Bad Day!
I have been wanting the Early Intervention Program (our city program for children under age 3) to provide Suzy with Speech Therapy. So, a speech therapist finally came out to our house today to evaluate Suzy.
She 'tested' Suzy on multiple tasks. Speech therapy isn't just about learning to talk. It's also about communication, and participating in the environment, and making choices, and pushing switches. Suzy was presented with all of these modalities, and then proceeded to fail the entire test. So, it was determined that my darling daughter "is not ready for speech therapy" !!! WTF?????
Not ready?? duh! If she could comminicate we WOULDN'T NEED Speech Therapy.
So, then I was given a bunch of stuff that I could do to help get her ready over the next several months. What??? I don't even have time to get dinner ready. How am I going to spend an hour a day working with her on these tasks on top of every other task that I do for her? That's why I wanted someone to come into the house and help me help her!!! Plus, I am NOT a speech therapist. I was not trained to do this. Didn't this lady go to college to become a speech therapist? I have only been in this 'disabled' world for 19 months. (I didn't even KNOW a handicapped child until my daughter became one.) And I spent the first 12 months crying.
To participate in the Speech program she needs to be able to make purposeful movements (either with her hands, feet, or head). So, the recommendation is to get her more Occupational Therapy. Plus, she needs 'more time' to become more cognitive.
And, the words 'severely and profoundly' were used a couple of times. Yes, I KNOW that Suzy has MORE than a mild case of brain damage. (Anyone can just look at her and tell that she is very involved). But, those 2 words are so cut and dry. It's a crappy label. And now I'm in a crappy mood.
Maybe I've been kidding myself - Maybe she isn't ready for Speech Therapy because she is 'severely and profoundly' effected. But, .....if we stop pushing her, will she EVER be ready? And, why do I have to get her ready? Can't a specialist come over and help me get her ready?
I'm going to bed, and pray that tomorrow is a better day.
I know one thing for sure - Suzy is 'severely' cute, and she has 'profoundly' effected my heart forever.
Thanks for listening to me whine.
Whitney