Speech Therapy 101

We are starting the process of speech therapy with Jaxen. He turns two next week (yikes!) and still is having trouble in the speech department....in other words, my child does not talk!

Back in September, if you read the blog, you may remember our pediatrician suggesting it then. We talked about it for awhile, but just decided not to pursue it at that time. We both feel it is time to start the process now. 

A couple of weeks ago, we started asking around about speech therapy and how you go about it, and how do you know if your child needs it. Through people who knew people I was sent a very informative email from someone who works in the Public Health System in our county explaining how to get started. I called later that week and talked to someone. After our initial conversation of me explaining Jaxen’s situation, she then referred me to an Early Intervention Services Coordinator. 

I got in touch with the Early Intervention Services Coordinator and scheduled a meeting (in my home, at no cost) to see if Jaxen qualified for intervention services. 

We met Wednesday of this week during Jaxen’s nap time. She asked a lot of questions that had to do with Jaxen’s development...cognitive, physical, communication, social/emotional and adaptive. At the end of this meeting she did recommend Jaxen for an evaluation from a speech therapist. She was recommending, based on the information I gave her, that he just needed an evaluation for communication - not in the other areas of development. After all the questions I answered, I felt he has been and is developing fine in all other areas. 

Within the next three weeks, a speech therapist will come to our home to evaluate Jaxen (again, at no cost). If they feel Jaxen does not need any assistance, then we will wait it out until he is ready to talk. If they recommend that he does, then within 1-2 weeks we will form an individual plan for Jaxen, that includes whatever assistance is needed. Whatever assistance is needed will happen in our home (and at no cost). 

An evaluation will be done from then on, every 6 months. And at anytime, if I decide to no longer continue with the services, I can stop or rework his individual plan. 

So....that is the update on Jaxen’s speech! Of course, I will keep you posted on his evaluation and the decision from that evaluation and what the next step will be.