Developments

As each parent watches their child grow, they watch them among many other children their age. I know one shouldn't break the cardinal rule of, "Thou shalt not compare their children from their peers."' But at the same time, there is this part which keeps nagging you that something still doesn't seem right. You can't exactly put your finger on it, but while other children seem to master or not struggle with the same things your child is, you can't help but wonder.

After initially trying to get the process going for Eliza when she turned 18 months, I decided not to since everyone kept telling me she was "so close" to really talking. Yet, I still kept hearing it after each month passed after the next. This is when I decided to want to know for sure. Was I freaking out or overly concerned over nothing or something?

We had Early Intervention come out, and with a team from Children's Therapy Network, they came out to test Eliza on her development. To her, it seemed like lots of fun games. She struggled to have the therapist pull out a game for her to try and then have to have it put way so they could move along.

After all was said and done, they tallied up her scores and used a scale to see where she fell in numerous categories. To my surprise, they found her to be lacking in some gross motor skills. It was enough to put her in the below average side. This was even after they asked me if she had done any of these tasks with us at all or consistently. They addressed also her body awareness when it came to motor skills, hence why she seemed to always have this dare devil and clumsy tendencies. 

Her speech and cognitive processing fell at 66, where 95 was the low side of the average cut off. This was no surprise to me as I've found her better to communicate with body language than verbal.

We soon should start having physical and speech therapy twice a week starting soon. I am just glad we finally have some answers. But at the same time, I can't help but wonder if some of these issues are because of me? Have I not been a good enough parent trying to teach my little girl these things? Has my working interfered with having the chance to accomplish these things? I have always felt a sense of guilt when I am away from my kids, only to be spending the time working to create fun activities and games for the rest of the other kids in our town.