local hospital. I take him there once a week. He's already making such wonderful strides... and we've only gone a month.

Teri