I need some help/advice

[fia's mom]

Ok Moms, I need a little help/advice. Sophia has an in-home appointment with the Special Ed teacher and a ST tomorrow morning. I'm starting to get a bit of a nervous stomach. Can anyone tell me what to expect for this eval? It's an initial evaluation. What do they do? How long does it last? Is there anything special I need to do?

I probably should have asked those questions when the appointment was set up, but I was so happy to have found the program in Maryland that it completely slipped my mind. Any thought/ideas/insight into this would be extremely helpful. I have the results from her last hearing eval. I had the audiologist send me a copy. Do they just need to see that, or do they take it with them? Like I said, I need help. I am turning into a nervous wreck :eek:

[tyandsophiesmom]

I am not sure how Maryland works but I can tell you about PA. In the early intervention program (birth to 3) which I believe is where you at, they have an intial evaluation. I like to have copies of any tests or reports for them. I have found if not they will asked to take them and mail them back after they copy them. I did this once and it took me several weeks to get an ABR report back. In our case the first team that came in to evaluate her was there for about an hour. The watch her and asked me questions. The important thing I think for any level is not to play up her strenghts, I know this is hard because that is sometime what get's us throught the day. But for these purpose you need to be focus on what help she needs. Make a list if you have time of what she is behind in, what your goals are for her. After thet finish the eval. the will contact you again to schedule an IFSP (individual family service plan), this is where they determine what therpary and how often they will provide. I know this process can be stressful, but remember you are her voice. I hope this helps and I anwered your questions, feel free to e-mail me if I can help with anything else and let us know how it goes. ;)

[Lynja_the_ninja]

My son dosen't have a hearing loss but I asked that everyone evaluating him had a basic knowlage of ASL b/c that was the only language he was using at the time. they brought a bin full of toys and had him do different things wiht the toys (ie. feed the doll, but the blue ball in the box, etc. they showed him alot of pics. and asked what is... were is... what is the mom doing? things like that. they had him walk on a line, crawl, jump, walk backwards. the hard thing for me was to sit back and let them talk. I wanted to say "he said..." "or "he can do that for me" or "normaly he knows...." if they wantto know they'll ask. and I tryed to keep my mouth shut and take mental note and then when the evaluator was done with Cody and Cody was off playing then I said those comments (I noticed you didn't test his colors, he knows all of them. and did you catch that this... was the sign for... ) and I think they were at my house for about an hour each. I had a SLP, a developmental specialist, and a hearing eval. all on different days. then they came back of the IFSP. HTH JaLyn:)

[jenml]

The watch her and asked me questions. The important thing I think for any level is not to play up her strenghts, I know this is hard because that is sometime what get's us throught the day. But for these purpose you need to be focus on what help she needs. Make a list if you have time of what she is behind in, what your goals are for her. After thet finish the eval. the will contact you again to schedule an IFSP (individual family service plan), this is where they determine what therpary and how often they will provide.
I agree... It's so counter to what everyone here says and supports each other, but this is not the time to play to her strengths. Answer their questions honestly (you don't have to hide her strengths!!) but the areas of weakness, or areas that are developmentally behind, if any, will be areas of focus, and may decide if she "qualifies" for services (or not)... and if so, how much.
There will be plenty of time to talk about her strengths (like at the IFSP meeting), but for the eval, let them see what she "needs to work on".
And from my experience, they will look at developmental things (is she hitting the milestones in all the different areas (gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, cognitive, ADL, social... did I miss any?). Some folks work off a "checklist" of some sort (I know there is one called something like "the Carolina Curriculum list of infant development"... but whatever they use will be developmental milestones in different areas).

And relax.... if you are nervous, your daughter will feel that, and you want her to be "as relaxed" or as close to normal schedule/routine as possible.

Good luck!

[fia's mom]

Thank you all for all of your advice. The meeting went well. The ST/SLP will be coming out every other week. She said that Sophia is not that far behind in that area. As far as her gross motor skills are concerned, she is almost 11 months but at the skill level of a 7mo. The PT will be out 1 a week I believe. As well, they are going to get the Maryland School for the Deaf involved and said that they would probably be out once a week to sign with the both of us. She has also been invited to their playtime on Tuesdays at the library.

I can now breathe easier knowing my little Sophia will be getting the services she needs. Thanks again for the advice! This forum is a blessing!!! :D

[Emilys_Mommy]

Thats great news that you are getting all the services! Emily has been in an Early Intervention Program since she was 6 months old. We have a 'home teacher' that comes out twice a week, physical therapy twice a week, speech therapy once a week, and we are working on getting occupational therapy too. These programs are such a blessing! :D

Since Emily has been in the program, she has met EVERY SINGLE GOAL that they initially set for her! :cool: The teachers and therapists have been incredible - not only do they teach her but they are educating us as well! We have her 1 year evaluation coming up soon and I am getting nervous..... I have a feeling they will set the new goals pretty high since she reached all of her old goals.

[aligreat]

I can now breathe easier knowing my little Sophia will be getting the services she needs. :D
That is so wonderful! We so often hear about the struggles people go through getting services. It is great to hear that the system does work easily sometimes.

[jenml]

The teachers and therapists have been incredible - not only do they teach her but they are educating us as well!
That was one of the best things for me doing EI work... Even though I have older kids now (K-5), it's still a huge part of what I think belongs in a kid's program (working with the parents/getting everyone on board).
:) So glad you are having a good experience.

[fia's mom]

Well, the director for the MSD (Maryland School for the Deaf) came out for her visit today. It was definitely the most helpful visit yet :). She looked at Sophia's audiogram and went into great length with me about reading it and what to derive from it. While I had discussed everything fully with Fia's audiologist, looking at one of those things when it comes in the mail, one can only figure out so much. She also said that they would be involved for a short period of time unless her hearing in her left ear worsened or her right ear started to show signs of hearing loss, but nonetheless she would work with us on ASL as well as auditory training. They actually have family meetings where families of HOH and Deaf children all get together to meet and become aquainted. She laid out a basic plan for Sophia as well for her learning process. Their belief is ASL and English together to teach no matter the degree of hearing loss. I never realized just how much non-thought we give to doing things and just how much we take for granted. She actually confirmed what the OT, ST, and PT previously said about her delays all being related to her hearing loss. She also eased my worry of the fact that my kid is almost 1 and still doesn't crawl. In fact she informed me that many HOH/DEAF children are late walkers/crawlers.

Like I said, of all of the home visits we have had recently, this was probably the most informative of all. So, yet another chapter begins in my daughter's life.

Now with all the appointments she has on top of everyone else's appointments/activities, and daily routines, I am wondering how to fit working into this as well as breathing :D. I am constantly changing my not too terribly flexible schedule, or taking a vacation day. I must say I look at my calendar, and the only breathing time is possibly a Sunday evening 2 weeks from now or so. The government really needs to allow for Moms or Dad's of special needs children to stay home for at least the first 5 years of their life and pay us for it! (I'm wishing and crossing fingers)
So, anyone want to volunteer to breathe for me? :D I don't think it fits into my schedule. ;) LOL

[tyandsophiesmom]

[QUOTE=fia's mom]Now with all the appointments she has on top of everyone else's appointments/activities, and daily routines, I am wondering how to fit working into this as well as breathing :D. I am constantly changing my not too terribly flexible schedule, or taking a vacation day. I must say I look at my calendar, and the only breathing time is possibly a Sunday evening 2 weeks from now or so. The government really needs to allow for Moms or Dad's of special needs children to stay home for at least the first 5 years of their life and pay us for it! (I'm wishing and crossing fingers)
So, anyone want to volunteer to breathe for me? :D I don't think it fits into my schedule. ;) LOL

I hate to tell you but you will be holding your breath for awhile. LOL Don't worry, I have the whole day free (aside from work) no doctors, or therapies so I will breathe for the both of us! I am so happy you have gotten what you need for your Sophia, things get so much easier when you know you are on the right path. Be proud of yourself you are doing a great job getting her everything she needs. :)

[fia's mom]

Last week the director from MSD came out to the house. This week, two of the teachers came out. We were talking about the best way to assist Sophia as she is growing. I told them that I felt it was important for Sophia to learn ASL as well as speech. I explained how she is much more in tune to someone's hands then that person's mouth. I explained how the easiest way to soothe her when upset was to sign and sing the "Rainbow song." Well, at that point, Sabrina, my 2 1/2 yo, begins to sing and sign herself. Then she switched right to singing/signing the theme song to BST. My DH explained that we have all of the DVDs and have been working on signing with everyone in the family. Well, I must say the teachers had so many good things to say not only about ST!, but also about Rachel as well, and how neat and special of a person she really is. I would say I couldn't agree more! I thought it was really something that teachers from the MSD spoke so highly of Rachel & the ST! program.

[JoJo]

We love the rainbow song too, and it calms Carson down when he's edgy. Last week he started singing for the first time, and it was bits and snatches of the rainbow song!

I'm glad Sophia's teachers are being so supportive! Hooray!

:-)
jojo

[lovemy6sweeties]

That was one of the best things for me doing EI work... Even though I have older kids now (K-5), it's still a huge part of what I think belongs in a kid's program (working with the parents/getting everyone on board).
:) So glad you are having a good experience.

cause I wish you were Brady's teacher :) I love all the wisdom you pass on - thanks!!!

[jenml]

I love all the wisdom you pass on - thanks!!!
I don't know if I'd call it wisdom... haha But I'd love to move to Utah... just convince my husband to leave NYC!! It's a miracle I got him out of there to CT to live (he still works in NYC... 3 miles from WTC, by the way... what a scary day! 3 miles sounds far, but it's really not! That's just 34th street.). I still work on him... :)
We'd love to visit Utah! Near skiing?

And Brady is such a cutie... who wouldn't want to work with him! What a face! :)