tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post5909691607857558202..comments2023-12-21T05:46:01.833-05:00Comments on Happy Soul Project: And then I apologized... Happy Soul Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17653500216357181319noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-78656821361466071332017-05-30T22:56:41.473-04:002017-05-30T22:56:41.473-04:00Thank you for writing this post. I am studying to ...Thank you for writing this post. I am studying to be an occupational therapist and I hope to better undestand the client and their families' points of view, and hopefully allow them to inform my practice. I hope that each therapist and medical professional you encounter respects you and your daughters' goals and individuality- we bring our expertise and good intentions, but you are the true expert on your own life. Keep up the hard, messy, amazing work you are doing as a mother!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02703483794425046187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-11833710376277129472017-05-12T17:05:52.283-04:002017-05-12T17:05:52.283-04:00Here here. I'm a paediatric speech therapist i...Here here. I'm a paediatric speech therapist in the UK, and don't like using pictures. I'm all about the objects/toys - sometimes assessment pictures look nothing like the object they represent anyway. <br />And I don't see the point in continuing to rehash assessments. You can learn so much more from a good play on the floor and chat with parents. <br />I may know about communication, but they're the specialist when it comes to their child - and personal goals and targets based on family values are more important than random words and what other kids can do at their age. We're all individuals, so<br />Who cares if Pip knows what cartoons are, as long as she can indicate the names of her family, friends and favourite toys etc? That's much more important in my opinion...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08556773536558965710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-3198419887679572892017-05-12T17:04:32.956-04:002017-05-12T17:04:32.956-04:00Here here. I'm a paediatric speech therapist i...Here here. I'm a paediatric speech therapist in the UK, and don't like using pictures. I'm all about the objects/toys - sometimes assessment pictures look nothing like the object they represent anyway. <br />And I don't see the point in continuing to rehash assessments. You can learn so much more from a good play on the floor and chat with parents. <br />I may know about communication, but they're the specialist when it comes to their child - and personal goals and targets based on family values are more important than random words and what other kids can do at their age. We're all individuals, so<br />Who cares if Pip knows what cartoons are, as long as she can indicate the names of her family, friends and favourite toys etc? That's much more important in my opinion...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08556773536558965710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-53762104984175957822017-05-10T04:15:53.272-04:002017-05-10T04:15:53.272-04:00I'm a speech therapist in the UK working with ...I'm a speech therapist in the UK working with adults with DS and other developmental diagnosis, so parent experiences like this make me so frustrated with my colleagues! This is not what we're taught as students. We're taught to assess the PERSON and their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Formal assessment tests how well your child can pass that assessment and that's all, not real life social skills, functional skills. I'm sorry your therapy session wasn't what you needed and I hope your email helps the therapist to understand how to be a little more flexible next time.<br /><br />If not, find a therapist who gets down on the floor, brings a bucket load of toys and plays whatever game Pip chooses in your first session. That's the best assessment we can do! And in the mean time just keep doing what youre doing because it's clearly working for your family xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-87329134189618517522017-05-10T00:51:34.788-04:002017-05-10T00:51:34.788-04:00Jordan is 16 yrs old - his annual IEP -= school pl...Jordan is 16 yrs old - his annual IEP -= school planning meetings, go something like this. Jordan can do, but doesn't - can't do, should be able to do, struggles with - and Mom breaking down - apologizing for breaking down, build Mom back up so that we can continue - erase and repeat in 12 months. At least not they bring tissues for me! It is the worst feeling in the world to spend an hour or better hearing what your child isn't - when to you there is nothing they aren't. They are our everything!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00859135749071429875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-2667222058728229492017-05-10T00:50:24.860-04:002017-05-10T00:50:24.860-04:00As a pediatric SLP and relatively new mom, it'...As a pediatric SLP and relatively new mom, it's so insightful to read this post and responses. Therapists can be so insensitive sometimes and need to be reminded that your kiddos are your everything and we should treat them as such! Thank you for your stories. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-9438912396113840772017-05-09T21:29:55.811-04:002017-05-09T21:29:55.811-04:00I broke up with our OT who spent her time with my ...I broke up with our OT who spent her time with my daughter only checking boxes on a sheet she didn't share. Meghanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12725483493607470397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-15593317779952833262017-05-09T21:12:34.801-04:002017-05-09T21:12:34.801-04:00My son used to sabotage his speech assessments. H...My son used to sabotage his speech assessments. He would do sound effects for some of the silly pictures. The worst was when he had an audience like one of his brothers watching. He is almost 21 and will be having his final speech assessment next week. I wonder if he will behave?<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07111203612095965372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-82843935002031508272017-05-09T20:38:35.219-04:002017-05-09T20:38:35.219-04:00This is such a wonderful blog and although I don&#...This is such a wonderful blog and although I don't have any children with Down Syndrome, I love the positive point of view you present. I also love your honesty. And today, I had to laugh when I saw the Dick and Jane page you posted. Imagine learning in Grade 1 what Jane likes! I hope you find something to smile or laugh about every day. I have to tell you that seeing all three of your beautiful children makes me smile!atlantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15784129418017134274noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-70696080434381901112017-05-09T20:31:52.931-04:002017-05-09T20:31:52.931-04:00Never seen a teddy graham cookie or had juice. Fa...Never seen a teddy graham cookie or had juice. Failed the assessment because he didn't take them and ask for more. I roared. Real loud!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-69415493466859866792017-05-09T15:44:44.963-04:002017-05-09T15:44:44.963-04:00This is my problem with my son's development p...This is my problem with my son's development pediatrician. Sometimes I think my son's gone a long way but comes consultation day (which happens every 6 months), man, we're doomed. I always feel like we're going 2 steps forward 5 steps back. With my son's therapist, I think he now knew not to make hasty assessments based on a single session, Haha!...at the end of the day, as mommas, we gotta continue on and to hell with the outdated standards.. good job to you and kudos for all of you do! You are an inspiration. 😊Liz Ahttp://zaineandi.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-818973399306650502.post-85282276145270209252017-05-09T15:37:29.115-04:002017-05-09T15:37:29.115-04:00We have a little one with a syndrome (not Down'...We have a little one with a syndrome (not Down's but some similarities) and I was feeling the same way when we had to set "goals" for our little one. Apparently he was supposed to take his first few steps in April and be walking well by August. Well, it's May, still no steps. So apparently he's has failed? Um, he's 2. He'll walk when he walks for pete's sake. Melanienoreply@blogger.com