Complicated Bubby

So today was an I.E.P. meeting for Gabe. I met with the special services coordinator & the speech & language pathologist. The goal of the meeting was to write an IEP so that Gabe's speech therapy could begin.

You know how I've complained a bit about this process. How for a year now, we've been actively pursuing therapy for him. How as a bit of an early childhood expert, I've known the criticalness of him learning language in the language window (for lack of a better term). It's killed me to know that he is now past the time where learning language is easiest & most effective.

So...feeling a bit relieved, having set the appointment for today, knowing his therapy could start as early as the week schools return from Christmas break, I went in super positive.

The SSC & SLP weren't to the point I had expected them to be at. As they wanted to learn more about Gabe & ask lots of questions.

Long story short, through lots of questions about Gabe's personality, his quirks (or at least that's what I had thought they were), his past, & his present, they're concerned about more than his speech.

There is some concern about sensory. I always just thought he was overly-sensitive or disagreeable.

The SLP also is concerned about apraxia -- which I had mentioned to the pathologist who evaluated him 9 mos ago, but she shrugged it off.

SO...
No he won't be starting therapy anytime soon. Rather, he will be evaluated AGAIN. This time not just by an SLP, but also a PT & a OT. After that, another IEP meeting. At which point, they will decide the extent of his therapy needed & exactly what type of therapy. That won't be until February.

I left a bit discouraged...glad that they're being thorough. But also a little disappointed that yet another month is going to go by with no help.

My boy just wants to talk.

And when I had asked him to repeat his teacher's names (I'm wanting him to start addressing them by their name when he 'speaks' to them), Mrs Peterson & Mrs Schmittgens, he said, "Micka Peeton & Micka Mickens." And I melted. Because "Micka Mickens" is the cutest thing I've ever heard in my life.