Early Intervention Meeting This Morning - Went Well!!

We had our meeting with early intervention today. Although only the meeting leader (forgot her real title) was able to show up. The speech therapist and occupational therapist were both sick yesterday so decided best not to come this morning. We were quite happy with that. Kelly said there is a nasty GI virus going around that we do not want to catch. They will reschedule but after meeting with Joyce, we are confident Katerina will not need any therapy.

Joyce was great with Katerina. She gave us some good tips for a couple of things that could help Katerina. She was quick to say they were not her areas of expertise but suggested an exercise to work Katerina's eyes could help. Although we do have an appointment set up with a pediatric eye doctor to check them. Still quite completely determine if the shape of her eyes and nose cause one of her eyes to seem a bit lazy or if it actually is a bit lazy. It is not too bad so the exercises should be enough if there is a problem.

She also though Katerina's motor skills were very good. And they were on full display as Katerina climbed over everything: the coffee table, the couch, the end table to the couch, etc. Verbal skills, which is what we were most concerned about simply because of the late start with English were also where they (whomever they are) say the skills should be. She has a few words down and she is trying to speak others. I call it gobbledy gook.

Lastly, we were a tad concerned by some of the things we thought Katerina should be doing. As if she were behind the curve but Joyce explained that those things just aren't normal for an 18 month old child. And if she was doing those things, she would have been worried about Aspergers. We felt quite relieved. Things that were beyond her age but we did not know that.

Lastly, she had a great quote. She said something to the effect of..."everyone wants their child to be in college by the age of two with the stuff they push on them. It is no wonder so many kids end up using drugs as they get older with all the pressure put on them. Just let kid be kids." Basically she was saying social skills and kids playing with age appropriate stuff is best. Not everything has to be a learning/teaching moment.