It was a busy week as usual, but Thursday was a little out of the norm. While Emma was at school, I headed to meet with her therapists for her annual review. It was a great surprise that her teacher would also join the meeting - this would be the first chance I had to find out in detail how Emma is doing at school.
I didn't really pay the evaluation much thought ahead of time (when will I ever learn!), assuming that we would review the goals set when she started with the team a year ago, and reset new goals for the upcoming year. The therapy at this age is focused on making sure Emma is able to fully participate in a school environment.
As we started to discuss Emma's progress in physical therapy I felt myself getting emotional. I started to share with the team the difference I noticed between Emma and other kids at the playground. While they are running, climbing and hanging with strength and ease of a bunch of monkeys, Emma is nervous, slower and less able.
Don't get me wrong, it only concerns me because it impacts her ability to "hang with the crowd" and I think she feels different - the only situation she seems uncertain of herself.
The thought of my baby feeling that way is somewhat of a hot button for me (and presumably any mother) and I started to cry! Of course I felt ridiculous and laughed at myself through the tears, but I realize that I rarely allow myself to dwell on it, so it was built up.
We moved on, and discussed speech therapy. No one expected Emma to improve as quickly as she has with speech, and it's tough to even remember the difficulties of a year ago. However I NEVER expected her therapist to say that she no longer needs speech therapy!!
It's still sinking in, because we thought that it was a given she would always get speech therapy. But the truth is she is speaking as clearly as she will, at this age at least. Her teacher confirmed that they have no trouble understanding her at school, and even have kids who are much less advanced with speech. And her vocabulary, well, you know!
In fact the only things she still does not have accurate is 'b', 'p', and 'm' - all requiring your lips to come together. Emma's top lip does not move, and is fixed above her top teeth. Maybe when she is older she will be able to manipulate the bottom lip, but that's too tricky to teach now. (I'm not giving up hope on a plastic surgery solution.)
It is not a glaring issue because Emma approximates using the letters 'd', 't' and 'n' - the latter being a bigger issue because "Emma" sounds like "Anna" sometimes.
The occupational therapist says that Emma is functioning at a Kindergarten level (2 years ahead) and her concerns are covered in PT - upper body strength.
After the official meeting was over I got to talk to her teacher and find out how things are going on a social level. She said Emma plays largely by herself, but is increasingly interacting with the other kids. I was surprised because she loves to have friends, but I think she's a bit shy as they don't see each other that often. Otherwise she's doing great.
So our focus from here on out, other than normal 4 year old goals, is strength and posture. This is great for Scott and Pops to do lots of ball games and running around with the kids!
Once again we see a miracle as the girl whose only word was "Eh" for more than a year, is at an age appropriate level, or beyond for speech!!
Whatever next!
I didn't really pay the evaluation much thought ahead of time (when will I ever learn!), assuming that we would review the goals set when she started with the team a year ago, and reset new goals for the upcoming year. The therapy at this age is focused on making sure Emma is able to fully participate in a school environment.
As we started to discuss Emma's progress in physical therapy I felt myself getting emotional. I started to share with the team the difference I noticed between Emma and other kids at the playground. While they are running, climbing and hanging with strength and ease of a bunch of monkeys, Emma is nervous, slower and less able.
Don't get me wrong, it only concerns me because it impacts her ability to "hang with the crowd" and I think she feels different - the only situation she seems uncertain of herself.
The thought of my baby feeling that way is somewhat of a hot button for me (and presumably any mother) and I started to cry! Of course I felt ridiculous and laughed at myself through the tears, but I realize that I rarely allow myself to dwell on it, so it was built up.
We moved on, and discussed speech therapy. No one expected Emma to improve as quickly as she has with speech, and it's tough to even remember the difficulties of a year ago. However I NEVER expected her therapist to say that she no longer needs speech therapy!!
It's still sinking in, because we thought that it was a given she would always get speech therapy. But the truth is she is speaking as clearly as she will, at this age at least. Her teacher confirmed that they have no trouble understanding her at school, and even have kids who are much less advanced with speech. And her vocabulary, well, you know!
In fact the only things she still does not have accurate is 'b', 'p', and 'm' - all requiring your lips to come together. Emma's top lip does not move, and is fixed above her top teeth. Maybe when she is older she will be able to manipulate the bottom lip, but that's too tricky to teach now. (I'm not giving up hope on a plastic surgery solution.)
It is not a glaring issue because Emma approximates using the letters 'd', 't' and 'n' - the latter being a bigger issue because "Emma" sounds like "Anna" sometimes.
The occupational therapist says that Emma is functioning at a Kindergarten level (2 years ahead) and her concerns are covered in PT - upper body strength.
After the official meeting was over I got to talk to her teacher and find out how things are going on a social level. She said Emma plays largely by herself, but is increasingly interacting with the other kids. I was surprised because she loves to have friends, but I think she's a bit shy as they don't see each other that often. Otherwise she's doing great.
So our focus from here on out, other than normal 4 year old goals, is strength and posture. This is great for Scott and Pops to do lots of ball games and running around with the kids!
Once again we see a miracle as the girl whose only word was "Eh" for more than a year, is at an age appropriate level, or beyond for speech!!
Whatever next!
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