Wanting for more

I finally had my meeting with Max's coordinator at the Regional center today. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I got. I already knew that he had been approved for PT 1 x/week and OT 2/week, but wanted to know why. The coordinator didn't get into that and I assumed it was in the assessment reports, but it really wasn't. She just asked me a bunch of questions she had already asked me twice over the phone and I filled out on the original application. And, she reviewed a few forms, which I signed. And, she told me she was able to line up the PT for in house service and we talked about the two out of house providers for OT I'm looking into and her deadline for funding (1/8, she thinks for a 1/16 start, but she doesn't have the new calendar yet).

She asked me several questions about father in the house, father in the picture, father had any history of development delays in his family, what was my madden name, things like that. I found it kind of irritating actually and I did (and think I have in the past) told her that Max did not have a father and was conceived with donor sperm.

I had also asked by phone and email for a full copy of Max's file including the records I authorized from the hospital and his pediatricians office and had asked that she just let me know if I needed to pay for the copying or anything. Not only didn't she bring them, she tried to tell me I couldn't have them. I nicely told her about HIPPA and that they were my medical files and I could have access. And, yes, I could get them directly, but I wanted to see what they provided the Regional center, not what they would provide me directly.

The earliest services can start are 1/16 due to funding cut off's. And, services through the regional center are only until age 3 when LAUSD services would kick in. However, they start doing turnover to LAUSD 6 months prior so I should expect to have a meeting in February at the Regional center itself, probably not even a month after services started.

Now, since there seems to be nothing major in the reports (but, I'll have Max's teachers review to see if I'm missing something) and any delays seem to be very minor, he may not even need services next year, but there will be know way to know, so I'll have to get that set up just in case.

Anyway, I guess I was just expecting some real answers to what exactly they expected and was missing that caused them to recommend services. Now, maybe that is there and I'm missing it. And, it was interesting to see in writing interpretations of what I said not being exactly correct. For example, one report said I went on bed rest with Max at 34 weeks for 2 weeks due to my cervix being dilated to 4 cm which was interpreted as preterm labor. And, just plain wrong facts such as saying Max lived at home with both his patents (which I never said). There were many more errors in the report from the full development assessment than the speech assessment. I found this mildly irritating and it made me wonder if they can't get that part right, what about the rest of it, but figure the actual assessment part is the core of their job and presumably they are better at that than interviewing the parent.

Anyway, the whole thing went fine, but it seems to me a lot of paperwork that doesn't say much and what it does say wasn't completely accurate. Just left me still wanting more and saying...whatever, maybe the more will actually come when Max is working with the therapists and I'll get the more directly from them.

ETA: In re-reading the Development Assessment, maybe the answer lies in these statements, which I don't really understand.

Muscle Tone: muscle tone is slightly decreased throughout, with mild hypotonia noted in his trunk and all extremities. He does present with increased tone in his gastroc soleus, bilaterally, greater on left.

The last page of the summary/recommendation says "Because of Max's mild development delays, the following services are recommended: 1) OT 2 x week 2) PT x week.