Imma was evaluated by Early Childhood Intervention today. At her six month check-up the doctor mentioned that she thought she should be speaking more and I had also noticed that she didn't seem to be talking as well as some of her friends. We decided to give her a little bit of time and see if she caught up by herself. When she started school in August, I spoke to her teachers about it and a lot of them said that she wasn't really talking at all at school. Well, we finally had ECI come out and do their full evaluation and Imma does qualify for speech services, as well as some of the other services they offer. I was really surprised to hear that they qualified her in some of the other areas but they said that those are so tied in to her speach that it is difficult to determine if cognitive issues are caused by the delay in speech or the speech is just making it difficult to determine her cognitive abilities. It didn't help that the evaluation was late in the afternoon and she was very cranky and disagreeable. So she will begin getting services pretty soon.
This is pretty hard for me to take both as a mother and a teacher. You try to do everything you can to make sure your kids are well prepared. They say breastmilk is supposed to help cognitive development. Well, she had that until she was eight months old, much longer than most kids I know. I also took Lipil along with my pre-nate religiously before she was conceived, the whole time I was pregnant, and the whole time she was still getting breastmilk. I read to her, I talked to her, I did all of the things they say you are supposed to do and yet she still "chooses not to speak." I have such a beautiful, creative, intelligent little girl but a state agency just told me she is functioning up to 11 months behind where she should be!
If anyone else has had a similar experience, I would love to hear about it, especially if it has a happy ending. I just wish I knew what changes, if any, I need to make this time to make sure my second kiddo doesn't have similar issues.
Imma ticker
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Amy, this is your aunt Lorrie remember me? Sorry I haven't made it to your blog sooner but life just keeps getting in the way. Ben also had speech concerns. At the time they told me I spoke too fast and did not enunciate clearly enough for him to hear the sounds. So He went to speech therapy and I talked slowly an Very clearly. When he started school they couldn't tell he had ever had problems and has not shut up since. So hang in there kids do things when they decide. I know you are a great mother and that brian is great too. The pictures of Imma-Jane are so cute. Did you know Ben and Jackies are also expecting? In August. Well don't count on me writing too often but I will try. Love, Aunt Lorrie
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