Speech eval was today...

So my boys had their much awaited speech eval today. Let me preface this by saying I was not all that concerned about their speech. Yes-I know they are behind. However, I feel that they are just not ready, and when they are-WATCH OUT. Also-I think they just need a bit of help to get the words out. AND-the biggest problem being they have no reason to talk when we can/say/do whatever it is they want or need.

Well-of course they tested them in all the other areas as well. They were actually impressed with some of the things that they were able to do. Yay boys! In every other area they tested at or above age level. My favorite question was, "Does he know some body parts?" I laughed and started rambling them off realizing they know just about all! Anyways....

For receptive language which I know is awesome...they tested at 23 months. Whoohoo! For expressive...Are you ready for this? Because *I* was shocked, as well as dh, and as well as my friend who does EI-with the same company. Nicholas-8 MONTHS! And Anthony was 10 MONTHS! A year behind?!!? Wowzers!

The one thing I did not like is I *KNOW* they might do something, but they don't "perform" on cue when the therapists, etc are here. Nicholas didn't use any jargon. I'm sure that was a huge deduction. You should have heard the kid in the car talking up a storm! Go figure! They do imitate-but it's hard to get it out of them-especially when *you* want them to do it. Animal sounds-they have a bunch down. Now I know that's not necessarily criteria or whatever, but I would think that's SOMETHING that they know those sounds and can make the sounds of the letters, etc. It doesn't help that the person who was in charge of the language part rubbed me the wrong way-seems miserable and not very friendly(my friend said the same thing about her-but said she was great with families with greater disabilities, etc; just not lovey-dovey or whatever). She was like, "They basically say 'eh' most of the day?" But she didn't then go and ask them other questions, or make different sounds with them-or ask about animal sounds, or whatever.

So we start speech in a week or two. I know they need it, I guess I didn't think it was that "bad." I also think they probably could have tested a *little* bit higher. Ah well. I know it's good for them and they need it. I guess part of me feels like they won't be babies anymore once they start talking! How crazy am I? I know life will be easier when they can tell me what is wrong, what they want, what hurts, etc. But the silly thing is I can figure that all out now-without the words-and therein lies the problem! LOL!

This is going to be interesting...speech therapy for both boys and an infant arriving. Ahhhh the joys!

 

your boys sound exactly like my 4 year old!!!! He did not start talking at all until 2.5 and I swear now he does NOOOTTT shut up. he went from saying nothing to Everything in about 3 months! Don't sweat it!

 

I know this is a bit off topic but DS was doing so well with speech and then seemed to regress a bit. Now he seems to get back on track. I wonder if they go through phases. I can see them not performing on cue so I wonder how they eveluate accurately. I get the comment "they are boys and they are slow and lazy and that is how it is" I hate sterotypes.

 

I'm glad you got the evaluation and that they are going to be doing speech therapy. However, I can absolutely relate with your concerns about the accuracy of the evals. As a mom, you know what they really CAN do, and especially at that age the pressure to perform can really stifle them. I am sure it's not a dire situation, but I am really glad they will be getting the therapy they need. They'll always be your babies, but it will be so nice when they start talking so you can focus your magical mommy decoding skills on that new little one about to arrive!

Thanks for sharing - keep us updated on how the therapy goes!

 

As someone whose son barely missed qualifying for speech at 21 months, don't sweat it. You are getting them the help they need. Jon just missed qualifying, she told me to call if he didn't progress in 3 months. Well, to me he seemed to progress, so I thought all was fine. At just over 3, we discovered he had a severe expressive language deficit, and it was contributing to his behavior--he couldn't express himself verbally, so he would do it physically. Fortunately, he did qualify for help at that time, and went from the preschool disabled class, to regular K, with no speech or any other services. He is now in 1st and doing really well!

The best thing about speech issues, is that the earlier you get them help, the less likely they will need it over the long term.

 

For the evaluation did they ask you a zillion questions and fill out a questionnaire/test for you? Our evals have always been almost an hour long and they really don't demand the kids to "perform" the tasks. They take your word for it b/c they know how kids are. My boys qualified for expressive speech at 8 months and receptive speech at 1yr, but two weeks after the evals they do what they were lacking.

The good thing about both kids qualifying is that one therapist will come do both. Maybe it can be their special thing they do when the baby arrives. Let us know how it goes!

 

My girls did the same thing at the eval. The girls that were here told me they understand the kids do more when strangers aren't around, but they have to eval what they see. They also explained that their treatment plan would change once the therapist got into the house, familiar with them, and the kids started loosening up and then realized what they could actually do.

This is a great thing you are doing for them. :hug:

 

You are doing a wonderful thing for your boys! Like your boys, my twosome do not perform on command and when we had our EI evaluation it was more asking me questions as to what DS was doing rather then asking him to perform as well. Keep us posted with their progress!

 

same thing here with Ian last year - at 21 mos he was at a 24 mo level with receptive speech and motor skills and 14 mos with expressive speech - he had approximately 6 months of speech therapy and had made such strides that they released him!

its really a good thing and you may find that they don't need "therapy" so much as a "boost"

 

I agree with the others, it is a great thing you are doing for them. :hug: They'll catch up and talk your ear off. :lol:

 

Great that you got the eval and are getting them the help they need (even if its not as much as the evaluators think it is). They'll come to your house, right? So you won't have to take them and the new baby to appointments?

 

I studied speech therapy and remember very clearly that it is very normal for the boys to start talking later than girls(sometimes around 3 years old). I have g/b twins and my DD babbles so much and DS is not as much. Your boys at still young for you to worry about their speech.

 

My girls don't talk either. Did your pedi recommend the EI?

 

I think the important thing is that they qualified for speech therapy. Whether or not the evaluation accurately measured their development isn't as important as the fact that now they will get any help they need. It would have been worse if they'd mis-evaluated them to say that they didn't qualify when they really do need the help. As the therapist gets to know them, she'll be able to fine tune their needs, strengths and weaknesses and focus their therapy more accurately.

As Sharon mentioned already, the earlier they get help, the easier and more quickly they'll progress, so I don't think it's too early to be thinking about this stuff and applaud you for getting them the help they may need.

 

My DD's SLP and were talking about this the other day. DD will never talk or respond to her during our meeting, then as soon as she leaves, she'll start babbling like crazy. SLP said that most of her kids are like that.

For our evaluation, most of it was asking ME questions - such as...can she say ______ does she _____ not much of trying to get her to perform. But if you can get EI, I would take advantage of it. I have seen tremendous improvement in just one month.

 

GL with the therapy. Great job getting them the help they need. :clapping:

 

Thanks ladies for the thoughts, etc! I am not worried about them needing the speech. When we saw the pedi at their 15 month(they were 16 months), he told us to contact EI. At that point in time, I thought to myself, let me work with them and see if they progress before their next appointment. Well-then I realized, if they really did have a delay expressively, which deep down I knew-I did not know how to help them, and I needed to call. We've dealt with EI before, so I'm familiar with it. I do think it's a great program and am very thankful for them.

Let's see if I remember the questions-
Yes-the pedi recommended it.
Yes-they come to our house-or if the boys were in school they would go there as well

For the cognitive skills, fine motor, gross motor, etc... They performed for most of those tasks. Otherwise they would ask me the questions. But the language evaluator, really didn't ask too many questions in regard to their language. I would think maybe sounds they make, etc... I don't know.

As someone mentioned, I think they need more of a boost-and it's something I wasn't sure how to give them and once they start...they'll NEVER stop-that's what I am REALLY worried about! :lol:

DH and I have always said how it was so weird to imagine them walking. Well-they walk and climb everywhere. And now we say how impossible it is to imagine them talking-and how adorably cute they are going to sound. I will say-I can't wait for that!

 

I had my son evaluated about a month or so ago. He was basically the opposite of your kids--he tested super delayed (an 80% delay) in receptive language but just a 30% delay in expressive language. He also was a little delayed cognitively as well, which is to no surprise when he's that delayed in speech. He started developmental therapy last week and he starts speech therapy next week.

The SLP who evaluated Aidan actually said she isn't concerned with kids under age two who don't have many words. She said that as long as receptive language is age appropriate, that the expressive usually catches up around age 2-2.5. So maybe your boys would catch up without the therapy, but there is no harm in having it done anyway. It's basically a special play time for them. And you'll learn ways you can help give them that boost at home too.

I think they do another evaluation 3 or 6 months into therapy. So your boys might "perform" better then and not qualify for therapy at all at that point! FWIW, the SLP basically asked me questions to evaluate DS. She didn't ask him to do anything, although that might be because he receptive language is at a 3 month level.

 

I find it so interesting that pediatricians are so vastly different on this issue. My nephew, who is 2, does not talk at all. He can say mama, but doesn't. He can point to whatever you ask for, but he just doesn't talk. I'm sincerely worried about his hearing but my sister isn't worried at all and her pediatrician just keeps telling her that he'll talk when he's ready and boys talk later. I wonder what makes one pediatrician take notice and get them some early help and another just shrug it off. I actually wish my sister would push more, but it's none of my business and I'm not going to go get her in a panic if she's not worried...she's the mama and it's her gut feeling that matters.

Your boys sound fine to me, but I'm no expert in this. Either way, I think the therapy will be very educational for you and great for them. I'm glad you aren't super worried because that doesn't help anything and I think it's great we have these services available.