Our Journey Part 2

Obtaining Services Before Diagnosis

After visiting the pediatrician and starting the process to get Dregon seen by a specialist for Autism; she recommended getting him into speech and occupational therapy. She referred us to Easter Seals. The doctor explained they would be calling us to arrange an evaluation appointment and then decide from there what services he would need.

The evaluation appointment went fine and they expressed Dregon needed speech and occupational therapy. The appointments were set, one day a week for 30 minutes. We went every Tuesday for speech and every Friday for occupational.

I feel really bad about bad mouthing an institution but, they were awful. I am not saying all Easter Seals are this way. The one we took Dregon to was. We were there a total of 6 months and he spoke one additional word and not consistently.

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The speech therapist, who had a Master's Degree in speech therapy, I believe; all she did for six months was blow bubbles at him and say pop Dregon, pop. Then she would wind up little animal toys. You know the ones that walk or hop on their own; after you wind them up and make their individual sounds. She talked more to me, then to Dregon.

I know what her children do for a living. I know how much sleep she demanded when they were little. She required 8 hours sleep and she would put her children to bed in her bed; to ensure they did not wake her. Her husband would carry them to their own beds when he came home from work or when he went to bed. Her son lives in California and her daughter lives in Pennsylvania. They visit them twice a year. The son in California they drive to see, so they can have adventures on the drive. I can go into those adventures if you would like, I would prefer not. I can go on and on. I took my daughter with us one day to see if she thought something was up and she said; "Mom isn't she suppose to talk to Dregon more than us?" I agreed.

There was also never any instruction on what we could do at home to encourage speech. There was never any feedback, just see you next week.

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The speech therapist also never wore any shoes, ever. She would walk around the halls, rooms, and conduct speech therapy, without any shoes. I just thought that was a little unprofessional. There has to be a pair of shoes that are comfortable enough to keep on? Am I the only one that thinks that is a little weird and unprofessional?

This was a part-time job for her. She worked to just pay for vacations to see her kids. To me, in my own opinion, she was not there to help; but for the paycheck.

Occupational therapy was on Friday's and let's just say we only lasted three sessions. The woman who was providing services was around 23; not that disqualifies her. The first session; she wanted Dregon to take beans out of a tub, by scooping them in his hand; then place them in another bucket. He just crab two fists full and put them in the bucket. She showed him again and he repeated it his way. She got very frustrated and stated very sternly; "No do it like this." She showed him again. Then she told him; "Look at me, you are never going to write if you don't scoop." Well he did not scoop and he writes just fine.

The next session she takes him into a room with LED string lights hanging everywhere, soft pillows, blankets, and a bubble machine that you press the button and it keeps making bubbles. Dregon LOVES all of that stuff. She takes him in and he is in heaven. I'm thinking ok, she is going to teach through fun. This is going to be better then last time, ummm nope. She sits him down with a box filled with LED string lights and little letter block. She wants him to dig the letters out and stack them. WHAT???? You put him in a room he has never seen, forbid him to touch or play with any of it, try and get him to sit and do this stupid task? You could have had him do it at a table in a plain room? Are you stupid or cruel?

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I am asking her this, in a much more polite way. Her answer was; "He has to learn to ignore stimuli and complete the task asked. This will be required in school." My answer; "He is 3! I believe we have time." We left and asked @erodedthoughts to go the next time. I have a tendency to be very protective of Dregon and I wanted a second opinion. I also did a ton of research and it did not seem like this was a correct method; but mind you we did not have a firm diagnosis yet. @erodedthoughts went the following week and let's just say he cancelled all occupational therapy appointments and called her words I am sure you can imagine.

The following day I made an appointment with the pediatrician to see if this treatment was normal and what we should expect. She said;" yes, this is not a short term event. Treatment at Easter Seals takes years and years; Dregon will be there probably until high school." She did say the occupational therapist was wrong in taking him in that awesome sensory room and then asking him to complete the task. She also stated that her temper, gestures, and verbal correction of him was incorrect, harsh, and cruel. She called Easter Seals in my presence and spoke to the director and stated mine and her concerns and she said she would investigate and contact us back. I decided on the way home to leave Easter Seals and look for someone new. This led us to Ms. Sommer :)

I also never received a phone call back, a meeting to discuss what the director found, or an apology. Nothing! We were there for 2 more weeks before I moved him.

In my next post I will tell you about Ms. Sommer and how good it is to find the right specialist. Thank you for reading :) If you have any questions, advice, or a story you would like to share, please do in the comments below. I would love to hear :)