Sammy's evals

Sam will be turning three this January. At that time he will no longer be eligible for therapy services through the state-funded First Steps program. As much as First Steps has been a frustration it has also been a blessing. Anyway, when a child transitions out of First Steps they are evaluated for services through the local school system. Sam has been having all sorts of evaluations lately.

His first eval was for IQ. They did not tell me the results of that test, so I really don't know how he scored. Next he had a physical therapy eval (checking his gross motor skills). The therapist did not know where exactly he placed, but did say that it was probably a little over age 2 (which is amazing considering he was almost a year late walking). Then he had an occupational therapy eval (fine motor skills) There were several things in that eval that he was behind age level, but others that he was well ahead. Overall, he was probably about age level, but he may still qualify for services, especially since the occupational therapists work with oral motor activities (in First Steps that is the job of the speech therapist). His speech therapy eval was interesting. In comprehension he was at about the level of a five-year-old (the therapist indicated that he might be even more advanced, but she did not see a need to proceed farther in the test). His articulation (ability to make the correct sounds) is at age level. His vocabulary and sentence structure both put him close to a five-year old level. But he still showed weakness and a need for greater breath support for his words. Because of this he was labeled "at risk". The therapist said that if he qualifies for other services that she will re-evaluate him closer to his Birthday. Lastly he had a hearing evaluation. This eval showed some hearing impairment. However, the tympanogram showed he was not moving air through his right ear (which is the same ear he's had trouble with in the past). However, closer inspection revealed that he has waxy build up in that ear. He might need to have the wax flushed by a doctor, since it is pretty deep in (you can't see it at all without the otoscope). So he has to have another eval in two weeks.

All of this has been exhausting. But it is absolutely amazing how far he has come. I consider it a miracle. All of the evaluators have been amazed by his performance, since they had read his medical history.


God is good.