Forum Index
»
Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities
Who should evaluate my son?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
I have a two and a half year old that needs some help. I don’t know where to get him evaluated first.
Concern #1 is that he is developmentally behind his peers – he isn’t really doing much imaginative/creative play with his toys, although if I initiate, he will participate for a few minutes. He is just starting to use sentences but still babbles and is hard to understand sometimes. Much of what he says is one word requests, and understands only simple requests and statements (are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Grandma is coming to see you! Etc.) . He doesn’t do puzzles or blocks and it seems like he doesn’t know what to do with his toys. His favorite thing to do right now is make his Little People house fly in the air (after seeing the movie “Up” a bunch of times). When I try to teach him things, he forgets quickly – colors we’ve gone over and over, even the names of easy animals. Concern #2 - He is very, very active, probably hyperactive, compared to his peers. He has very little attention span – he flits from one thing to another. He also is very, very defiant and willful. He tends to want to destroy or upend things or run away from me. Much of my parenting is damage control, so to speak. I should add that he is also quite charming and loves new people and experiences. We are often on a plane to visit family and he loves it. We live in Silver Spring, and he qualified for Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers program last year. He received a special ed teacher for speech from 18 months to 24 months – they rushed out after I told them he was not responding to his name at 18 months. Before meeting him they were concerned about autism, but he is extremely friendly. He was pronounced “graduated” from speech services at 24 months because he could put two words together. He also received OT and was diagnosed as a “sensory seeker,” but the services lasted only a couple months. For us, the professionals weren’t that helpful, and after reading these boards and Greenspan’s “The Child With Special Needs” I have learned far more than they taught me. We are just starting floor time and it seems helpful. I need a private evaluation for him. Where should I start and how do I coordinate all of this? Should I see a developmental pediatrician? A pediatric neurologist? A child psychologist? I am so new at this, and frankly really, really concerned about my son. Any advice you can give me would be really appreciated. |
Anonymous
| I think Chuck Conlon in MD might be helpful for you. |
Anonymous
|
I heard Dr. Conlon isn't taking new patients but he might be able to refer you to another neurodevelopmental pediatrician in your area. You might also think about participating in an NIMH research study. There's one going on for kids with ASD or developmental delays. We did it on the developmental delay side and it was an incredibly positive, informative experience. It's a multi-disciplinary team, it doesn't take long to get an appointment and it doesn't cost you anything. They've also been fantastic resources even after we left the study. While you're waitlisted for an evaluation with a developmental pediatrician, you can at least get some direction.
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00298246?order=1 |
Anonymous
| We had the similar issues and started with Dr. Conlon as well. However, after you see a developmental pediatrician, they are likely going to suggest that you get an OT and a speech/language evaluation so you may look into doing that while you wait to get into a developmental pediatrician. |
Anonymous
|
OP here - It looks like the research study link is for children with autism only. My son doesn't have that. Also the procedure looks very uncomfortable - overnight EEG in the hospital, MRI, lumbar puncture? Yikes!
I called and yes Dr. Conlon is not taking patients right now. I made an appt with both Kennedy Kreiger and with Dr. Scheiner at Children's (couldn't get in until July 21!). |
Anonymous
|
I would do two things simultaneously.
1) call Childrens or Johns Hopkins and get the next appt with a developmental pedicatrician. It can take 6-8 months. Call today, get an appt. 2) Calls Infants and Toddlers back and request an evaluation, tell them you were not happy with your last crew and you think there are real issues. I say call them because they will get you you within 2 months and you will have answers after 2 months. You will have more answers after you see the dev. pediatrician. My child is 2.5 and is in the middle of "transitioning to PEP" with MC. They have lots of tests they have giving him, PT, OT, Speech, special education and having someone evaluate him in his preschool setting. Ask for it all so you can get answers. |
Anonymous
A NP who also did the autism/developmental delay study. It's not just for autism and doesn't always require anything invasive. We didn't have to do anything like that and also had a very positive experience. |
Anonymous
| Dr Stixrud for neuropsych testing |
Anonymous
|
Why has your 2.5 year old watched a full-length movie a 'bunch' of times? Maybe you needed long breaks.
In any case, a steady diet of rapidly moving, fast edited colorful images is not the best brain food for a hyperactive, low-attention span preschooler. It pours fuel on the fire. Ditto for Leapster, nintendo DS and the like. If you haven't introduced these to him yet, don't. |
Anonymous
Last time I checked this was a supportive forum and I take offense to that. I am a terrific parent to my son. If you want to be shaming and condescending, go elsewhere. |
Anonymous
I agree. Comments and judgments like yours aren't welcome on this forum. |
Anonymous
|
But, the post is correct. It is useful advice. Cutting off your 2 year old son from lots of screen time is not mutually exclusive to getting a neuropsych consult or attempting to see Dr. Conlon. OP can do both.
If a poster said she was wondering whether to see a GI, or see an allergist, or just see her regular Ped because her 2 year old was nauseated a lot, constipated and complained of gut pain, and she also said her 2 year old eats bags of Skittles, fruit leather and Sunny Delite a lot ... wouldn't someone point out that those items could be worsening the problem? |
Anonymous
It's difficult to find the speck of useful advice when it's enveloped by judgmental drivel. The behavior OP describes is not a result of watching Up a bunch of times - as you imply. You're not offering assistance, you're issuing orders. The abrasiveness and obliviousness to how it comes across reminds me of Absolute Woman. |