UPDATE: 3/9 EI- first visit weds

we referred our now 20 month old DS for a speech eval. the first mtg is scheduled for this coming weds...

what can i expect? i know we are giving them the insurance paperwork and ped form, but what else?



TIA

ps. we have already scheduled an appt with an ENT to have his hearing formally tested on our own

ETA:

Well, he qualified. 25% delay in speech and fine motor skills. I do not think he has a fine motor delay, I just think he didn't want to stack their blocks, but we will see. So bittersweet.

Meeting at the end of the month to set goals/etc. ENT appointment the same week.

Message edited 3/9/2012 7:55:55 PM.

Re: EI- first visit weds

is this the evaluation or is this the meeting with your service coordinator?

it sounds like you are meeting with your coordinator for the first time...

basically, you fill out paper work, choose an agency or they choose one for you (the process has changed) and someone from that agency will contact you in regards to setting up an evaluation.

if you have done the above then basically the therapists comes and plays with your child (that is the testing part) and then will contact you when the reports are done to let you know if he qualifies for speech.

Re: EI- first visit weds

its our very first meeting- so i am assuming just the service coordinator will be here.

how do i choose an agency? am i supposed to be doing research on this?


thank you for your response, i am a little nervous about the whole process!

Re: EI- first visit weds

my understanding of the new process is you will meet with someone from the county who will either ask you to choose an evaluation agency or they choose one for you... the process just recently changed and some coordinators are allowing individuals to choose and others are choosing for them.

we didn't research agencies, we went with Marion Soloman because that is who our ped recommended.

for DD we went with little village because the only issues i had with her was language.

there are tons of agencies out there.. most evaluators work for many agencies, but if your child qualifies do you want to stick with that agency to do services.

and.... many agencies use the same therapists... its just really a name...

easy for me to say 3.5 years laters, but relax, the SC is there to take some info and let you know the process....

the evaluation is done through play... best for parent not to encourage child, but to sit there and let the evaluator do the work..

my DH sat in on one of the evaluations and skewed the results because he was interfering.. its tough to watch them play with your child and you know as their parent they can do it with some encouragement from you, but it is best for them to do the eval with no help from you for some true results.

good luck... anything else just ask..

Re: EI- first visit weds

thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions! i appreciate it!

i am trying to be calm about to whole process (and i think im being ok so far, lol). i have a "if he qualifies -ok, if he doesnt - ok" attitude. i just want to make sure he gets the best of best!

its hard tho, as a teacher, i keep thinking that if hes behind now, its going to be so much harder for him in the future. its so much easier to be objective with my students!

Re: UPDATE: 3/9 EI- first visit weds

bump