Speech update and other stuff

Adam starts speech therapy on Tuesday!! I hope he's as cooperative for it as he was for his evaluation. 

Adam has started playing the piano again for the past 2 days.  He remembers most of what he learned and went through all his books and Christmas songs.  I asked if he wanted to start taking lessons again but he said he didn't like Mr. Schmidt. I said he could get a different teacher but he still said no.  I asked if he wanted me to buy the next set of lesson books and he said yes but I don't think I can do that unless he's taking lessons. 

 

or http://youtu.be/3hp3Itk3MPk

Adam and Dave had their dentist appointments today.  Adam did SO well!  Last time I think he sat on Dave's lap the whole time and only got a few teeth polished.  Today he sat in the chair all by himself and let Pam check and polish every tooth!  No cavities!

 

 

 

Not the best angle. :)

Speech Evaluation

Today, Adam went to Columbus Speech and Hearing for a speech evaluation.  Some of the concerns I had were his articulation: "F" sounds for "TH", "W" for "L" and "R"s and his speech just being generally slushy.  Turns out most of those are age appropriate.  TH & R don't fully develop until about 7-8 years; L around 5.  But things that I saw as slushy (s, z, ch, j), he's actually lateralizing his tongue.  He kind of moves his tongue to the right. It actually makes sense in a way because it is really the right side of his tongue.  Most of the left half of his tongue was removed in his tongue reduction surgery.  He also has some trouble because he doesn't really have a tip to his tongue and his tongue is soo thick.  So the summary was:
Voice/Fluency: Age appropriate
Expressive Language (talking): Age appropriate
Receptive Language (understanding): Age appropriate
Articulation (speech sound skills): Severe

Despite most being age appropriate, she wanted to keep it at severe so that we could get one of the therapists that had more specialization in oral-motor skills rather than just general articulation. I guess there is someone who has worked with cleft-lip kids and "other" issues (other I hope meaning large tongues) that she thought would be good for Adam.

I had checked "trouble maintaining eye contact" on one of the forms will filled out.  She said she noticed it too but that part is age, part is Adam just wants to look at everything.  He's an explorer.  He may also be sensory seeking and that they have these heavy pillows that the kids can put on their laps that helps kind of calm them during therapy.  They also use iPads during therapy so he'll like that!

We are on a waiting list and someone should call us within 2 weeks to schedule individual therapy once a week for 30 min.

After we got home, I contacted Westerville schools to see if they offer Speech Therapy for preschoolers.  The woman that answered said that they do but not in the summer and that the person who knew more was out until July 18th.  I left a message for her to give me a call back when she gets back.  Maybe we can get started this summer at Columbus Speech and Hearing and continue with Westerville when school starts.  I guess it also depends on their experience as well.