Help dealing with Birth to 3

March 31, 2011

is nearly 28 months old (on Sunday). We contacted Birth to 3 around

18m because he had no words and very limited sounds and had not not started

babbling, jargon, he was essentially silent most of the time (other than

crying or laughing). Our county has moved to a model of parent education

for speech, rather than direct therapy. They said he qualifies for services

and that it would be 1x a MONTH in home. After 6 months of this, he made

some progress, he did start babbling in that time. He also has a

significant sign vocabulary and a huge hunger to communicate. Our insurance

(United Healthcare HSA) specifically excludes speech therapy except in case

of recovery from an injury or birth defect. In January, I called the

semi-local university (50 minutes away) and got on the waiting list for

their graduate school clinic because they provide therapy at a greatly

reduced rate because it is a teaching clinic. They called in early February

and he has been going twice a week for about 2 months and the change is

HUGE. He is making tremendous progress, but still has a very very long way

to go. His sounds are still limited, but he is learning to use the ones he

has and is even saying a few words spontaneously. I have seen the proof of

the value of direct therapy for him and will continue it, but it is very

difficult to drive nearly an hour each way plus therapy time, while

homeschooling his sisters and occupy them while I am in therapy with him.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting Birth to Three to provide the

services he really needs, instead of the once a month parent education that

is helpful, but just not nearly enough? Are they required to provide

specific services under any circumstances, if so, what are they? They are

actually telling us that we should choose one or the other B-3 or outside

therapy because of potential insurance conflict or conflict of approaches.

Also, if we accept 1x/month with B-3 will that put us in a bad position to

request more from the school district when he turns 3 in December?

Thanks so much for any advice!

Ann

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