Evaluations

So, I just got back from CCS (California Children's Services) where Drake receives OT and PT. He just got a spot there after being on the waiting list for 4 months. His OT, Kitty, has spent his last 3 sessions doing an initial evaluation using the Peabody Test. I hate these evaluations, because it's never fun to hear what age his motor skills correspond to, since they are always grossly behind his actual age. Anyway, I've learned you've just got to face the music, so here goes: At 12 months actual age, he scored 3 months for locomotion (movement such as rolling, crawling, etc.), 6 months for stationary motor skills, like grasping and using his arms and legs, 6 months for fine motor, and 8 months for sensory/visual. I realize these scores are arbitrary. It's just setting a baseline so they can monitor progress when they repeat the test in 6 months. But, still, it's no fun to hear.

I try to come up questions that will trick them into telling me how they see him progressing in the future. Today, I mentioned our house has stairs leading to the front door. Would Drake be able to walk up those stairs one day or would we need to sell our house and buy a ranch-style home? However, they don't ever take the bait! All they ever say, is, "We'll see", "It's too early to tell"... Well, today they said that he should be able to get up the stairs.

They feel that Drake's greatest strengths are that he is super motivated to try. He works so hard to do all the things his sister does. He is super curious and wants to get into things. He is also very tolerant and easy-going. He lets his therapists work with him for an hour and is still smiling at the end, even when he's being stretched and twisted. He also has zero sensory issues, he loves to be bounced and swung and moved around. All these things bode well for his physical progress.