Odd comments from doctors, what do you think?

[bigcar]

I took dd3 for her appointment with the developmental paed 2 weeks ago. The paed said she hadn't made much progress in the last 9 months, much as we thought so that was hardly a surprise. But then at the end as we were about to leave she said, when dd3 walked in I was wondering why I was going to be doing this check, the way she presents doesn't match up with the results. So I thought, ok it's the special needs radar thing but surely she should have kept her thoughts to herself.

Last week we were up at the eye unit for dd3s regular check, nothing much has changed so we were pleased with that. Then the doctor asked how her development was going (not one she usually asks), so I said as dd3 gets older, the gap is getting bigger. The doctor then said, dd3s notes say she has severe development delay, I don't agree with that, and she put a big line through that on her notes.

So I'm wondering, are they both being a little unprofessional or have they been adding something to the tea in the hospital canteen?!

lol at the eye doc doing a developmental check
no idea what dd3 issues are - didn't want to do the mad stalker thing and search your posts, but my dd2 has an alternating converging squint (with one eye going up as well as in, for fun) - our first eye doc categorically told me it wasn't related to her developmental delays, and any kid can end up with a squint (agreed), and she should have squint surgery before school for cosmetic reasons to stop her getting teased.
more recently, with a confirmed (and by this point long-standing)dx of cp, our newest eye doc has confirmed that, of course, the eye thing is indeed related to all the other areas of motor control she struggles with, and so squint surgery would be utterly pointless.
my point being sometimes differetn levels of developmental delay, and different types, can alter the way you are treated by different profs and can change your treatment plan. interestingly, your docs have opposite ideas, which in our scenario would work for the best - all the therapy help from the paed, and treatment as an NT child from the eye doc...
they all make me laugh really - but the eye doc making a developmental assessment as part of an eye check will make me smile all day long... numpty.

Thanks fio, I think I might be a little over sensitive at the moment, the lea have just agreed to a statement for dd3 so we are trying to organise all that side of things. At least with that report we should get a reasonable level of support for her, here's hoping anyway!

Romy, dd3s eye problems are part of a genetic syndrome (hypomelanosis of ito) which the eye doc is well aware of, but maybe not the extent to which it affects her. Hadn't thought of it that way, thanks

Note to self, must stop worrying and smile!

I wonder if it is the statement reports the specialists are asked to fill in that caused the odd comments! Like making mental notes to themselves to remember to fill them in! Well I talk to myself all the time !!

I got an eye doc - the opthamolgist in fact - offering me a genetics counselling service when dd went for test last year. I was about 8 months gone and she took it upon herself to explain the hereditary nature of dds chromo disorder and how my pregnancy was at risk

Must be an eye doc thing then!

Let's hope it is just about the statementing, trying to sort out what dd3 is going to need is proving fun already, but that's a whole other story!

when we did our statement, the hospital sent an eye report from 18 months before (presumably the first one they came to as they couldn't be bothered trawling through the files... it still sits proudly as an annex to her statement, despite the fact that the strength of her glasses had been increased five times in the intervening period. i just can't be bothered to point it out, really
always err on the side of caution, bigcar - ask for everything you can conceivably think of, and some of it might filter through...

That's the thing romy, actually knowing what you can ask for, or what is available. Nobody gives you a list of services that are available, you get a list of schools, but not services

We had conflicting opinions from the Occupational Therapist and paediatrician back last year. We were going throught the long process of statementing and all the reports needed for the board. The occupational therapist was very concerned for C and said he was very delayed, being nearly 5 and only hitting mile stones of a 2 year old!!!!

Then went to see paediatrician and he said the same. Then the strange thing is when i got the report from the paediatrician it stated the complete opposite. It sounded like a completly different child saying he was independant for all his self care needs and was able to dress and feed himself which of course is not true. I questioned the report as it would have hindered Cs statmenting and he was sure he was writing about C and not getting mixed up with some other child!!! I was that cross that i even invited him round to see a day in the life of me and C!!! The occupational therapist had to write a conflicting report and so did i so that the paediatricians report was not taken into account. Dont know what planet the paediatrician was on that day!!!

i always tell them exactly what dd2 needs - they don't need to supply me with a shopping list of support to pick from - she's an individual ... forget what x and y get, or whether z is available, just write out your own list of everything that will be needed for dd3 to access her education and achieve to the best of her ability and then get writing your parental contribution. ours had pictures btw, as i felt that reminded them that dd2 was an individual, rather than another half an hour of paperwork on thursday afternoon...
i tell them what she needs, the therapists tell them what she needs, and if it doesn't ping out that way in the draft statement then the little chat takes place and the negotiations begin... good luck xx

According to the last couple of paeds we have seen, they just send a copy of their last clinic letter for statementing, no "new" reports so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises waiting! But as you are obviously all aware, they are often inaccurate and it's damn near impossible to get the letters changed!

I really need to get myself organised and start writting a list, I'm also doing the renewal forms forms for dd3s dla. We know how to live in this house

I feel for you, all these forms are always due in at the same time arnt they and they take soooooooo long. the dla forms are so repetitive its ashame that there isnt a box to say yeap everythings the same as the last forms i completed and nothings changed. i didnt know about dla until c was 4 so i had to fill out the forms then and then again when he was 5 as its a new claim when they hit 5!!!!
Good luck