Following Up About Jonah and Levi

I took Jonah to his speech assessment appointment today. It was at our local Elementary school. We met with one of the teachers and she did a few tests with Jonah. They were mostly based on his ability to recognize pictures of things and say what they were or what they were doing. He did okay on a few of them, but after a while, it was pretty clear that he didn't understand what she was asking him to do. For example, there was a picture of some scissors. Then below that, there were three pictures of the same scissors in different positions, and he was supposed to tell her which ones were the same. I know he could figure that out, but he did not understand what she was asking him to do. The teacher said it's pretty clear that he has a little bit of a speech delay. They tested him in 5 areas. I think they were Language, Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive. She said that it was obvious that he was behind in Language, because he had a hard time expressing himself through words and also understanding words or questions she asked him. She said that he might be a little behind in each of the rest, due to his delay with Language. I guess Language is a big one and can impede progress in any or all of the other categories. They checked his hearing and vision last to make sure that he was able to see and hear because that can also affect speech. But his hearing was good and he can see 20/20. So, although the teacher said that she can't guarantee it, she is very sure that Jonah will be able to go to the preschool. We have a few more steps to take, then he can start. We need to meet with the school's Speech Therapist and Psychologist. After that, he can start classes! I am actually really excited for him, because he is a smart guy- just can't express himself well. I think that being in a social learning environment will just get his speech really going. Plus, I think it will open up a lot of things that I haven't noticed in him. The teacher was really impressed with his ability to do puzzles (even 24 piece jigsaw puzzles) and counting and letters. So once his speech is encouraged out of him, I think he'll be a pretty smart dude.

Levi is awaiting his first appointment on Friday to get his head shape scanned and fitted for a helmet (it's called a DOC Band). It takes a week for them to make the band, since they are custom made for each patient. We have had a really hard time deciding if we wanted to go ahead with treatment. It is a big commitment- we would have to go into Phoenix once a week for up to 8 weeks. Having only one car, that is a big deal for us. And that's not even mentioning how much it will cost. So, we have been bouncing back and forth a lot on this one. I have spoken to a few people whose children have worn the DOC Band, and they said that even though the problems weren't severe, they still saw improvements and are really glad they did it. So, unless we receive revelation before Friday, Levi will begin his journey to getting a regular-shaped head and face! You can kind of see the off-balance of his face in the picture I posted of him below where he is smiling. His face is more full on one side, more lean on the other, and his eyes seem to not line up evenly because of that. But then again, I have a more critical eye because I see him every day. I'll post updates as things happen!