Early Intervention & MORE progress

Everyone tells you "you're doing the right thing by getting your son help while he's young" and "early intervention really works!".

Well, if I could get a therapist to call me back, then I might agree with them. It's been almost 3 weeks since Holden's evaluation and services were approved. 3 different therapies: at-home speech (2x per week), at-home behavior (3 hours per week), and behavior/daycare environment (3 hours per day). Funny thing is, the 3 hours per week of home behavior therapy goes away once he gets into the preschool/daycare environment. But that's beside the point. Anyway. I've called both consulting companies for the speech and at-home behavior therapy. I'm now being told that he's been "assigned" to a therapist, so the therapist will call me back to schedule an initial appointment and his weekly therapies. No call. No one has called. I've called every 2 days, asking for updates. Yesterday, I was told that the speech therapist that he's been assigned to just happens to be out of town this week and "will be back sometime next week". Meaning that she'll have to play catch up and probably won't be able to call me until the week after, and then not schedule an initial appointment with us until the following week. So, yeah. Probably at least another 3 weeks until we can get in for speech. The at-home behavior people tell me he's been assigned ... just have to wait for the therapist to call. I called for an update yesterday and left a message. No call back yet. The daycare/preschool ABA thing - they don't have an opening right now and it may be as late as June/July before then do. Which really means August/September in english. I am frustrated people. Everyone tells me what a great job I'm doing getting him into Early Intervention so "early". Well, if I'd waited another 2 months, he would be turning THREE before they made any appointments, and he wouldn't qualify any longer. Every DAY that goes by, I get a little more pissed that no one's taking me seriously.

Progress. This is what keeps me going and helps me have a positive outlook . Holden's saying "mama" now. I mean, he said it before - but stopped when he lost all language. BUT, he said it again. And he keeps saying it, although I'm not sure he is using it in the corrrect text. He did look at me once and said "mama", so I know he used it correctly at least 1 time. He's also starting to imitate me. I stick out my tongue, he sticks out his (I think just to lick me really, but still, I'll take it!). About 20 minutes ago, I took his binky and held it out of reach and tried to make him say it - or at least make the "ba-ba-ba-ba" sound for it. He looked at me when I said "ba-ba-ba-ba" and he repeated the sound. He's NEVER done that. I take that to mean that he's more aware and if I can get him to imitate sounds - maybe speech and language will follow. That's my goal anyway.

We went to visit my mom over the weekend. Zoe and Dietrich were out of state, so it was just me and Holden. We went to my aunt's house. Holden was playing on the floor and she said "he just looks like a normal little boy to me". It felt good. Because, I've always said that if you didn't know the signs, you would look at him and just think he's like any other 2 year old. He was very "social" with them, too. And he's not around them much, so it's not because he's used to them. He took my aunt's hand and brought her into their kitchen to ask for a drink. I was shocked that he took someone else's hand but mine.

After we got home from our little trip away, we stopped at the grocery store. We were standing at the deli counter and a dad came by with his little boy in a shopping cart. Holden looked at the little boy, stared at him practically, and watched him go by. He normally doesn't notice other people, and especially kids. When he did that, my heart smiled.

Today, while watching the Wiggles on TV, they were running in place, singing a song - and I looked and Holden was watching and running around like they were. He was imitating them. He's never done that before.

So, although I'm dealing with a crap system that takes 2 months to get services for my son who needs them - I still see the progress he's making and it makes me happy. I'm playing the role of "mama" and therapist right now, and of course I don't mind. I'll do anything to help him. But, sometimes I'm scared I'm not doing things right. I just need some guidance, and it seems almost impossible to get.