This afternoon we went to a developmental assessment pedia after due to what his other pedia advised us last week. She said that she noticed something of our son's behavior like "parrotting" and "not much eye contact" when being talked to. Though personally, I can say that Jaiden is okay to me. My husband says the same also. However, we decided to go for the assessment because this pedia stressed out that she would highly suggest that we have him assessed because there might be needed intervention before it might be too late. I think it is her strong statement that struck us and for our peace of mind, we decided to have an appointment.
The developmental-assessment-pedia talked to us, parents, firsts. I didn't realize that there would be much effort of getting our opinion or say on the situation. He said that my very first statements when I talked to him are so defensive that it seems that I was convincing him that there is nothing wrong with our son. So he told us that if we were convinced that there is nothing wrong then what's the reason of seeing him? Why would we mind other people's opinion? He said that we have to recognize first and identify what we see as wrong of our child otherwise he would not be seeing any problem. He further said, that it is not him who will identify the problem but us and that it is not like we bring our child to him and have him see for himself what is wrong. Gosh! in my mind I was saying to myself "unsa mani oi, ka-effort ba ani!" My husband and I were caught in a situation wherein we have to think of a proper convincing answer for him to go on with the assessment!
At least he guided us as by telling what does a normal three-year old child acts like - being not that oozy when being into a new place and other things an ideal three year old does which I am not so familiar because I actually don't know what are the ideal behavior. In my mind I was telling myself that every child is unique and that maybe he is just that. Anyway, we manage to finish our first part of the conversation then Jaiden and my mother was allowed to join the room.
Jaiden was then talked by the doctor. The doctor had all his paraphernalia inside his square suitcase.He got out all those things, one by one for Jaiden to follow and do and some for him to answer his questions. He got first his blocks and he created the blocks into an imaginary subway with the ten small blocks put side by side as the imaginary train. He showed Jaiden how to do it then later asked Jaiden to follow. Jaiden attempted all his might be he can't get the imaginary subway where the train will pass. He struggled. Then the doctor said that it is okay because the test is really for a six-year old child and that at least he got the intention of trying to follow it. The others where shape puzzles where in he was asked to put those in its proper places. He was able to do it all correctly except for those four different sizes of squares tests wherein he was stuck in two-square sizes. He really did his best and at times would say "don't know" and some garbled words where only his"help" word is clear. He was actually trying to ask some help to the extent of getting my right hand and putting it on the toy. He was also asked to identify pictures, identify toys like cup, fork, knife, plate and identify animal toys like dogs, horse, et al. All these identification things activity, he managed very well with only one or two mistakes. He struggled only when he was asked as to what does a plate for and what does a watch for. But he was able to say that a cup is for "drink" and that a spoon is for "eat" - these we were laughing because it lacks the "ing" for his "drinking" and "eating" words. He was also asked to write which I thought he would refuse. Good thing he did hold the pencil and trace the shapes but not really did the correct tracing of the figure since he was holding the pencil not the proper way. Overall. it was fun witnessing Jaiden perform in front of his first-meet-doctor. I really thought he would be shy.
The doctor said that Jaiden meets higher than what he expected. He generally said that he didn't see anything wrong to raise the red flag to which it is not much of a surprise to me. His "parrotting" is not actually what it is because the alarming thing is when he keeps on repeating words or phrases in just a few minutes after without understanding what he is saying but Jaiden only repeats the phrase in a long interval (1 or 2 days after) when he is in a similar situation or saw something he associates the word with. His no "eye-contact" is also okay, he only does it when the person is new to him but after a few minutes of being familiar he does eye-contact and it is even so emotional - it speaks or convey something. Sidenote: I wasn't worried that we would be engage in sessions of developmental activity which I believe is too costly because visiting him was just for his assessment and that deep inside I know that Jaiden is just really okay. Well, what a mother-instinct would have to be? Anyway, If I remember it correctly, I think he sort of said that we were right that he was just okay. On the other hand, he said that he would do the math scoring and assess further with the data he gathered from us and will email us the formal result of assessment supposedly tonight but right now I didn't receive it yet. Well, I will give him time until tomorrow afternoon and will email him if I still wouldn't receive any.
p/s the consultation was worth P2T, anything for our Jaiden then at least we have now a peace of mind, thank you Lord! =)
