Catch 22

I am a VERY emotional person. I cry at the drop of a hat (even when not pregnant) and today has been a roller coaster of anxiety and emotion!

Today Meeka had her final evaluation to be accepted into the school districts preschool program on an IEP (Individual Education Plan). The process started back in December, and then she could not even say her name (or anyone else's), count, say colors, or even put two words together. They pretty much guaranteed me that she would qualify.

The past couple of months since we started this process her language has EXPLODED! She now says her name and everyone in the families, can tell you colors, shaped and count to 10. She is a smart cookie! And she puts many words together now. The problem is when she tries to tell you something in sentences it is still pretty much lost in translation, especially without the context being right in front of your nose. So, I was already stressing knowing how much she has progressed before this evaluation. But I took their word for it, and did not enroll her in a another preschool for the fall.

So today at her evaluation it was a standarized test given by the speech therapist at the school. She showed her pictures and would say something like, "I call this a house. Can you say house?" or "I would say they are swimming. Can you say swimming?" Well when she concentrates she can say the word (which is great, because a couple months ago she would have never have triode to say it if she couldn't). The syllables are very pronounced and not together, but she gets most of them in. If you asked her to tell you "I like to go swimming in Grammie's pool." You would get, "Blah, Blah Blah Mimi Pool!"

BUT this is a STANDARIZED test…so there is no room for translation. It is what it is and because she could say a good deal of singing words when given verbal cues, she does not qualify for the program. Hence the Catch 22. She is doing SO WELL and has come SO FAR…but there is still work to be done. And now, in April, when she turns 3 all services stop and we are on our own. So now we will send her to the preschool where Melina hopes now, and I am HAPPY with that decision. She will do well and we LOVE it there. BUT when about from April until September? She has been going to "school" for 2 mornings a week all year and that is going to abruptly stop…she is going to be devistated (and yes, so am I a little)! And our insurance will not cover therapy for her because she does not have a physical deformity that is causing it. So now lies the decision…what to do now??? I am one to plan and think and overanalyze…..so my brain is going a bajillion miles a minute thinking what will be the next step? What will be best for her and the whole family? Any suggestions?