Speak, B.B. Speak.

Today was B.B.'s pre-k evaluation. In truth, we're not sending him to Pre-K now (or in January which was what this eval was for). I'm just concerned about his speech. If you've been here for a while, you've read quotes written in B.B. speak. The thing is, I doctor those because if I wrote what he actually says, no one would ever be able to read it. For example today, since it was chilly last night & this morning, there was a "shy-uh in da shy-uh pwace." That would be fire in the fire place.

Husband is not at all concerned. B.B., while (as Bucka would put it) dutchy, is basically understandable. If you're looking right at him. And he's discussing something relevant to what's taking place at the moment. And you spend a good deal of time around him and or listening to him talk. You get it, don't you. Basically understandable.

We have a nephew who's a full year older than B.B. who didn't really talk until he was 4. He's now in Pre-K & I'm beginning to understand about a third of what he says. So if you compare B.B.'s speech to Nephew's speech (which is what Husband does, I think), it's not bad. But I know it's not what it should be.

I set up the appointment & told them I'm only really concerned about his speech. They evaluate everything, but would focus on my concerns. We don't want the kids to do two years of Pre-K. In fact, I had to battle to get Husband to see the need for one year of Pre-K when it was BabyGirl's turn. One year is plenty, especially when you figure in the fact that there's only one class so he'd be doing the same thing with the same kids two years running.

My suspicions were correct. He failed the speech portion of the testing. He also failed the left side hearing test, but I'm pretty sure that's a residual effect of the ear infection from last Friday. He'll be rechecked for hearing in about 2 weeks. He also had "motor skill issues" but most of them stemmed from a refusal to do tasks asked. Not a great surprise.

He refused to catch bean bags. He refused to hop or stand on one foot. He refused to say his ABC's. He refused to point out body parts. They said none of that was in anyway abnormal & I was not in the least surprised. B.B. has a tendency to be shy in new situations. When I asked him about it later he said, "I didn't want them to know where my nose was." Makes perfect sense to me.

The speech therapist wasn't there today & the other evaluators couldn't tell me much about what he could & could not say. They're going to pass his results on to her & she'll contact me. They did say there are certain sounds (R & Th) that kids his age normally struggle with, but they weren't sure how many of his issues fell into the age category.

So now we wait. Wait for the therapist to call. Wait to find out what they can do for him. Wait to find out if anything needs to be done or if this is all age appropriate. Wait & pray Husband understands the need for early intervention (he doesn't see the need in therapy until it's time to start school...please, no comments on this. He & I have discussed it quite a bit lately & while he's still hesitant, he's holding off judgement until we hear from an expert).

I don't wait well.