18 Month update (again)
You may remember reading about Emma's 18 month check-up back in February. Well, that was 18 month actual/chronological age. Last week, we were back at CHEO for Emma's 18 month adjusted age appointment in the Neonatal follow-up clinic (well, technically, it was 17 months and 17 days, but who - apart from us and her doctors - is counting, right?). I know, it gets a little confusing for us, too.
As I mentioned before, Emma attends this clinic regularly to gauge how she is progressing in terms of her communication, socialization, and motor development. After a physical examination, the physician and occupational therapist observe Emma while she plays and carries out some "tasks" and we answer a detailed questionnaire to help quantify her abilities. In the past, the results showed that Emma was achieving important developmental milestones at an age-adjusted appropriate rate, and that her scores in the five developmental areas assessed (Communication, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Personal-Social and Problem Solving) were "typical" of a baby in that age range.
The results of last week's assessment were largely the same, and the team was very pleased with Emma's development. However, her scores in the expressive communication area indicated that her language abilities may be somewhat delayed, and it is something we'll need to keep an eye on. Actually, this wasn't a surprise to us. Emma is babbling quite a bit, but the number of words she does say is limited and her speech isn't very clear (i.e., we know what she is saying, but I'm not sure anyone else would understand her). Her comprehension is fine, she is just not saying as many words as a 'typical 18-month old.' The team members weren't entirely sure this was cause for concern (given the natural variability in children's language development), but I felt (and gently insisted) that it warranted further investigation. They agreed to refer her for a speech-language assessment but cautioned that it could take many, many months to get an appointment.
Luckily, after some searching and several phone calls, I found a drop-in screening clinic held last weekend. Emma was briefly seen by a speech-language pathologist who agreed that further assessment/therapy was needed. So, we're now on a (very long) waitlist at the Speech-Language Pathology Service at CHEO but we're facing a 6-10 month wait before she is seen! In the meantime, we're checking into having Emma seen by an SLP in private practice... She'll also be seen again in the Audiology Clinic at CHEO to rule out any problem with her hearing, as this could certainly have an impact upon her speech.
In other news from last week, Emma's measurements showed that she weighed 10.19 kg (22.5 lbs) and was 80.5 cm (31.7 inches) long, both of which put her in the 25-50th percentile range for her adjusted age. I checked Big Sister's 18-month stats. and they show that Emma is only 1 inch shorter than Michaela was but almost 6 pounds lighter.... I guess Emma will be the string bean in the family! :)
This week we have no appointments scheduled (Yay!), so we're just enjoying the summer-like weather and having fun in the pool/park/back yard again:
As I mentioned before, Emma attends this clinic regularly to gauge how she is progressing in terms of her communication, socialization, and motor development. After a physical examination, the physician and occupational therapist observe Emma while she plays and carries out some "tasks" and we answer a detailed questionnaire to help quantify her abilities. In the past, the results showed that Emma was achieving important developmental milestones at an age-adjusted appropriate rate, and that her scores in the five developmental areas assessed (Communication, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Personal-Social and Problem Solving) were "typical" of a baby in that age range.
The results of last week's assessment were largely the same, and the team was very pleased with Emma's development. However, her scores in the expressive communication area indicated that her language abilities may be somewhat delayed, and it is something we'll need to keep an eye on. Actually, this wasn't a surprise to us. Emma is babbling quite a bit, but the number of words she does say is limited and her speech isn't very clear (i.e., we know what she is saying, but I'm not sure anyone else would understand her). Her comprehension is fine, she is just not saying as many words as a 'typical 18-month old.' The team members weren't entirely sure this was cause for concern (given the natural variability in children's language development), but I felt (and gently insisted) that it warranted further investigation. They agreed to refer her for a speech-language assessment but cautioned that it could take many, many months to get an appointment.
Luckily, after some searching and several phone calls, I found a drop-in screening clinic held last weekend. Emma was briefly seen by a speech-language pathologist who agreed that further assessment/therapy was needed. So, we're now on a (very long) waitlist at the Speech-Language Pathology Service at CHEO but we're facing a 6-10 month wait before she is seen! In the meantime, we're checking into having Emma seen by an SLP in private practice... She'll also be seen again in the Audiology Clinic at CHEO to rule out any problem with her hearing, as this could certainly have an impact upon her speech.
In other news from last week, Emma's measurements showed that she weighed 10.19 kg (22.5 lbs) and was 80.5 cm (31.7 inches) long, both of which put her in the 25-50th percentile range for her adjusted age. I checked Big Sister's 18-month stats. and they show that Emma is only 1 inch shorter than Michaela was but almost 6 pounds lighter.... I guess Emma will be the string bean in the family! :)
This week we have no appointments scheduled (Yay!), so we're just enjoying the summer-like weather and having fun in the pool/park/back yard again:
posted by Laurie at 13:49
5 Comments:
Yumm....how good did that taste, Emma?
As for the speech, I admire you for doing everything you can. I can't believe the wait time at CHeo. Wow.
My boys didn't say much at 18 months, so many told us it was a twin thing...then they were 2.5 y.o. and it all started like a waterfall. Now we can't shut them up!! I wish the same for Emma, and earplugs for you. (kidding!)
Love the pics, tasty dandilions :).
Speech is such a confusing thing to me. A did not talk properly until he was about five. He went to all sorts of testing and they never found anything. Then one day it all clicked. Although I will say 15 years later he still barely talks at all. J talks more than he ever has... sigh...
Emma is so gorgeous and so lively; I am glad that for the most part she's doing extremely well and I hope that the speech language program has totally overestimated the amount of time it will take to get her seen; these long waits are excruciating and I am glad that you guys are going to pursue private speech therapy in the meantime.
I know Sarah was slow to talk and Samuel seems even slower. Like Emma, he babbles a lot, but has maybe 2 semi-clear words (not the 10-20 "they" say he should have!). I'm going to take him to a 1st Words clinic tomorrow. Glad to hear Emma is otherwise on track. Certainly the pictures show a healthy, happy toddler!
Both my Kids talked early hence the early hearing loss I'm experiancing now. I hope she gets in Clinic soon (GOSH I HATE WAITING) but she probably just can't get a word in with Big sister talking...but when she does fiugre it out watch out.
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