To do Therapy, Or Not to Do Therapy
Megan had a hearing test yesterday. She passed. I’ve been concerned with her hearing because of her many ear infections as a baby and her poor speech.
Natalie was a slow talker. I had her evaluated by the early intervention program at Miss M’s age and she would have qualified had she not been a preemie. Now, she talks like she’s sixteen. Miss M qualifies for speech therapy because she wasn’t a preemie.
I am having a hard time figuring out what to do. Part of my heart tells me she’s fine and just a slow bloomer like N. But part of me has some very real concerns. There are certain sounds that she just doesn’t make, and she’s made up words for some words. Instead of saying wa-wa for water, she says “ung.” That doesn’t sound like water, nor use any of the sounds in the word water. There are other words, but that’s the most obvious.
Her teachers at Mom’s Day Out have expressed concern. She is picking up a lot of new words this month and starting to put together even three-word sentences, but all of those words are within the same syllable sets.
I need to call the case worker for the speech therapy program. I was honestly hoping they’d find a hearing deficiency so I could justify the therapy. I don’t want to waste time on it if she doesn’t need it, but I don’t want her to struggle.
I have spoken with moms who did therapy with their kids, and they all swear it was the best thing ever. I have spoken to moms who had slow talkers who are fine now. They don’t see the reason for it.
I don’t know what to do!
I sort of want to give it six months and see where she’s at, but there is a shortage of speech therapists in IL and the program runs out at age three. If I wait six months and she’s still struggling, we may not be able to get help. The process takes a long time – they have to do the evaluation, which you have to wait for, then they have to get you on a list until a therapist is available.
Natalie was a slow talker. I had her evaluated by the early intervention program at Miss M’s age and she would have qualified had she not been a preemie. Now, she talks like she’s sixteen. Miss M qualifies for speech therapy because she wasn’t a preemie.
I am having a hard time figuring out what to do. Part of my heart tells me she’s fine and just a slow bloomer like N. But part of me has some very real concerns. There are certain sounds that she just doesn’t make, and she’s made up words for some words. Instead of saying wa-wa for water, she says “ung.” That doesn’t sound like water, nor use any of the sounds in the word water. There are other words, but that’s the most obvious.
Her teachers at Mom’s Day Out have expressed concern. She is picking up a lot of new words this month and starting to put together even three-word sentences, but all of those words are within the same syllable sets.
I need to call the case worker for the speech therapy program. I was honestly hoping they’d find a hearing deficiency so I could justify the therapy. I don’t want to waste time on it if she doesn’t need it, but I don’t want her to struggle.
I have spoken with moms who did therapy with their kids, and they all swear it was the best thing ever. I have spoken to moms who had slow talkers who are fine now. They don’t see the reason for it.
I don’t know what to do!
I sort of want to give it six months and see where she’s at, but there is a shortage of speech therapists in IL and the program runs out at age three. If I wait six months and she’s still struggling, we may not be able to get help. The process takes a long time – they have to do the evaluation, which you have to wait for, then they have to get you on a list until a therapist is available.
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