My oldest daughter had her latest speech therapy assessment yesterday.  If any of you have ever brought your child to one of these appointments, it can be very intimidating.  Many times the make you and your child sit down and play together on the floor, while the speech/language pathologist writes little notes about your interaction.

The last time we went, my husband was playing with her and I was nursing my baby.  I happened to glance over and the speech pathologists notes and she had written “difficult interaction”.  This really infuriated me because ofcourse it would be a difficult interaction.  You are told to play on demand, they hide behind a glass window as there is a microphone in the room to amplifiy what you say.  It is stressful for the parents also, because you have to use sentences that promote a sentence for a response, rather than a “yes” or “no”.  You feel a little like an experimental mouse in a cage, being told to run through a maze on demand.

Anyways, my daughter decided to talk up a storm yesterday.  She told elaborate stories of what she thought was happening in pictures and was not shy at all.  What a great relief as a mother to hear that she is “average”.  Heck, I will take it.  Considering that on her first speech assessment she was classified as “severely delayed” for her language expression.  She was at a 12-18 month level when she was over 2 years old.  Now she is between a 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 year old level.  I knew she had progressed well, but it is really nice to hear that validation from a healthcare professional.  You always feel like any fault your child has is your fault.  Mothers take on the weight of the world on their shoulders and need everything in their world to be “normal”.  What I have learned is that there is no “normal”; just some society’s standards for what “normal” should be.

Its hard to say what has made my daughter progress like she has.  Is it just that she was a little slower to progress?  Is it the the private speech therapy?  Is it interaction with other kids?  Is it that I now stay home?  Who knows?  All I know, is that I love the progression and want it to continue.

I am so proud of my little girl and love the fact that she can now verbalize what she wants/needs.  Maybe she couldn’t get a word in edge-wise between her father and myself.  We are  nonstop talkers.  For any mothers or fathers out there who are discouraged with their childs lack of progression in a certain area…..

REMEMBER, NO ONE CHILD IS THE SAME.  THEY ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS, AND PROGRESS AT DIFFERENT RATES.  If you have concerns about their development, be sure to consult with a healthcare professional.