Catherine is 17.5 months. Her receptive language skills (what she understands) are at 24 months while her expressive language skills (speech, gesturing) are at 14 months. Overall, her skills ranged from 9-24 months.

The evaluation was 2 1/2 hours long and consisted of the SLP and OT asking her to do things and observing as well as asking me a lot of questions. I thought it was very comprehensive. I don't have the official report yet but they told me she was either way behind or way ahead in almost every area, that she didn't fall into her age range on hardly anything. They thought that was very odd. I heard a lot of "9-12 months" and "20-24 months" when they were talking to each other. They also said her walking was very wobbly but not a cause for concern.

The outcome:
1. She will receive speech therapy for 45 minutes every other week and developmental (occupational) therapy for 45 minutes every other week but they'll alternate so she'll see someone every week.
2. We are to teach her and use 5 signs: eat, drink, more, bath and sleep.
3. Her goal is to have 10 words used consistently and correctly in 6 months (essentially by the time she's 2).
4. All food is to be served in a bowl or on a plate. Even if she's eating puree, we are not to serve it from the jar. The more we can simulate eating table food, the more likely she is to eat it per the SLP. If she isn't eating mostly regular table food in a couple of months, a nutritionist will be added to the group.
5. The SLP was very concerned that she isn't oral and doesn't put toys, etc in her mouth to explore them so we are not to discourage her from putting anything (toys, etc) in her mouth as long as it's not something that could hurt her.
6. She needs to go to a day care center and not be in home care. This per the SLP but it seems like a move we need to make ASAP as her babysitter got an attitude when I told her the SLP would be calling to set up Catherine's sessions.

It seems like there's a lot more, but all the papers are at home and I'm at work.

Wow...sounds like it was very thorough, Lesley!

How are you feeling about all of this?

Lesley

Sounds like a very thorough evaluation....I'm glad you have a game plan for getting Catherine some help...
Keep us posted..

Wow, very productive. Hope you can get her on the right track now. Keep us posted on her progress.

Wow, Lesley. That is a lot to take in. Has all of it sunk in yet? I am glad they laid out a specific plan though. It sounds like you have a good team.

SOunds like a really good evaluation Lesley. I am sure your babysitter is a little worried as she may not have structured sessions etc...and so be a little defensive as she may not be doing enough to encourage develpomental stuff with the kids in her care. At least in daycare centres you do get that.. age appropriate play etc etc
All in all it sounds good. What does hubby think about it all???

Wow that sounds like you and Catherine had a really good evaluation. I am so glad they have already put a plan into place. I hope Catherine takes to the signing as that was such a lifesaver for us. It is amazing to see how a few signs can give them a way to communicate. Jessie's first two signs were "more" and "help" and it was amazing to see her use them.

Have they said what specifically they will work on in OT? Feeding or sensory activities? Just curious...

Glad it went well.

I am so glad that a plan was put in place for you. I have found that there is always a plan when you are seeing therapists so this is great for catherine.

Sam saw PT and SLP once a week for a long time and we are finally down to 1x a month. It is so amazing to see how fast they learn. Good luck! I hope all the changes so smoothly.

Wow Lesley... what a great appt. Sounds as though they were very thorough. I've been putting off Lauren's evaluation... mostly because I just keep waiting for her to say things.

I hope you find a daycare soon. I know that is one of the things the lady from early intervention told me is that if Lauren qualified, they would go to her daycare center to provide the therapy. That's great! I can't imagine why the babysitter would be upset, maybe because she thinks they'll critique her. Who knows.

Update on the babysitter: When I picked Catherine up this evening, babysitter said one of the therapists had called her to set up Catherine's sessions and offered her a choice of 8:30am or 4:00pm. Babysitter told the therapist neither was convenient. Errrrrrrr!!!!!!!

I wonder what the babysitter's problem is....

But it sounds like a very thorough eval and plan. How interesting that Catherine was either way above or way below her age. From what you've shared before, it sounds like that's kind of what you expected.

Sounds very thorough! Good luck in the daycare search. With the babysitter's recent reactions I'd be looking ASAP, too! Did the SLP have any recommendations?

If you have any questions about the signing, let me know if I can be of any help. Emma knows and uses several signs (and says the word along with it now :thumbup:). She knows more, all done, thank you, cat, milk, good boy (we say this to the cat after he fetches his toys), book, bedtime/sleep, and potty - for future use ;). It was fun teaching them to her...and it has helped a lot with communication.

Keep us posted on how everything goes.

Lesley, sounds like a great plan they have for Catherine! It sounds like that babysitter is not going to work withthe plan! I hope it works out!

If you have any questions about the signing, let me know if I can be of any help. Emma knows and uses several signs (and says the word along with it now :thumbup:). She knows more, all done, thank you, cat, milk, good boy (we say this to the cat after he fetches his toys), book, bedtime/sleep, and potty - for future use ;). It was fun teaching them to her...and it has helped a lot with communication.

Catherine may be a tougher nut to crack. She seldoms mimics anything so the SLP said we are to mimic any sounds she makes so we can teach her to copy us. In theory, she'll learn to copy what we do if we copy what she does. I started on "eat" with her tonight by forming her hand and saying "eat," but she just shakes her head "yes."

Catherine may be a tougher nut to crack. She seldoms mimics anything so the SLP said we are to mimic any sounds she makes so we can teach her to copy us. In theory, she'll learn to copy what we do if we copy what she does. I started on "eat" with her tonight by forming her hand and saying "eat," but she just shakes her head "yes."

It does take some time. I've been signing the word "cat" to Emma since she was 6 months old. She didn't actually sign the word until she was 13 months old. :shock: Other words she got more easily like "milk" and "all done" because we used them more often.

Sounds like an overall good evaluation and a good plan of action. It really doesn't look like the babysitter is going to be any use in this process.

What a wonderful and in depth evaluation, Lesley! I'm glad you're able to get intervention for Catherine so quickly. What a nasty sitter! I can see why the need to change and quickly.

Again sounds like a very productive eval....
It's releaving when there is a plan in place KWIM?
I would be concerned about the babysitter, seems to me it's as if she doesn't want professional in to see what goes on...Why would she be negative about a childs well being?
I don't mean to scare you but is it possible that part of Catherines delay could be from they possible negative care she gets from the sitter....You never know. It just really bothers me that she is not be cooperative.

Lesley,

Like Amanda said, it can take some time for Catherine to catch on to signing. Jessie never mimiced anything we did and it probably took a good month before she caught on to the sign of "more". We used it daily with her in conjunction with her speech therapist and I too was surprised how long it took for her to actually use it.

In searching for a new daycare it might be worth asking if they use any signs with the kids. I know a lady whose son went to a daycare in Austin where they actually taught the kids signs. Keep us posted on how "eat" is coming along.

Sorry, Lesley, I just found this thread...

It sounds like progress, considering they already have a plan in place for Catherine. I hope that it goes smoothly, and that by 2, you see some great results. I've heard so many positive things about signing, so maybe this will be what really gets Catherine communicating.

Ugh. I can't believe your babysitter is giving you a hard time about this. Have you made any decisions about day care?

{{{HUGS}}}

Well I am even later than Maggie in finding this thread!

I am so glad that you have a plan in place now Lesley. :) Plus thoughts on what to watch for and a long term game plan. Really sounds great!

Interesting, but our SLPs at Hanen are against the sign for "more" but it is too late for us as it is one of the few signs Iain uses. I find it works for us though. Remind me to look up the website for signs that I use and send it to you. Signing takes a long time but often children will respond to the sign even if they can not sign it. Iain can not sign anything other than "thank you" properly but responds to milk, juice, Mommy, Daddy, more (he turns his hands around for the sign but we know what he means), cracker, cookie and a few others. Right now I am working on happy and mad, but it has been a few months in the making. We will add a few more signs again next week. Slow and steady makes the grade. Iain will not tolerate hand over hand for making the signs though.

May I ask why they were so concerned about Catherine not mouthing toys? Iain NEVER did at all, in fact we used to joke that we could leave mini lego out and not worry about any choking hazzards since he never puts things in his mouth. This is likely the food and texture aversion that Iain suffers from and I suspect Catherine does too.

The daycare issue I have posted on another thread about but it is a good thing for them as there is peer pressure and it can work in the long run. Too bad about your babysitter. My private one was not happy in the start when I told her the dietician and OT would be coming to see her too. There was much grumbling and statements that "he eats fine here". Yeah. Not according to our OT and dietician who witnessed the same non-eating and then gradually chewing and spitting out that happened same as at our house. She just simply was not interested in watching him. Perhaps your babystitter is threatened by having someone oversee her with Catherine and that is a sign that she needs to move to another daycare.

Keep us posted on her.

Here is the link to the signing site Roni provided to me. It is great! Hope it helps you too.


http://commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm