Annual meeting

Today was the annual meeting for the boys Early Intervention therapies.  All in all it was a good meeting.

N was increased to OT 6 times per month (he was at once a week), his PT remained the same (twice a week), DI remained the same (once a week) and his DI is doing the paperwork to request a speech evaluation.

Z's OT was eliminated as he has caught up to his adjusted age.  He will continue with DI once a week, and the DI is doing the paperwork for a speech evaluation for him as well.

I am a little perturbed that its such a hassle to get a speech evaluation.  I mean really, my son's are (almost) 13 months adjusted, (almost) 15 months actual and do not say "mama" or "dada" or any other words at all.  Obviously with N's CP he is at higher risk for speech issues.  Everyone's automatic response is "DI". Well, DI is NOT speech.  But because it is cheaper than paying for a speech therapist its their automatic answer until a child is 2 years old.  My service coordinator was a little argumentative with me, until ALL of the therapists joined me in saying that both boys need an evaluation. (We really have great therapists). 

I just don't get it.  Are that many people requesting speech that they have to be so hard assed about having someone do an evaluation?  Its not like my boys are 8 months old and not talking.  Or a year old and not speaking in full sentences. They aren't even saying "mama" or "dada", and I'm not even looking for them to call me "mama" or my husband "dada" just for them to say the word.  And its just an evaluation!  We aren't even talking about actual speech therapy yet. 

For N, because he was evaluated by an oral motor/speech pathologist in June, we have to wait until September 3rd to submit the paperwork again.  The evaluation was for eating issues (although she touched on speech as well) as we were concerned about his sometimes not getting his food in his mouth.  We weren't sure if it was due to a weakness in his mouth/tongue or if it was a limitation with his hands/arms.  Apparently once a particular discipline has evaluated a child, they cannot do an evaluation of the same discipline for three months. As for Z, we can submit his paperwork anytime.  So his DI will be working on the paperwork and hopefully within a month or so an evaluation will be approved and we will have him evaluated. 

Sometimes though, I just want to scream.  I do everything I can for my boys, we schedule every therapy that's recommended and work hard at the homework we are given.  Why exactly is it so difficult to get them the things that they need?