Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

Or should I just keep my mouth shut and let them and their pediatrician work it out? I don't want to be a budinsky, but when she tells me the physical level her child is at for his age, it worries me a bit.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

Honestly....no

In my opinion, it's one of those things you either say or don't say but either way...saying anything will never come off the way you hope.

But if you truly feel that the child is in need of help you have to outweigh your friendship over the needs of that child.

It's very hard to hear that your child is less than perfect and even harder to hear someone who is not a doctor tell you that you missed something with your child...kwim?

Message edited 4/7/2008 9:50:19 AM.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

Posted by Ang-Rich

Honestly....no

In my opinion, it's one of those things you either say or don't say but either way...saying anything will never come off the way you hope.

But if you truly feel that the child is in need of help you have to outweigh your friendship over the needs of that child.

It's very hard to hear that your child is less than perfect and even harder to hear someone who is not a doctor tell you that you missed something with your child...kwim?

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

I think that would be really hard to tell some one and it might ruin your friendship. I know it's a hard thing to say even though it might be in the best interest for the child. I think if the pediatrician is really concern, they would tell her.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

No.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

I wouldn't say anything. My friends son and my son are a month apart (mines older) yet her son said sooooo many words and my son hardley any. Now I new my son was behind but I have to say if she would of been the one to tell me I think I would have been upset.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

Ive been trying to figure this one out too....

So far Ive kept my mouth shut. For me the child in question is behind in basically all areas of development....

She's a friend of a friend and we've both tried to add it to conversation on several occassions. It hasnt worked...

The kid is just so far behind we are starting to believe that the pediatrician has had to say something at this point but Mom is just not telling us.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

That's a tough one...I know with my one nephew, there was talk in the family that he needed speech therapy when he was younger and no one ever got up the nerve to say it to my SIL. She did mention it at one time herself but sort of in a brushing it off kind of way. Well, he's 7 now and didn't end up needing speech therapy and is up to speed with other kids for years now. I think he was 2 1/2 or 3 at the time that there was concern. I'm sure that's not always the case but sometimes people mean well and are overstepping. I was never going to get involved in that one personally - at the time, I only had one child and he was only a year old so I wasn't even an experienced parent anyway. I think if I were to approach someone, I would try to find a way to say it that doesn't involve giving an opinion on what services they need. Just a way to nudge the person towards speaking to their ped about it...but really, I don't know how you do it. Unless I was a professional in that area, it's hard to say what a child really needs.

Re: Is there any tackful way to tell someone you think their child might benefit from PT?

Point blank, no.

But, there are ways to prod. I have a friend whose son showed some delays. I never said anything about it point-blank, but we would talk about our kids, and compare notes, and when I would tell her about the things Alex was doing and she was suprised, I would tell her if she had any concerns she really should talk to her pediatrician.

I also would start conversations with her about my own experiences with a disability and how helpful it was that my mother intervened right away, and about people I know whose children were receiving services.

Eventually she consulted with her pediatrician and got her District involved and now her DS is receiving some much-needed services.