Shaylee had her hearing test two days ago, and it's as I have feared a little. It seems as if she may have hearing issues with her left ear. She has such small ear canal's and a lot of hair inside of them that hangs onto and collects ear wax. This combination creates horrible impactions inside her ears that not even the doctor can flush or pick out. That said, of course Josh and I are to never go digging in their ourselves. Because of the severity of the impaction in her left ear six months ago she had a raging ear infection behind that took us almost two weeks to have diagnosed. I fear this may have caused some permanent damage. Because of her age though, we will have to take her in in another year and have a more thorough examination done to see how badly her hearing may be on that side.
Now why were we concerned with her hearing? She hears us when we speak to her and responds. The problem is her speech. She has always been really quick developmentally. She crawled at 4 months (and 6 days to be exact) and walked in her first week of being 9 months old. She rolled one way by two weeks and both ways by 4. She is an incredibly strong little girl with a will that will trump all others. So when it came time for her to speak... it started really slow.
Doctors/ teachers/ friends/ everyone tells you to never compare your children against one another, or against another child in general. I agree with this, but when you see every 18 month old out speak your almost 2 year old... you begin to wonder and question. Now don't get me wrong, she speaks. She just has a hard time projecting back sounds to us. When we try to get her to repeat words back at us she does- but they aren't at all the words we say. She has a very strong "ow" vowel sound to all of her words that comes from the back of her throat. It sounds as if she can't hear her own self speak.
After her hearing screening the doctor said that because she hears out of one ear, her speech shouldn't be affected. So now we start speech therapy. Sometimes the child just needs training on how to create sounds correctly and I don't have the skills to do this alone. I've heard great things about speech therapy and I am very excited to get her started. Her regular doctor explained to me that her horrible explosive tantrums have a lot to do with her lack of communication frustration. It's obvious that she's cognitively there and knows what she wants to say, she just can't get the words out. So not only am I excited- I'm sure she will be too.
I do love my children. I absolutely adore them. I have given up some of my goals for now to be the best mother I can be for them. It isn't easy, and most of the time I want to tear my own hair out- but all in all it is the most amazing experience I have ever had. To be able to finally get some answers and help for my little girl relieves me. I know my children. I know when something isn't right, and it frustrates me when others try to console me by saying every child is different. Now that I know that the Spirit was whispering to me and it wasn't just my own insecurities gives me great joy and hope.
If ever you question anything about your children, take the initiative. We were granted the gifts of being mothers to these specific beings because there was something special with in each of us to give to these children. It is in our nature to have a mother's intuition- and I wish I had listened six months earlier.
After her hearing screening the doctor said that because she hears out of one ear, her speech shouldn't be affected. So now we start speech therapy. Sometimes the child just needs training on how to create sounds correctly and I don't have the skills to do this alone. I've heard great things about speech therapy and I am very excited to get her started. Her regular doctor explained to me that her horrible explosive tantrums have a lot to do with her lack of communication frustration. It's obvious that she's cognitively there and knows what she wants to say, she just can't get the words out. So not only am I excited- I'm sure she will be too.
I do love my children. I absolutely adore them. I have given up some of my goals for now to be the best mother I can be for them. It isn't easy, and most of the time I want to tear my own hair out- but all in all it is the most amazing experience I have ever had. To be able to finally get some answers and help for my little girl relieves me. I know my children. I know when something isn't right, and it frustrates me when others try to console me by saying every child is different. Now that I know that the Spirit was whispering to me and it wasn't just my own insecurities gives me great joy and hope.
If ever you question anything about your children, take the initiative. We were granted the gifts of being mothers to these specific beings because there was something special with in each of us to give to these children. It is in our nature to have a mother's intuition- and I wish I had listened six months earlier.
Mommy's proud of you Shaylee... and mommy is proud of you too Aiden. :) You both fulfill me in ways I would never know without you two by my side. I look forward to the day we all get to meet your little brother or sister... because then our family will be complete. :)
Love mommy...
