For those with early intervention

I need to know if I have a valid reason to be irked right now. I am trying to watch what I vent about on here, but I need to know if this is the whole process. I also figured I would post here since I will be here within a month, and would get the most responses about this.

Since the girls were 3 months old, there was talk of EI. In April, I took Carlie in for her ears, and talked to my pedi about how stiff she was, and couldn't roll belly-to-back because of it. She then wrote me out info to contact EI. After playing phone tag for 3wks, I finally had gotten an appt. for evaluation at the end of May. After evaluation, I received a call that a coordinator would be here at the beginning of June. She came and we decided to go ahead with physcial therapy. Our coordinator comes once a week, but we still have not seen a PT. Also, she wants Claire to be evaluated for OT b/c of her storing food in her cheeks (though she isn't doing it as much). So, she called today, and I thought she was calling to set up the PT/OT to come next week, but it isn't. It is for an Early Intervention Specialist, and THEN she will contact PT/OT!!

I have been off all summer, and thought that it was going to be perfect b/c it was going to give me time to work with them. Well, by the time PT shows up, I will be back to work at this point. I don't blame my coordinator at all. She has been really good, and has been on top of the situation as much as possible. She has been able to show me something to do with them, but just a couple of things from what she has seen/experienced.

When it comes to the girls, Carlie in the mean time has started creeping, rolls everywhere, and sits up from the laying position. Claire does non of it. She used to roll alot but doesn't anymore. She doesn't try to get to toys by rolling or creeping, and doesn't try it sit up from laying down.

I am just getting really impatient now. Should I explain my frustrations to the EI specialist? My coordinator knows how I feel, and it isn't her fault.

April

 

I'm not sure if EI is the same as Birth to 3, but that's the program we have in our state. I met with a coordinator & had Aiden evaluated by OT within a week. When she realized he need PT, the therapist evaluated him within a week or so. Then we met as a group & decided to continue with PT. I want to say that from the time I called until Aiden STARTED PT, it was maybe a month. And the PT gave us exercises to work on at our eval appt, so we were working with him a lot & early. When, further along, I asked for a ST eval, it took a little longer. They didn't feel I needed it, but then after ST evaluated, she said the issues Aiden had (he had suck problems) could've been easily corrected at a younger age & she wished she had seen him sooner. Go figure. Then I think the coordinator felt bad because I had asked for ST all along & had only gotten more persistent towards the time I finally got it.

Again, I don't know if EI is the same as our program or how it's run, but I'd be upset if it has taken this long to be seen. I remember being upset about 2 weeks or so since 2 weeks of therapy in a small child makes a world of a difference. However, if your coordinator can't help you, I don't know what advice I'd have.

Hopefully someone will see you soon.....

 

QUOTE(nurseandrea02 @ Jul 16 2008, 03:00 PM) [snapback]879375[/snapback]
I'm not sure if EI is the same as Birth to 3, but that's the program we have in our state. I met with a coordinator & had Aiden evaluated by OT within a week. When she realized he need PT, the therapist evaluated him within a week or so. Then we met as a group & decided to continue with PT. I want to say that from the time I called until Aiden STARTED PT, it was maybe a month. And the PT gave us exercises to work on at our eval appt, so we were working with him a lot & early. When, further along, I asked for a ST eval, it took a little longer. They didn't feel I needed it, but then after ST evaluated, she said the issues Aiden had (he had suck problems) could've been easily corrected at a younger age & she wished she had seen him sooner. Go figure. Then I think the coordinator felt bad because I had asked for ST all along & had only gotten more persistent towards the time I finally got it.

Again, I don't know if EI is the same as our program or how it's run, but I'd be upset if it has taken this long to be seen. I remember being upset about 2 weeks or so since 2 weeks of therapy in a small child makes a world of a difference. However, if your coordinator can't help you, I don't know what advice I'd have.

Hopefully someone will see you soon.....


Yes, it is the same thing...after the age of 3, they get an IEP. I thought that was about the amount of time it was going to take to get things going. I figured we would of seen a PT in June, not the end of July/beg. August. They call it EARLY intervention for a reason don't they??

April

 

I'd be upset, the earlier the services are provided the easier it is and the more beneficial for the babies... At our company, and in this area once a referral is made for an evaluation it is usually done within a few weeks, then you have your IFSP meeting to determine frequency of services and they should start within a month of the original referral like the pp said.

 

I agree with the other posters... I think I'd be a bit annoyed. Can you call the coordinator or someone and ask to speed up the process?

 

I worked in EI-
I'm not clear why there is a delay for OT/PT. Most programs, if there is a concern, referrals are made within a few days.
If services (PT and OT) have already been added to an IFSP, they are required by law to start within 30 days. I would definitely tell your corodinator how frustrated you are. In my experience, coordinators are willing to go to the moon and beyond when they know they have a family who cares and will follow up!
Are you waiting for PT and OT evals? This is usually the first step...
hope this helps!

 

I would definitely talk with the coordinator. In our state they have 30 days for the PT/OT eval to take place and then another 30 days after that for PT/OT services for revisits.

You can also check with your insurance about starting with private home or outpatient services - they can usually start within a week and transition to EI once they get started

Good luck

 

Wow, and I thought the process in Georgia took a long time -- it does sound like you should be talking to someone else. I can't imagine what the delay is, after the coordinator agreed that your DD needs the PT...

I called EI around June 12 this year about Kevan's oral motor issues, and he had an evaluation on July 2. The coordinator and three evaluators were present, and they looked at every area of his development, in addition to the oral issues that I was concerned about. They did conclude that he needed therapy, and said a therapist would be contacting me. I haven't heard from anyone yet, and will follow up next week if I still haven't heard...

 

That does seem odd. We met with our co-ordinator and had an eval (4 people present) on February 14th. We saw the therapist on March 6th. We too played phone tag for a few weeks before the initial meeting, but after that, things started moving pretty quickly. That said, I have heard many horror stories from other moms in the same county as us saying it took months for them to begin services. Good luck and definitely stay on them. You're right, what's the point of calling it early intervention if you put it off until it's too late!

 

Our state also has 30 days law to evaluate a child once the refereal and paperwork is signed. I would call and talk again to whomever is ABOVE your coordinator.

Though- I add just last month our state aid must've changed since we no longer have as much OT services available so they are more selective for whom gets services (we no longer qualify). There might be some personel changes that are delaying.

however- be a pest (though polite one) and get them rolling.

KC