Harrison Speech update

The past month has been a very busy month for Harrison and really more difficult for me than I ever dreamed. Harrison has "aged out" of the state early intervention program, which we had to tell Ms. Lisa, and Ms. Anna goodbye, which was tough. Harrison loves them and I will also miss having conversations with other adults during the week :). They have done so much for our little man and gotten him ready for next stage of his journey.

He has started going to a private clinic and had all his evaluations for his new speech OT therapists. We do now have an official diagnosis of Apraxia, hypotnic (for decreased trunk strength etc), and sensory motor integration, which we were prepared. We are so pleased with his new therapists and he LOVES them and is doing GREAT. It is amazing to see how well he is doing. I stand at the window watching with tears in my eyes, tears of joy I am so proud of how hard he is working. He knows that he goes to his "new school" to work, and is doing far better than we could have ever hoped for. He is doing so much more for his new therapists without the distractions of home which he would not have done even just a few months ago. This has been a great move for him. We just wish that our insurance would think it was as important as we do that our child learns to talk. So we are in process of appealing benefits because of without aggressive treatment he may never learn to speak, but Harrison will get what he needs no matter if it comes from insurance or continues to come out of our pockets, it will all work out.

We have also been meeting with the school system just to see what some more options are. We are waiting to make our decision until we can go observe some of the teachers that he could have to see if we would like to send him into preschool a day or two a week or take him to the school for speech only, or to only continue with only what we are doing currently. We have sat through an special eduction ARC meeting and worked on an IEP, which I have done many many times when teaching but this time I was on the other side of the table. I used to physically hurt when sitting in IEP meetings when we would tell a parent where their child should be and where they were actually preforming. And last week we were be told the same things. John and I have not made up our decision on this matter yet, and there are many many factors that we thinking about before making our final decision.

So long story short Harrison has done great switching form "working" at home to in the clinic and we are thrilled. I am also thrilled that all the evaluations are done for a while. It is very draining to be discussing with everyone you come into contact with how your child is failing or not measuring up. I am glad to be seeing process and that we can enjoy our little boy again. He is just a fun little guy and so full of personality