Improving Expressive Language, One Word at a Time

When Zane turned three, I thought that was it for speech services. The ECI(Early Childhood Intervention) program that had been working with him was supposed to stop the day he turned three, and Zane was a DNQ(does not qualify) for special education. I had resigned myself to being the Universal Translator for my son.

However, the ECI speech therapist seems to be continuing to see him at daycare. We've found two progress notes in his cubby when we went to pick him up, and they are certainly speech progress notes. So I'm torn. Do I call the ECI group and let them know about it? I don't think that any law is being broken, so my first instinct is "no harm, no foul". Meaning that it is not hurting Zane to have extra therapy, and he is deriving "educational benefit" from the service. Zane is obviously getting better at speaking. A short time ago, he brought me his red truck, which was in two pieces.

"Did you break your truck, Zane?" I asked as I took the pieces from him and started trying to put them back together.

"Yes. I. Did," he enunciated perfectly. For the first time I actually understood each word my son said to me. I was very excited at this "Rain in Spain" moment. Zane might make it, after all. *relief*

Oh, and apparently it is National School Psychologist week. Most people have no clue what a school psychologist does. Or if they even exist, and are myths perpetuated by grumpy diagnosticians. Since I am a school psychologist, I am going to appreciate myself a bit this week in celebration. Like eating a few extra chocolates...or a snickerdoodle cupcake from the Gruene Flour Cupcakery, which is simply awesome in a way the tongue just can't describe.

Anyway, the point of all this about school psychologists? Find out who they are and what they do at your child's school! And maybe bring them a cupcake to show that you appreciate them. We never hear that we are appreciated!