Speech Evaluation: Fear of Labels

I’m not in the mood to write a post but I want to stay in the NaBloPoMo game for this month. On Tuesday, I went for Sophia’s speech evaluation and it went well. Sophia participated and showed the woman evaluating that she does understand things and can point to the appropriate picture when asked to identify which kids are hugging. She also impressed the evaluator when I corrected Sophia, “I don’t think that’s a toy,” I told her, “put it back please.” And Sophia pushed the box she was playing with back to where it was on a table and left it alone without being asked a second time.

Most of the evaluation was answering questions about Sophia. I listed most of the signs and words that Sophia does and says, I couldn’t remember them all even though there are only about twenty. The woman administering the evaluation then asked me about Sophia’s eating habits. I couldn’t figure out why. I didn’t really want to ask either. I’m worried about what the woman might be thinking. I’m afraid of the label Sophia might receive. On one hand, it’s nice to have a label in order to help understand, on the other hand it could be like a self fulfilling prophecy as we adjust her to fit in those parameters more perfectly. My answer about Sophia’s eating habits, “it would be easier to list what she will eat” lead to further questioning about her reactions to various stimuli and a request to fill out a more detailed questionnaire.

I’m so relieved to be getting help for her and at such a young age. But I’m worried because well, that’s what I do best. I’ve been near tears since the evaluation. I’m watching me grow up again, and at times it feels just as painful the second time around.

Sophia of course needs speech therapy because she only speaks at the level of a 12 to 15 month old child, and because she’ll be receiving speech therapy we get to sign up for some of their classes for free. We may also get some help with her food issues.

Today I took her to her first preschool/play group and it went really well until the end. It was snack time the facilitator went around the table of sitting toddlers and asked each one, “which do you want?” It was a choice of fish crackers or animal crackers. Sophia chose the animal crackers, but didn’t touch anything on her plate the entire time. All the other kids finished theirs and then it was time to clean up and go home. We put Sophia’s cookies in a bag to take home and she threw a fit. Huge melt down, red face, screaming, the whole nine yards. She didn’t want to be held or comforted but didn’t want her cookies either. All I could do is stand there and wait for her to calm down.