Speech

Gunner doesn't speak with words so much.  He communicates with pointing, pulling, grunting, etc.  I started to notice this a while ago (like 15 months or so) but attributed it to his love of the paci.  At his 15 month check up, the doctor asked how many words he was using, and I had to say one, ma for mom.  But I had just limited his paci use to in the crib only and wasn't too worried.

His doctor told me that if he wasn't talking more by the end of the summer that we might want to look into it.  Well, my initial reaction was, eh, yah, we will see.  I am sure he will be fine, yada yada.  Then I was at my doctor for an appointment (August-ish) and we were talking and I mentioned that Gunner didn't speak much, meaning still only ma.  She suggested (or rather insisted) that I needed to have him evaluated because he should be talking by now.  At this point in time, I was some what concerned because he still wasn't talking, trying to talk or repeating sounds, and when he did try to repeat it didn't sound ANYTHING like what I was trying to get him to say.  And of course, as a mother, one often hears, "oh, boys are slower, and my son didn't talk til three and then he was speaking in full sentences, don't worry."  So, I just chalked it up to him being a boy and not really caring to speak when he could pretty much communicate what he wanted by other means.

The,  a few days later I was at my eye doctor and she and I had our babies very close the year previous.  So, we chatted and asked how each others babies were doing.  I mentioned again that Gunner wasn't speaking and she said that she worked with many speech language pathologists b/c lots of kid with eye problems also have speech problems.  So, if he did need speech therapy, that she would recommend someone.

So, I took Gunner back to his pediatrician just to have her look at him, because I hadn't been back since his 15 month appointment.  She said he was of course 'delayed' and referred me to the CDC (child development center) and we went from there.  A man contacted me, asked me a hours worth of questions to see if he would need other help in other areas like social, cognitive, motor etc.  So he asked me lots of questions, like, can he stack blocks, can he jump off the bottom stair onto the ground, could be get cheerios out of a water bottle by dumping it over.   I of course knew it was only speech he was having problems with, not motor or social.  But it was good to know that they wanted to cover all the bases just in case another therapist needed to be there at the evaluation.  Now, the CDC gets in contact with Family Outreach, who is local in town.  I want there and they had a SLP come evaluate him.  She agreed that it was just a speech problem and said he was significantly delayed.  If he was delayed 50% or more in one area (speech, motor, cognitive, etc) then he would be eligible for free services through F.O.  Is it sad to say I hoped they would find him more than 50% delayed so we wouldn't have to pay for therapy once a week?  Well, they did and we started paper work, meetings, and stuff like that.  We were assigned a support specialist name Cindy who set up a plan with me and about goals for Gunner.  We then will meet 2X's a month and she will help me with anything I need with regards to Gunner.

So, I called back my optometrist and she referred me to Dr. Tanis Trenka.  Crazy name huh?  So, he started therapy about a month ago.  Today will be his fourth session.  He goes for 45 minutes and because I have three other kids, I drop him off and head to the library while he plays has speech therapy.  I stayed with him the first time and the second time dropped him off and he did great. (Thank you to nursery for making him used to being with an adult other than me) She was able to finish her 'test' the second visit and said that he is doing really well and in all the years she has  been a  slp, she can see a lot of potential!

She is working with him on his 'm' and 'b' sound as well as environment sounds like animal sounds.  We also really started using sign language and he has picked it up quick.  Milk, more, ball, help, swing, up.  Up until he went to therapy he still was only saying 'ma' at 23 month. The first visit was feeling things out and asking me questions.  By the end of his second session he was able to say 'ba'! Last week he came home being able to say 'up'.  And at home on Monday he said 'da' for the first time as well as 'dada'!    He is also saying 'ta' and 'ca'.

It kind of amazes me how much she can do with him in 45 minutes.  I can't imagine doing her job.  She is high energy and awesome.  I asked her last week if it was to early to say I LOVE YOU!  I am so grateful for all the services out there for little ones who need help.  I am grateful for my OBGYN for encouraging me to have him tested.  I am grateful for an optometrist who referred someone so great.  I am grateful this is all paid for.  I am grateful for Gunner for being resourceful enough to communicate without words.  I can tell he is happier for being able to sign his needs now and look forward to the progress that he will be making.  I will keep you posted!