Jacob needs a re-evaluation

I worked from home yesterday morning to get caught up before going on vacation. I didn't know we had an appointment but, as I was working the morning away, I heard Carrie from Early On talking to Jeremy at the back door. She was here for her monthly check-up on Jacob's speech. Apparently Jeremy forgot too as he was in his jammies through the whole meeting.

Carrie and Jacob played a little fishing game. She had a little wooden fishing pole with a magnet and four little fish that had songs written on the back. So every time he 'caught' a fish, they sang a song. Of course, Ma and Da had to sing too. He had so much fun!

We talked with her for awhile. She asked a bunch of questions and decided to bring the speech therapist back to re-evaluate Jacob's speech. He hasn't made enough progress since the tubes. We know he hears, the hearing tests have confirmed it - twice. He just doesn't speak. He adds a few words here and there but, when asked to repeat them, he'll look at you and say "huh?". He's still only using the beginning or end of a word. He also speaks much like a child with a cleft palate. He's very nasally sounding. His submucous cleft may have more of an effect than what we had originally thought. There isn't a surgical procedure to correct it so therapy is the only choice.

Jan (speech therapist) will be back either the 28th or the 30th of this month to do the re-evaluation.

Jacob is very smart. He knows the words, he knows what things are. If you ask him to get his cup, plate, spoon, fork, coat, etc. he'll do it. If you ask him to get his shoes, he'll do it. He knows the words, he just doesn't say them. It's funny, I knew something wasn't right. I knew he wasn't talking enough. I knew he was too quiet. Most of the time you don't even know he's here. I've turned around and almost ran him over, not knowing he was there. He'll come up and play at your feet without so much as a peep! I'm told Albert Einstein didn't say a word until after he was 4 years old! Who knows!?!

Not that I want Jacob to need speech therapy but, I do hope he qualifies for service. We need some help. He's a very stubborn child (Jeremy says he's my son all right) and he's always on his own agenda. I can't force him to talk and I don't know what to do to help him. As a mom, that really just...sucks! Yes, we talk to him all the time, "up the stairs, 1 up, 2 up", "ohh, look at that big red truck!", "here's your glass of milk", "yes, that's a car, a blue car".

I know it's not any one's fault. We caught the issue in the time frame in which it's normally noticed. We went straight to a specialist. We had the tubes put in as soon as we possibly could have. This doesn't mean Jacob is stupid, slow, deaf, or retarded. And no, asshole...he won't need to go to a special damn school! YES! Someone really asked me that!

Anyway - that's where we are. Thanks for letting me unload!