Frustration.
Comparison...something we all shouldn't do, but we all do whether we admit it or not.
Today was one of those days you take a step back and ask yourself if you are doing as much as you can as a parent?
Over the past several months I have blogged several times about Harrison's language development. The answer we always get is to give it more time. Well, time ran out tonight. Honestly we are so frustrated, obviously not at Harrison, but at this whole system. It's just like when MA denied giving us assistance with Harrison's medical bills because he weighed too much at birth. Apparently 3lbs, 52 day NICU stay wasn't sick enough.
We think it's all backwards. The reason Harrison didn't qualify for speech therapy several months ago is because he wasn't old enough for therapy to be billed. Yep, it's all about the money. So, here we have been waiting and waiting and waiting. And like I mentioned in the paragraph above, we wait. Harrison was assessed by a Birth to 3 language specialist in November, he was currently 3 months behind, not enough to qualify for therapy again. So we wait, AGAIN. Harrison is due to be reassessed in February again.
Today I had a moment. A moment that has been replaying all day. It probably sounds silly to you, but hit me hard. I met a mom and another little boy (in Harrison's class) outside the door and put their coats away. The little boy turns to Harrison and says, "Hi Harrison," and he turns to his Mommy and says, "Harrison shirt is yellow." That little boy is 4 months younger than Harrison. In reality there has been several moments in the last few weeks that I just brushed off. Here is another example; Late last week I was later dropping off Harrison to his class and almost all his classmates simultaneously said, "Hi Harrison and hi Harrison's mommy," when we entered the room.
I still have a lot of people asked me how old he is, and when I tell them 2, they greet him and there is maybe a smile from Harrison, but nothing else. And to clarify, he isn't a shy child. I get the impression that everyone is looking for him to say something back to them---maybe that is just me overreacting, I don't know anymore.
What I would give to hear Harrison greet his peers, what I would give to end his/our frustration with communicating...and what I would give most is to hear him say he loves me."
Doug and I will be looking into therapy through Gundersen this week, something has to be done. I am no longer accepting a 15 word vocabulary for a 2 year old, nor am I accepting "maybe he is just quiet," and we are no longer excepting the "wait and see approach." I would much rather tackle a smaller problem than wait until that problem gets bigger and then try to tackle that then.
We are also looking into teaching additional signs. Hearing loss has been ruled out 3 times.
On happier note---check out the March for Babies tab at the top of this page (right under the blog header). I finally updated it, YEAH. This is my second year on the committee for Winona County March for Babies walk. Great things are happenings this year, we have a few new teams already and donations are coming in for the day's event, it's fun to be part of the behind the scenes of a very good program.
Have you been a part of Team Baby Harrison in the past? Come back and help us make 2012 the best year yet! Click HERE to join us!
Oh and if you haven't checked out last night's post, scroll down, you won't be disappointed!
Comparison...something we all shouldn't do, but we all do whether we admit it or not.
Today was one of those days you take a step back and ask yourself if you are doing as much as you can as a parent?
Over the past several months I have blogged several times about Harrison's language development. The answer we always get is to give it more time. Well, time ran out tonight. Honestly we are so frustrated, obviously not at Harrison, but at this whole system. It's just like when MA denied giving us assistance with Harrison's medical bills because he weighed too much at birth. Apparently 3lbs, 52 day NICU stay wasn't sick enough.
We think it's all backwards. The reason Harrison didn't qualify for speech therapy several months ago is because he wasn't old enough for therapy to be billed. Yep, it's all about the money. So, here we have been waiting and waiting and waiting. And like I mentioned in the paragraph above, we wait. Harrison was assessed by a Birth to 3 language specialist in November, he was currently 3 months behind, not enough to qualify for therapy again. So we wait, AGAIN. Harrison is due to be reassessed in February again.
Today I had a moment. A moment that has been replaying all day. It probably sounds silly to you, but hit me hard. I met a mom and another little boy (in Harrison's class) outside the door and put their coats away. The little boy turns to Harrison and says, "Hi Harrison," and he turns to his Mommy and says, "Harrison shirt is yellow." That little boy is 4 months younger than Harrison. In reality there has been several moments in the last few weeks that I just brushed off. Here is another example; Late last week I was later dropping off Harrison to his class and almost all his classmates simultaneously said, "Hi Harrison and hi Harrison's mommy," when we entered the room.
I still have a lot of people asked me how old he is, and when I tell them 2, they greet him and there is maybe a smile from Harrison, but nothing else. And to clarify, he isn't a shy child. I get the impression that everyone is looking for him to say something back to them---maybe that is just me overreacting, I don't know anymore.
What I would give to hear Harrison greet his peers, what I would give to end his/our frustration with communicating...and what I would give most is to hear him say he loves me."
Doug and I will be looking into therapy through Gundersen this week, something has to be done. I am no longer accepting a 15 word vocabulary for a 2 year old, nor am I accepting "maybe he is just quiet," and we are no longer excepting the "wait and see approach." I would much rather tackle a smaller problem than wait until that problem gets bigger and then try to tackle that then.
We are also looking into teaching additional signs. Hearing loss has been ruled out 3 times.
On happier note---check out the March for Babies tab at the top of this page (right under the blog header). I finally updated it, YEAH. This is my second year on the committee for Winona County March for Babies walk. Great things are happenings this year, we have a few new teams already and donations are coming in for the day's event, it's fun to be part of the behind the scenes of a very good program.
Have you been a part of Team Baby Harrison in the past? Come back and help us make 2012 the best year yet! Click HERE to join us!
Oh and if you haven't checked out last night's post, scroll down, you won't be disappointed!
I feel for your frustration. Of course I did not have the exact same circumstances, but Max hardly said a word at two. He was "supposed" to have 20 words. He had maybe 10. I thought he would never talk. Ever. We did all the tests, and while he didn't qualify based on the speech tests, he did qualify based on other tests (they did the works when they tested him.) And we got lucky and they got him in for socialization help, where a speech therapist was around one day a week. And three years later he is still in speech (for different reasons now.) It's a tough journey. And it's heart-breaking and frustrating and some days you just want to tear your hair out and cry. You just want to hear them say just a few more words. I hear you. I thought Max would never, ever talk. I remember my mom saying, "Someday he will talk non-stop." And boy was she right. He can talk my ear off now.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you have to go through this. So many hoops to jump through. It really shouldn't be that hard. If a child needs help, they should get help. Period.
I will keep you in my prayers. And if you want to chat more about it please know that I am hear to listen.
Hugs.
(Sorry for the novel ;-)
Hang in there. I for one think Harrison's just perfect as he is. :) But I get your frustration. Didn't you tell me once that Harrison would be 3 months behind on catching up on everything until he was 5? So I'd say he's right about on time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just a thought but do you ever think he's not talking b/c he gets everything he needs through signing? I'll be the first to admit I don't know anything about it but just a thought; I know if it was my lazy butt I wouldn't.
We're really excited for you to visit this summer!
Carolyn
Hugs. I was just talking on one of the other preschool mom's last week about how we know we only hurt ourselves when we compare but neither of us knows how to stop it. You guys will be in my prayers that everything works out with the doctors and insurance.
ReplyDeleteHey, keep fighting for Speech Therapy...Cooper is going 2 times a week now. Sometimes we just have to keep fighting to get our kids what we know they need!
ReplyDelete