[quote author="SoCal78" date=1247111516]new_to_irvine:
I am going through this situation currently with my 3 yr old son. I have learned that if they are under three, they are eligible for free therapy at state-funded, county regional centers. If they are over three, it is provided for free through the school district, as tmare pointed out. I will just tell you my experience so far. I first contacted the IUSD Early Childhood Learning Center (upon advice from a friend who is a speech pathologist at a different school district.) The put me in touch with somebody at our school of residency. This person was difficult to get ahold of.... would never answer the phone. The receptionist told me there is a wait of like six weeks to be seen for an evaluation. I learned from my friend that by law they must get you in within 15 days (I believe.) This is Step 1 to getting into the system. I learned they are busy department and after evaluation it is another period of waiting before getting therapy -- which is group therapy, not private. I decided to investigate another route as I wanted to try private therapy first and hopefully expedite everything. (The cost is not a concern because we have a PPO.) I contacted CHOC Hospital and received an evaluation there. We just did that last week. However... being a hospital... they must triage their patients and those with the most pressing needs go first. I don't know about your child, but mine does not have a more serious condition such as Downs, CP, etc... so we are looking at a 3-6 month wait for therapy. No matter which way you go - you won't know if you need to see a child psychologist, though, until after you have an evaluation with a speech pathologist and then they can make that recommendation if need be or they will first refer you for a developmental evaluation before determining if you need a psychologist. At CHOC they told us there are number of outside therapy services they could refer us to but they also have long waits. It's just a long wait wherever you go, it seems. It is too bad. In the meantime, I am just doing as much as I can at home because I'm not going to wait idly by. (I look for info online, parenting boards, and also the pathologist is sending us some more info.)
Good luck and let me know if I can be of any help.</blockquote>
Thank you for sharing your story.
May I aks for a referral to the specialists you saw and liked? My biggest problem to find a right specialist who knows what they are doing. I have a feeling that we need a psychologist, not speach pathalogist. My daughter has been talking since 18 months and is fully verbal at home and with her friends, albeit in Russian. She is very shy and self-conscious when it comes to speaking English and it looks that she is fully aware that her English is not the same as of her peers and she prefers to stay quiet. At first I thought it will pass and she will learn it quickly like most of the kids do. It did not happen and it's been 7 months since she is not talking in school. There is a condition called selective mutism when the child experiences some form of anxiety in certain situations and that blocks their speach. It's easily treated in the early stages, but gets more difficult later on.
On the other hand, there is a chance that a good, patient speach therapist who will work with her will help her learn English faster and concure her fear of it. I wihs I could help her but it jsut does not work this way.
