I’m so frustrated, mad, angry pissed off. I usually try to keep my posts calm but not this one. Fair warning there will be bad language.
I’m so fed up. At the age of 1.5 I told Charlie’s pediatrician that he was experiencing delays. I told him that Charlie’s speech was not were it should be. I was told to wait it out. “We see this with many kids Mrs. Z. Right around his 2nd birthday you will see his speech take off.”
WRONG! Shame on me for not being mad enough for my son. Shame on me for not listening to my instinct. Charlie is delayed. He is super bright but his speech has lagged from the get go. Well shit I’ve helped in the lag by not standing up for my baby.
At his 2 year check up I again told the pediatrician, there is something wrong. He maybe has 10 words. Again the doctor pushed me off. “Just give it time.” I insisted that we be referred. By this time I was also pregnant with Rachael. So referred we were.
Finally get into the Infants and Toddlers program through the public school and more being shit on. Our therapist came out the first day late. The second date she doesn’t show. The third (rescheduled second) date she calls out sick. At this point I requested a new provider.
New provider comes and while I loved her. She did do a lot with Charlie his speech never really progressed. Then we were told he would be moved to Child Find Program for 3-6 year olds. At the IEP meeting I told them, begged them, pleaded with them to put Charlie in the pre-K program. I really feel he needs the interaction with other kids. “No. I’m sorry Mrs. Z he’s not lacking enough.” What the fuck! My child isn’t delayed enough to recieve services? Now I can understand this if I lived in some big metropolis and resources were limited. But we live in the middle of bum fuck nowhere and you’re telling me that all of the slots in the pre-K are full. Oh and it’s not just one pre-K class for the whole county. There are 5. Five classes are completely full? Are you kidding me.
So we go through with putting him speech therapy once a week for 30 minutes. The first day he goes to school. Mommy took off work to take him. I let my little man be led off by some stranger as I sat on a bench. 30 minutes later he comes back. How was class Bug? “Color.” That he did. These adult women allowed two 3 year olds to color with PERMANENT MARKERS. No lie. They ruined a brand new jacket, shirt and pants. Because the therapist noticed he had some marker on his jacket and took it off. No really she told me herself. I noticed that he had some marker on his jacket so I took it off for him. WHO THE HELL allows a 3 year old to play with permanent markers.
So the next class we ran some errands in the morning. Steve drops me off and takes Bug to school. Only to be home 10 minutes later. Why? Speech therapist doesn’t have time to see him today. Not she’s sick, not she’s been called to another school. She doesn’t have time to see him. Then why were we told this was when he had to be there.
Third class time comes. Speech therapist isn’t available but there is a substitute. Fine we’ll work with it. Until she sends him home with a project. We’re supposed to work on B words. She’s sent home a worksheet and a puppet. We’re supposed to cut out the bones on the sheet and “feed” them to the dog. Only problem on each bone is written a word that starts with L. How do you work on B words if you’re given L words.
Needless to say it didn’t get much better. Charlie wasn’t accepted for extend year so he had the summer off. School starts Monday and we’ve yet to hear when he’s supposed to be there. Day/time/school nothing. So this morning I called the Child Find program. The secretary says I should call the school. OK I call the school. The secretary there tells me she has no idea about times for therapy. OH but she can ask the school pshychologist. HOLD the phone lady. The WHAT? UM No I think you’re mistaken on what I’m asking. My child is to start SPEECH therapy. “Yes I know. I can have the psychologist call you back.”
At that point I hung up. What kind of idiot is answering the phones and doesn’t know the difference between therapy and SPEECH therapy. I had Steve call back and guess what he was told? The same shit.
And they wonder why I don’t want him in services in the first place. If I haven’t heard back from the principal by this time tomorrow, I will be requesting a new IEP meeting. Cause guess what, this momma is hopping mad and my son will be starting services next week come hell or high water. Want to put a note in his file that mom gets angry go ahead. But at least you know this parent is involved and wants the best for her child.
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I am so sorry. My 27 month old has some delays in speech and his walking and balance. He is in ECI and all the paperwork and doctor’s appointments can be so frustrating. Huge hugs. I pray things calm down. You are a great mom for fighting for your son.
Holly, I hear you, in preschool i knew My Boy has a lisp and some letter discrepancies but both his teachers and pediatrician said he’d grow out of it. He didn’t, he’s completed 3 years of speech in K-2nd grade and now there’s a new to the school speech teacher…that I used to work with ages ago, not so good and is always OUT and not picking up the kids for their time slots. GRRR…just trying to do the best for the kids, I wish the educational systems were too!
I feel your pain. We just completed the IEP process. Fortunatley?unfortunatley my son was recently diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. I really think the diagnosis helped him get the services.
Since you’re getting the run around so badly, you may want to think about getting an advocate. You have tried doing it on your own & dealing with the system, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Perhaps an advocate will help get better results. The next option is not pretty….a lawyer.
I’ve heard many horror stories, and if you don’t get results right off, that seems to be the process: advocate, lawyer = sue the DOE for services for your child. SAD huh?! I love my country, but our educational system is truly failing our children!!!
I wish you luck, and results!
OMG. What a freakin’ nightmare. I wish you the best of luck in getting your Bug the therapy he needs and is intitled to!
You go girl! Don’t you stop those demands. You have to fight like hell! Been there done that. I can’t believe the lack of services or should I say the intelligence of these speech people. Dakota didn’t really talk until 3. Then it all kinda came out. He is 8 now and still has a speech delay. I don’t like his speech teacher at all. In fact I think she is down right negative. But that’s another story for another time. I think I would be requesting a new IEP asap. I really understand the frustrations. Stand your ground. Find an advocate if you can. Trying to think of things that will help. Right now I am drawing a blank. If I think of them I will be back to let you know.
You go woman! I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles with speech therapy. Glad to hear you are the only one trying to help your son. That really sucks! I’m so proud of you
I hope something happens for you ASAP! Keep us updated.
@ Shannon:
Thanks Shannon! We’ve tried hard and finally got to go to speech today so I think we might be on the up swing!
Wow! I’m sorry to hear that this has been such a struggle for you. We have specialist eye appointments that granted they aren’t the same, we have to go through the same rubbish. Either they cancel last moment, they cancel when we get there, they tell us our appointment isn’t for that day when we know very well it is, or they keep us waiting for several hours to see the doctor. Try keeping small children entertained for that long! Sigh. I hope it gets better for you and your son.