OMIGOSH! Iain's official assessment report says "Iain's receptive abilities revealed a scattered profile, between 5 months and 1 year, 11 months".

He is 27 months old tomorrow.

He was non-compliant on parts of it and I hope that would rank him higher but I am guessing not. THey are concerned that he was not even understanding yes and no and choices. I am too but man it is surprising to see it in writing!

"A Mac Arthur Communicative Development Inventory indicated Iain understood 85 words, but had 7 expressive words. Mother informally estimated that Iain had approximately 15-20 words.... Difficult to assess due to limited verbal output....an oral motor screening is suggested in the future...."


"Presents with a significant communication delay. Iain's use of intentional communication is slowly emerging. He still demonstrates difficulties making choices when concrete objects are presented and demonstrates yes/no confusion. Verbal imitation skills are also slowly emerging. Iain will benefit from continued peer exposure through his daycare environment. As sign seems to have been successful in the past, sign paired with the verbal model is recommended as a means of increasing Iain's expressive vocabulary."

We are now in the Hanen Early Intervention Program. Egad it makes it sound so grim! He said only ONE word today for the SLP and that was "go" when he tried to pull me to the door. He jargonned quite a bit, or so I thought. I guess it was not that impressive.

Man, I am so surprised it is so grim. How could he be so LOW on the scale?????? Walker is SL delayed and was caught at 3.5 years for intervention and I thought we were light years ahead for Iain here, but I am guessing not. Curran is so speech and language GIFTED I wonder what gives?!

I am to take his lead and not push, not anticipate his needs. Boy, are there going to be plenty more breakdowns with this kid. I can anticipate him and although he is not 100% accurate in what he wants I am pretty good but I am not supposed to do that anymore. Trust me, he WILL shut down.

I have a Learning Language and Loving It book right now and have another one to pick up next week.

Wow. I am so floored.

Leigh--I'm so sorry. :-( I"m with you--I would think that his non-compliance might be taken into account; however, I guess if the SLP only saw him that one time, s/he might not know the true measure of his abilities...?

I'm at a loss--I wish I could say something that would help. {{{BIG HUGS}}} to you and Iain.

I wish she had of seen him only once. It was 3 times. :( mainly because I balked at her initial assessment. Wow. It makes it sound like he is one step up from vegetable...

It is not like we do not talk to the kid! We have so many skills in place thanks to having Walker SL delayed. Plus my Mother is expressive aphasic from a massive stroke 3 years ago so I have some skills there too. I am just so floored. When I really look back at it I guess he is far worse off than Walker was at the same age as Walker WAS progressing normally for speech until he hit his "blue period" then all speech stopped.

We can do this, but I am still so shocked to assume he is like a 5 month old baby in some ways?!

Oh...so sorry Leigh.

Maybe as you continue to see them more, he will be more verbal as he is around you.

I don't know what else to say...but big hugs to Iain and you both:)

If you are not to anticipate as you say you have gotten good at and you feel he WILL shut down, did you tell the speech therapist your feelings? And if so, what was her response?

She may be the specialist, but I truly feel we KNOW our own child better? KWIM. I am not saying go against her but just let her know what you are feeling also.

On a positive note, remember Shae-Lynne did not speak at all until she was probably almost three (Roni correct me if I am wrong). But I remember her at my son's wedding in Nov (she was 2 1/2 and could only use sign language).

Her speech came fast and really on her own. Now she speaks very well and a lot.

Try to stay positive, you have come a long way.
Best wishes
Jean

Did he talk properly when he was in there or do you think he was shy? This may impact the assessment. I know Cooper was really bad in the beginning of speach therapy with talking, now he loves going and talks there more than at home.

I know it sounds horrible now but he will get it, you are on to it now and it will happen. The most important thing is he is talking some. Hang in there, I hope that speech therapy starts working for you guys. From what I have heard, everyone who goes to a ST ends up with better speech, it is one of the few therapies that has great results quickly. Good luck.

Leigh, take a deep breath....

Ok, first the only scores you reported were for receptive language - his understanding of language. Probably the reason she put a wide age range is that she could not get him to comply and therefore she did not have enough information to come up with a single age level score. The range means he demonstrated skills bewteen the 5 month old and 1 year, 11 month old level not that his skills are at the 5 month old level but that he demonstrated skills that she was able to check off in the range between 5 months and 1 year, 11 months. 1 year, 11 months is only 3 months behind his chronlogical age which isn't even considered a delay as it is only a 12% delay in relation to his age (25% is considered a mild delay)

Age level scores are not the most accurate way to document abilities anyway - they are used b/c it is something a parent can relate to and in order to receive funding they need to document a score that will indicate a delay so that the child can receive needed services. Bottom line - don't stress too much about the age level scores.

She did not even give him an expressive score - probably b/c she did not have enough information. To document his expressive skills she summarized what she saw and what was reported form you which gives her direction for treatment goals.

Ok are you still with me....

To me that report does not sound so grim. He has many emerging skills- verbal imitation and intentional communication both very important for developing meaningful verbal communication. He is successful with signs ... showing that he can use some symbolic communication (signs and words are symbols for the things they represent) If he didn't already have those skills mentioned above he would have much further to go.

The Hanen program is great. It will assist you in making changes that will facilitate language development. Janette said they are using it with Evan and she loves it.

I would expect him to take some time to warm up to the SLP before you see him making progress with her. That is why the Hanen program will be great for you guys. You are the type of mother, Leigh that will use the strategies demonstrated by the SLP (even if they do not facilitate communication btw Iain and her at the visit) and use them at home as part of your daily routine and much more progress will be made. I wish there were more moms like you and Janette that are so invested in their kids- my job would be so much easier!

Lastly by not anticpating Iain's needs, he will have to take more responsiblity for communicating them. He may definitely shut down as he is used to you anticipating for him and meeting his needs and when you stop doing that he is not going to like it. It may not be pretty at your house but in the long run it will pay off. He does not have to be 100% accurate in telling or signing or making a choice in what he wants - at first reward all his attempts at trying to communicate his needs to you independantly.

Read the books and let us know how things go but I am sure you are headed in the right direction :)

Thanks so much for your reply Pam but do things change when I tell you that he is not 14 months old but actually 27 months old as of tomorrow? They made it very clear it was a large and significant delay. This assessement was within the last 6 weeks.

Having stroked at the intial reading of the assessment (it was handed to me as I was leaving so I did not ask questions there) I am now indeed breathing.:wink: I just do not understand how they would put him around that age level but I see when you explain the incompletion and such. Really, I should be grateful he is at least testable I suppose.

He was his usual self today. He does not know this SLP as we met her today for the Hanen information and we were taped. She kept asking what my goals were and such and really I just want some guidence to get him on track. With everything that has gone on with him and his health I am so shocked that I left speech so very long and am kicking myself as I thought I was being proactive here. My mistake.

I will read these books and I WILL get him going on this. I know there is a parrot inside waiting to come out!:smt047

I told the SLP that I thought he would shut down and she said we would cover a lot of ground next week at the first session for parents. I sure hope so as tonight waiting for him to appropriately initiate was a dismal failure. It is not the first time for that but we shall see. Maybe I am so muddled up with all the advice I have from OT and a private SLP and what we have done for Walker. I have to remember that Iain is his own little person and get a lock on what makes this kid tick. It seems to be the signs but then again he abandons them very quickly at times for weeks and yet it is the way we get the best response from him. I do not get it.

Anyway, I am a wee bit overwhelmed by the task ahead. We have concentrated so much on just keeping him healthy and to eat and I guess I let the speech go too far. I hate coming in from behind but we have done it before and at least he is eating now and healthier so we have a better starting point.

I hate coming in from behind but we have done it before and at least he is eating now and healthier so we have a better starting point.


That's right Leigh...you WILL tackle this head-on, I know you will. You're a fantabulous (my own, new word just for you) mom and I don't doubt for one second you'll get through this.
I can imagine how overwhelmed this must be for you right now. I don't really have much to add other than {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}

I'm so sorry, Leigh. I know you're disappointed. Pam made a lot of good points and helped me understand Iain's report so I hope it doesn't seem as dire for you now. Iain has been through a lot, Leigh. With your help, he'll get where he needs to be in his own good time. :grouphug:

Really I am a tad testy about it all and I apologize for that. Thank you so much for everyone's responses and I do thank Pam for explaining it.:hug:

Tonight I am starting the book. It is not a big book, around 390 or so pages but they are big pages and filled with illustrations so I should be able to put that puppy to bed in the next day or so. This Elaine Weitzman is in the other book I was reccommended to read as well. Interesting.

Pam, is it usual for them to actually encourage so much sign usage? I am still very verbal with him but I was wondering about that. It seems to be the concensus that this is the way for me to go. I need to find a good book for signing and some motor skills for me to do so! lol

**going off to breathe a bit**:wink:

Leigh... you're not thinking clearly :)... 1 year, 11 months is equal to 23 months which would indeed be 3 months behind his age at the time of the evaluation which would be 26 months.

DO NOT blame yourself, thinking you left the speech issues behind too long. First and foremost his health needs needed to addressed. He would not have made much progress at all if you had started this months ago when he was very sick. Your timing was perfect.

You probably are very muddled getting this report today and not having time to discuss it with the therapist along with thinking about advice given to you for Walker. Try to relax and do not put too much pressure on yourself to take it all in right now nor should you think you have to get him to make his needs known by the next time you visit with the SLP. Wait til your first parent session where you will have a lot more information that will allow you to be more comfortable with the process.

You are probably right about the signs being the best way for him to communicate right now. He just needs to learn that it is expected of him to use them to get want he wants rather than waiting for someone else to anticipate or figure out what he wants. Oops edited b/c you got back to thte boards before me...
You can still be very verbal with him. Sign language is a good way for him to use symbolic communication which is needed to use verbal words rather than just pointing or reaching. Using signs will allow him to have an expressive vocabulary well before he may be able to put that vocabulary into speech. Your verbal models are still very important. Also, you can physically assist him to make signs letting him know that you expect him to use his signs to communicate. You can not physically assist a child to speak.

:hug: Leigh. Sara and Lesley are right. You are a fantastic Mom, and we all know that you have done, and will do, whatever it takes for your kids.

:grouphug:

Thanks for the explanations, Pam. :hello2:

**Whew!** Why on earth are they telling me that he is so very far behind and that it is such a large and very significant delay? I know that when Walker was finally assessed he was at 1% and they have led me to believe that Iain is worse off than that. Ack.

For expressive language it was:

"Iain reportedly uses the signs for the following: more, milk, please, Mommy, Daddy, and eat, thankyou, and cookie" Actually, it is only for more, milk, eat, and thankyou. He does not sign properly yet but that is a motor skill issue and we understand when he attempts to sign them.

"Verbal imitation was not consistent at the time of the assessement. Iain was observed to use all done and more (verbal and sign). Iain imitated the word bubbles for the first time today. Mother reported Iain appears to respond more readily to sign than he does to verbal language."

There is a lot in there for receptive language still such as: "Iain demonstrated difficulty understanding the following: responding to his name, when engaged with an activity, looking at an object his mother called attention to, understanding specific words or phrases, following routine, familiar directions, with cues, identifying familiar objects from a group of objects, identification of body parts, understanding verbs in context, and identification of clothing. Iain was observed to demonstrate difficulty making a choice when presented with two concrete objects. Often he would point to indicate (for example) his choice of snack and when Mom would give him the one he selected he would tantrum. Mom would then offer the other snack that Iain had not pointed to adn this would be the snack he wanted. (yes/no confusion)."

Really, there is so very much in this report. At least his voice and fluency do not need futher evaluation!

I wonder why they make it sound so grim. He is very far behind his peers at the daycare admittedly and often in his own little world there, preferring to play by himself. No, I am not thinking he has any disorder as Walker did the same thing and was fine.

He DOES imitate me. I am so thrilled about that and yet they seem fixed on this expressive speech. I understand now better and thank you. My thoughts are that we can deal with this and hope that the program will be of use. We are in it until July I think then we break until November. Scary to have such a break but we had that with Walker and First Words and did quite well with it and often found the break yeilded much success for him.

Sorry to freak but they are telling me a different story for the evaluation and how bad it is. I feel better now. Thanks!:wink:

Hugs, Leigh!

It sounds like there are things you need to work on with Iain, but I don't think things are as bad as they seem.

It sounds like these tests are designed for the average kid, not for an Iain or a Daniel. I'm not at all surprised that he threw a tantrum over a snack. And when D was evaluated in November, he got a very low score for understanding because the SLP asked him to give a teddy bear a bottle and put it to bed (put a blanket over it). Well, D wouldn't even touch the bottle, and he never used a blanket in his crib. If she'd wanted him to drive a car through a tunnel, we'd have been all set.

Am I correct in thinking you'll start working with an ST on a regular basis? I bet they're re-evaluate Iain after he's more comfortable and you'll see a big difference.

Leah I just wanted to send you a big :hug: It must be just totally overwhelming to take in all of this information they just gave you and to not know what it all means. Pam gave some really good advice and you are doing an incredible job with him! I hope you can get some more answers at your next meeting and can put your mind at ease a little! Hang in there!!!

Leigh I lnow that this isn't going to solve your problems but a few things I was taught with Cooper is if he says one word like dog, you extend the sentance to black dog, or big dog. Also when he says words that you know what they mean like Parker says yeth instead of yes, it is better to always say yes when replying instead of yeth (even though it is so damn cute to use the words they say.

I reckon sign away if you need, but as you do it say the word so that he is hearing it clearly. Please don't worry now, I am sure he is going to be wonderful, Drs and therapists always make things sound grim, they have no human compassion when writing it down, they don't understand that we go home and study it word for word.

You definately are a fantabulous (thanks Sara) mum!!! Getting his health right was the more important thing to do first.

Hugs :hug: Leigh, your are an amazing mom and have been through so much with your boys. You do your best and I am sure that with all the support from the whole family Iains speech will come along when it's his time. He has been through so much in his little life and has some catching up to do but I'm confident that he will do just fine.

I remember asking our OT if he was delayed back when he was around 15 months or so and she said not to worry about it. It was a couple of months later when we finally knew he had a good swallow that it became an issue and I started screening. It was best to wait as with al that was goingon I could not possibly have juggled speech too.


Rachel, he is nowhere near that level yet. We are just to be happy if he gestures to something, let alone actually say something. If he goes over to the fridge or even looks in the direction of something I am to respond. He is not usuing enough words in a day. He may use anywhere from 0 to 5 at daycare, often repeated. I see more or I anticipate more due to his way of jargonning. I expand still with Walker and turn taking is a big one right now. Tough though.

Becky, maybe it is different for kids like Daniel and Iain. I know he will come along but I wonder about the length of time for this to be up to snuff. Walker likely has a few more years to go and he is in a fantastic program. We are catching Iain "early" but I still wonder if I will have a 6 year old in trouble.

I am still scratching my head over how my biggest puker is gifted for speech. I am seriously wondering if it is a silent reflux thing as Walker did go silent around the time of his blue period. Grasping at straws I guess.

The book thus far is an easy read. I find we do all this already but it is a good thing to have a second look at it in case I am missing something.:wink:

How are his ears Leigh, has he had a lot of ear infections? I only say cause this can cause speech delay. If it's not one thing its another right! Parker is a silent refluxer and had a period last year of 5 months back to back ear infections, this delayed his speech cause they think during this time he was deaf.

His ears are likely fine but the test was incomplete as he did not co-operate with the test. I found out he had an ear infection 2 days after testing....:coffee: Anyway, I think he suffers from selective hearing anyway.:smt016 I will get him retested as the SLP who did the evaluation has requested that it be done again due to his lack of response to his name, etc. He has had a lot of ear infections but mainly throat infections and sinus infections.

Walker had his ears tested something like 4 times and he was fine. I think Iain should be fine too but will do the re-test and hope he will allow the whole test. This time we should go to the hospital where they are more geared towards his age group as he found the little dark room really creepy and do did I.

Coopers was incomplete too casue we had a new girl who didn't know what she was doing, and the same as you selective hearing and not so interested. They said to get him re-tested later, I never bothered cause I knew it was the place not him. We went to a different place for Parker and this was much better. Its good that you are going to a different palce maybe he will take to it better.

Leigh, I didn't read all the posts, but wanted to mention that have you taken into consideration the fact that he is the baby and has two older brothers?? I know how that goes around here!!! Eli doesn't need to talk!! He has all of us motor mouths going and he can't get a word in.

And, listen to you! You are so "language developed" that I am sure he is just immature and enjoying life as the baby but having you for Mom will definitely get him moving his mouth when he is ready for it. They develop so differently and take off at such different times that I hate to see you having to worry about all this when he is still such an adorable baby!!

:hug: You are a top notch mother, Leigh, and if *you* say there is a parrot inside Iain, then there *is* a parrot inside that little boy. He is beyond lucky to have you and dh as parents--I mean it. He can count on you guys to help him learn and grow and reveal what he has hidden inside! I only read the first page of this thread, as I have to head to class, but I'll catch up this evening. Stay positive, Leigh! I don't even need to tell *you* that, though, because you are always are through thick and thin!

First of all, Leigh, I'm sorry that the results have sounded so discouraging. The fact that Iain is already mimicking you is great and even though he sounds far behind, as Pam said, he really isn't all that far behind. Yes, he has some catching up to do, but with great parents like you and Bill, it will come. It's really discouraging sometimes getting these reports. I needed to know yesterday at Evan's annual review where he's at speechwise, and it's certainly not anywhere near 4 years. We're still probably around 18 months to 2 1/2 years, so from that perspective, Iain's stage sounds so encouraging. Evan has only recently, for example, started to imitate us.

As Pam said, the Hanen Programme is great. Go in forewarned, though, that you are probably already doing many of the things that they teach. Nonetheless, you will learn things like waiting longer for a response, and see yourself in action on video tape.

Pam, thanks so much for the kind words! Today is a day where I've needed it more than ever.

Leigh, with having a great mom like you, Iain will catch up in no time. Hanen Program is a great one. I didn't think that we had that one here but it is the same program that they use for Hobbes, just call it a different name I am told. I didn't know why but they do. Anyway, I agree with Janette, you are probably doing alot of the stuff already but it is a great program.