Early Intervention Eval.... follow up!

Friday Mikey had an interview with the Infant and Toddlers program through our local public school.  We had him evaluated for speech therapy.  It all started because I was noticing he wasn't talking as much as he should be.  I posted my concerns on a really great moms forum I am on and it was suggested to get an EI eval done for him.  The program was amazing on getting us an appointment in a timely fashion, as well as get his hearing tested.  Mikey passed the hearing test no problem.  The speech eval is another story. 

We arrived and we were brought to this great little room that was full of toys.  Mikey got a chance to play while we started some paper work and questions.  There were 2 therapists there to evaluate him.  One focused on his physical abilities and the other focused on his speech and cognition.  After about an hour of questions for me, questions for Mikey, tasks for Mikey to do and some free play the score was totaled. 

Physically Mikey is that of a 27 month old hahahaha! (He is 21 months)  I knew physically his motor skills were great and he was very coordinated.  His cognition was 18 months but they therapist admitted he was an extremely stubborn boy (geeee wonder where he gets that from??? daddy maybe?)  So she could only score him based on what she saw.  She felt he knew more than he was willing to answer and I would have to agree.  I knew he knew most of the answers she was asking for b/c I have seen him do it myself at home.    Regarding his receptive and expressive speech he was about 14 months.  This didn't surprise me at all.   I was told by 2 years old they should be saying 50 words and starting with 2 word sentences.  We are NOWHERE near that!  Mikey uses maybe 2 to 3 words consistently that's it. 

I cried a little when I got the results.  Not b/c I thought there was anything wrong with my Mikey Man but b/c i felt guilty.  EXTREMELY guilty!  I felt like if I read to him more or played with him more maybe he would be on target?  I felt guilty b/c he is a twin and never gets the one on one education he deserves.  He is always having to share and is always getting short changed by his mommy.  I do the best I can, but most days are filled with simply trying to feed, clean, and keep the twins safe, that it leaves little time for "education"!!!!!  95% of the time I am too exhausted to even try to attempt to get "education" in our day during play time.  Guilt overwhelmed me for most of the day.  I feel better today.  Thank God b/c i cant let guilt over something I cant control is a waste of what little energy I have. 

I almost didn't write this post.  I didn't want anybody to think anything was wrong with my Mikey.  But the reality is there is NOTHING wrong with Mikey.  He is a twin.  He has twin talk.  Mikey and Kayla can have full conversations and I have no clue what they are saying.  He communicates via sign language and he is extremely intelligent.  He can build blocks with the best of them hahaha! He is a sweet little boy!  He is an amazing little boy!  I asked the therapists if this meant he would have issues for a long time and they admitted he seems stubborn.  They feel he can talk he just doesn't.  So they really don't think its a disability more than a developmental delay.  They said they think he will catch up in no time and be right on track with his peers in no time. 

Kayla has her eval next week.  After the experience of doing Mikey's eval I think Kayla too might be slightly delayed too.  But unlike Mikey her cognition skills i think will be great.  She loves to play games where you ask her questions and she love to pretend play.  The more research I do the more I realize they have "twin talk" finally and well... mommy is just less fun to talk to!  hahahaha! 

Either way if Kayla does have a delay or not I will attending 2 parent workshops and then getting 3 home sessions by a specialist.  at which point Mikey (and maybe Kayla) will get re-evaluated and set up with an in-home therapist who will come 1x a week to "play" with the kids.  I am excited to learn new parenting techniques and learn new ways to teach my kiddies to use thier words. 

Hopefully I will have some good news next week after Kaylas eval.  But either way we have lots to learn going forward and I cant wait to share what we learn!!!