If you haven’t read my post last week about taking Jacob to see the developmental pediatrician, feel free to catch up.
Today was the day. I got him up early and drove down to LA. Can I say how much I detest LA traffic? The 405 should be demolished and a park put in its place. But I digress.
So, we saw Dr. Loo and his med students. Lovely bunch of people. They had a good time playing with Jacob and assessing him. And the diagnosis?
He’s quirky.
Yep. My four year old is quirky. Apparently, he’s social, cognitively flexible, and creative. All those things rule out anything on the Autism spectrum.
Which frustrates the hell out of me. Yes, he’s quirky. I can live with that. But why does he flap his hands when he’s excited? Or sing from sun up to sun down? Or stare? The answers to that? Oh, it’s behavioral. Well, yah. Duh.
Tomorrow he has another appointment with another psychologist. Who I imagine is going to tell me the same thing.
*insert huge sigh here*
One good thing did come out of the meeting. Dr. Loo was concerned about Jacob’s articulation problems and gave him a tentaive diagnosis of apraxia. I think. I didn’t quite get it and I was still thinking about what he said from the other stuff.
The upshot is that the doc thinks Jacob needs to be in speech therapy more often which I totally agree with! 1/2 an hour once a week is not enough for his articulation issues. So, he’s suggesting 2.5 hours a week and is sending Jacob’s pediatrician (and myself) a copy of his report. Hopefully we’ll be able to get the ball rolling on that. Cross your fingers as I start to deal with the insurance.
Am I overreacting or looking for problems when there aren’t any? I don’ t know. I do know that “quirky” just doesn’t sit well with me for some reason. Maybe it’s just my cross to bear. Jacob seems to be a happy guy until he cannot get across what he’s saying. And really that’s his major issue with life right now.
Gah. I’m tired. And melancholy. And happy that my son is the best son he can be. Which is pretty darned awesome. 🙂
Ignore me. I’m going to bed. I’m sure everything will look better tomorrow!
3 comments
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March 29, 2009 at 8:23 am
Celeste
Do get the speech going. take it from somebody that needed it and did not get it until I was a teenager.(I am hard of hearing). Quirky? weird,never heard a doc say that. Maybe the out of focus is an eye problem? or just a deep thinker, or maybe he dozes off with his eyes open?
March 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm
April Hayman
We’re still waiting on the report otherwise we cannot convince the insurance to up his speech therapy hours that they’ll pay for. In the meantime, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing, i.e. 1/2 hour speech therapy, reading books, writing, going to half day childcare.
April 14, 2009 at 6:20 pm
mintj
It actually worries me if your Pediatrician is making a recommendation for increase in frequency of therapy…
To me that means that he is not progressing in therapy. The only reason for an increase is therapy is because of limited to no progress.
Have you seen progress in his speech? have their been any changes since his SLP starting seeing him? What are they?
Is your SLP leaving you homework to work with him? He is young enough that 1x/wk with homework for parents to work on at home can make a significant difference.
I have seen kiddos with apraxic tendencies 2x/mo and seen them talking in phrases and sentences in just a few months… all of course with home exercise programs implemented by family members in my patient’s homes.
Everything depends on severity, patient motivation, and of course family support…
The most important strategy… consistent practice and repetition over and over again…
Good Luck… I think we all have quirky ways and some can be more quirky than others…