Gracelyn's Evaluation

Gracelyn was evaluated Thursday, August 18 for possible  treatment/therapy. She was tested on many areas: adaptive,  personal-social, communication, motor, cognitive and language. It took  about an hour and she was totally exhausted towards the end. The  therapist had all sorts of activities that Gracelyn was asked to do and  she was able to do and enjoyed many of them. G was asked to match  smaller blocks to the larger version, also match the blocks of the same  colors, and with 3 objects in front of her, a shoe, ball and utensil,  Gracelyn was asked which she put on her foot, played with, ate with. The  lady gave G a crayon and asked her to draw in linear and also in  circular motions. Looking at a picture book Gracelyn was to tell her  what the objects were and the lady put a cheerio in a slender jar to see  if G could retrieve it. Lots of different games in the hour and lots of  questions for mom about what all Gracelyn does.
At the end of the  hour I was told that Gracelyn does not qualify for the treatment, which is great! She  has to be lacking by 25% in 2 areas or 50% in 1. She is "normal" for her  22 month range and even above her age range in some areas. The  therapist said G is actually above the  22 month range for communication. While it's great that she does well with  communication, it's definitely not by talking. She signs, points, takes  us by the hand to show us, or just repeats "baba" "gaga" "mama" over and  over and over. The issue is that she doesn't articulate her words. Because Gracelyn attempts to say words (and isn't mute like most younger siblings are when the older siblings speak for them) the therapist believes she knows them and has them but cannot say  them, whether it's from lack of mouth muscles stemming from botulism or  from her frequent ear infections, leading up to tubes back in the  Spring.
Either way Gracelyn needs help and that is what we will  do. The therapist gave me lots of tips to work with Gracelyn at  home. We have begun them and we think G is really responding. The  pediatrician had told me to stop responding to Gracelyn's signing.  Gayle, the therapist was NOT happy about that. She said if that is how G  is communicating and I'm ignoring her then she will shut down completely. not  good. So encourage signing still, even make up more signs for  everything. When Gracelyn signs, repeat that word 5-10 times. Also give  her lots of milkshakes to drink with a straw and even put a straw in  pudding, blow bubbles, give her chewy foods and encourage chewing on specific objects such as a  toothbrush (in her chair, not running around with it.) All of this will  work mouth muscles.
So our household pretty much sounds like birds, with Ryan and I repeating single words and now even the boys "help."  Gracelyn is definitely talking more and can say "me" with the long  "e" sound. That is great for her because it's been sort of an "a" sound  like "may".