UPDATE:. first IFSP meeting this friday....

Hi All.....

So i am making my First post on this board as a Mom and not as a special ed. Teacher.

My DS is 17 months. He is still not walking or standing independently. They did an evaluation and he qualifies for PT as he was well below average. I expected that, but I Didn't expect the low speech scores. the speech scores were done by the SEIT, not a speech language pathologist. I want to push for a full speech_language eval. I also showed the report to the OT i work with and she said to push for a full OT eval. As well. The fine motor score was very low... 4th percentile, yet the PT Didn't mention much About fine motor in the report, just the score.

I would appreciate any advice or tips before going into this meeting. I want to get as much as i can for and I am mot sure what is reasonable in their eyes. This is suffolk co. EI.

It is going to feel so weird being on the other side.of the table at a meeting like this. I have already cried a bunch of times wondering what i could have done differently for Him. EI is not my area of expertise.

Thanks for Listening...

UPDATE:

Well, DS qualified for PT - 2x per week, 45 minutes each session and we have already started.

I had a Speech Eval. and OT Eval. done over the holiday break and he did not qualify for either service. I am happy that I pushed for the evals. though just to be sure I covered my bases with everything.

The little bugger has started to take his first steps already, but I know the PT will help him regardless.

Message edited 1/2/2013 12:56:31 PM.

help... first IFSP meeting this friday....

I have twins who are almost 14 months. THey are both boys & we are in the EI system. My one son who is twin A gets P/T & just qualifed for speech/feeding. We will start maybe this week-- when the therapist calls. My son Twin B gets P/T & O/T. He doesn't need feeding. I would just tell them you want him completly evaluated. I think they call that CORE. I didn't think that my Twin A needed O/T but just wanted to have the eval which we did, he was denied. Do everything you can. In order to get a 2nd service there needs to be a 25% delay. The first service had to be 33%. Since you were approved keep trying for more. Your P/T person should be a great guide for you. ask her

Re: help... first IFSP meeting this friday....

Did you only have a special ed eval to date? Who determined that he qualified for PT? I am in Nassau, but when we started the EI coordinator recommended Special Ed, PT and Speech evals to begin with. If you only had a special ed eval, I would request a PT and Speech eval. With all due respect to the SEIT, I would want a PT and an SLP doing the evals in their areas to really determine his skill levels. I would also say that as a special ed teacher, you have concerns about OT and want that done as well. If you had a PT do an eval, they will focus more on their areas of service, which is not as focused on fine motor skills - the OT will focus more on that. PT works more on gross motor, locomotion, balance and motor planning, if I remember correctly.

My advice is to get them all now. Even if he doesn't qualify, you have a baseline to compare with later on if you feel like he is not hitting milestones. I my experience, it was much easier getting EI to do evaluations and approve services than to get them from the school district after he turned 3. We did get OT before he transitioned to CPSE, but had I known then what I know now, I would have requested an OT eval as well in the initial phase of EI.

Don't beat yourself up about what you could have done differently. You are getting help now, and it is still so early and will help tremendously.

One last thing - don't worry so much about what they think is appropriate, focus more on what you think he needs. You come from a position of strength when you focus on his needs instead of thinking about what they will offer, IMO. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Message edited 12/13/2012 1:01:47 PM.

Re: help... first IFSP meeting this friday....

Thank you both. The first eval. Was done by the special ed. Teacher and a physical therapist, so it is clear he qualifies for.PT. The pt and seit both got low ot scores.and the.seit also got low speech scores so i am going to push for a full speech and Ot eval. Done by specialists in those areas. For now, i wpuld think tjey will start PT ASAP and am hoping they will move on the other two evals. After christmas at the latest.

Will keep you posted.

Re: UPDATE:. first IFSP meeting this friday....

update in original post.

UPDATE:. first IFSP meeting this friday....

Great update! My DS also started walking just before he started PT, LOL. The PT was great in helping him build his core muscles and improve his gross motor skills and balance. Good luck!