Connor has started splashing in the tub...so much so that I get wet and I have to wipe up the floor.
I say "Oh that's sad. We have to end bath time."

So, I promptly pull him out and it seems like he wants bath time to be over and that's his way of telling me.

This whole speech delay is *killing* me. I feel like he doesn't understand me half the time (refer to my other post about only flushing the toilet once) and he doesn't say things or do things that are appropriate for a 2 year old. I feel like he should be communicating more.

He can say "all done" but he chooses not to talk and it bothers the crap out of me. He would rather throw his bib or splash to let me know he's done.

Our speech therapist has missed our last 2 appts without calling. I'm *p!ssed* beyond belief about that and I'm going to call our pediatrician to see if we can get help through another source. Our county resource is apparently not working.

I suppose this is only a vent, but I'm tired of disciplining all the time when I feel like we could communicate better. He was put in timeout 3 times before 9am this morning for hitting.

I'm just exhausted because I have no one to share the burden and no one to tag team with me. Nevermind the fact that my mom is yet another child and I have to use my 2 hours of time out of the house alone to take her to her doc appts and get her dentures done, etc.

I'm just so tired...

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 06:40 am:

{{{HUGS}}} I would be ticked about the missed appointments, too.

By Fraggle on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 09:09 am:

((((Heidi)))) As far as the missed appts. do you have a case manager or someone who determined that speech services were needed for Connor? I used to work as a speech therapist for an agency that provided services to ages birth to 5. First, have you been able to contact the speech therapist and find out what is going on with the missed appts? If you have already done that and are not satisfied, then contact the director of the agency that speech therapist works for (unless they have a private practice) and also if you have a case manager contact them. Missing appts. is unacceptable especially without notice. I hope you can find out what is going on. This is a critical time for speech and language development and you both deserve regular appts. so you can benefit from progress.

By Bellajoe on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 01:48 pm:

((Heidi)) I'm exhausted just thinking about what you do between Conner and your mom. I don't have any great advice, just hang in there, your doing a great job.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 01:51 pm:

Ditto Fraggle.. you should have a service coordinator-type person for your services. I have never missed an appt. without contacting the family well in advance, and very rarely miss an appt.at all. If I do, it's because my own child is sick.I would immediately contact your coordinator, the agency, someone and ask to switch therapists due to missed appts. Did Connor have a full evaluation? You mentioning that he doesn't seem to understand when you tell him things and that YOU don't think he's doing things/talking like a normal 2 yr. old seems like a red flag.I wondered if he was only evaluated for speech delays. Here, children receive an evaluation that covers speech, cognition, fine, and gross motor skills so that total services can be determined, if any are needed.

I hope you can get things worked out. I'm a therapist in a similar program (is yours through the state?), so if you have any questions I could try to help.

By Pamt on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 08:45 am:

Ditto Fraggle. I did in-home birth-3 therapy for about a year and I rarely missed appts and if I did I always called and we rescheduled for another time that week. You need to complain, get a new therapist, or switch to another program.

I am so sorry that things are so stressful right now.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 09:39 am:

(((hugs)))

By Mrsheidi on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 01:38 pm:

Hey everyone...sorry I haven't responded yet.
I did have a full eval done. I've had his hearing tested twice.
He's even starting to say words backwords sometimes. I can't remember more examples, but he said "shoe" backwards one day.
I'm calling the ped today and seeing what Johns Hopkins has to offer.
I, too, think it was so irresponsible for her not to show up twice. She said she forgot to put down our name in her appt book. She said she wrote down the appt, just not who it was supposed to be with. Grrrr...

By Reds9298 on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 03:24 pm:

That's a ridiculous excuse!!! I can't believe she said that. So she doesn't know who her clients are?? I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

Lots of hugs Heidi...

By Amecmom on Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 10:05 am:

Hugs, Heidi. It can be so frustrating, but it will all work out. My son had similar issues with speech and now he takes pride in telling me the names of his favorite dinosaurs - all pronounced correctly. For sure, call about the therapist. Consistent therapy is the key!

Ame

By Annie2 on Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 08:20 pm:

Heidi, you were sigining with him since he was a baby, right? Is he used to using his hands to communicate instead of his voice? I'm sure you have already considered this; I was just curious.

(((hugs))), hope you find some answers!

By Mrsheidi on Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 10:15 pm:

deanna, i have no idea...i was angry beyond belief. thanks for the hugs. i feel like i need them every day.
and, thanks, ame. you help me see the light at the end of the tunnel.
annie- the signs help a little. he knows a lot of signs but only chooses to use some of them. i think i get frustrated because it's frustrating/embarrassing to sign to a 2 year old that's supposed to be putting 2 words together. and, sometimes, i feel he uses them as a crutch.
Thanks for the hugs too...I've been feeling overwhelmed and depressed a lot lately.