Akron Children’s

Ben was so much fun today during his speech testing.  The first thing that was done was a test of his hearing.  The speech pathologist, Aubrey, had him point at pictures when she said the name to make sure he knew what all the pictures were.  She then put headphones on him, went into an adjoining room and had him point at the same pictures when she said the word.  The first time Ben heard her voice through the headphones was so dang cute.  He got this really surprised look on his face, covered his mouth in awe with big wide open eyes and then just started beaming and giggling.  It’s hard to describe.  I only wish I had my video camera!  Just one reason of many that I love the three year old stage.

 

The results of the speech testing was pretty much how I expected it to be…low but not low enough to be a clincher for services.  The recommendation is to get him speech services, but I figure that I’ll have some resistance by the schools to have him in an integrated preschool.  Ben is currently almost 3 1/2 years old.  His expressive and receptive language is at 2 1/2 years.  Knowing how much speech growth can occur in a year at that age, this seems like a significant enough difference for me.  He was classified as mild to moderate. 

 

I was kind of surprised that Ben’s receptive skills weren’t higher because he seems to understand everything we say at home.  Part of it might have had something to do with Ben wanting to make his own rules for the testing.  One of the time, Aubrey showed him a picture of 4 different dogs. 

Which dog is wet?

Points -->Dog. Wag Tail

You’re right, but which one is wet?

Points –> Dis dog eat.

Yes, he is eating.  But which one is wet?

Aw.  Dog cry-een!  (Pointing at the dog who is dripping water all over)

 

Or another test…

Here are two children wearing shoes.  Can you point at his shoes?

Dat one Nay-nay an dat one Ben.

Listen, Ben. Which picture shows his shoes?

One, figh, two, thee, eigh, o  (pointing at every photo pretending that he knows how to count)

 

As the testing got more difficult, Ben pretty much pretended to count on every picture.  I have to admit, he was cracking me up. By the time testing was done, Ben was starting to get tired and grouchy.  (He doesn’t do well without a nap.) 

Aubrey said, “You did a great job!  You’re a real trooper!”

Ben shoots back in an offended tone, “NO!  I BEN!”

Anyway, Mark and I are hoping to get him into preschool at the same school Nathan attends.  The integrated preschool is all day Tuesday and Thursday which would be perfect because he could ride the bus with Nathan there and back.  I’ll keep you posted on our efforts in that area.  The next step is to get him tested by the school.  If they’re anything like many schools, Akron Children’s testing probably won’t be accepted in lieu of testing by the school.  (Darn it!)  That’s okay.  I’ll be strong and fight.  If a special education teacher can’t successfully present a convincing argument for services, I don’t know who can!  :)