Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Study Ends; A Grateful Goodbye

[continued from part 3]

The intervention portion of the KidTalk study wrapped up at the end of August, and it was with great sadness that we said goodbye to Megan. What a blessing she has been to our family!


We had a little “graduation” a couple of weeks ago, and the before and after video clips Megan showed us were amazing. What progress Elijah has made in just a few months! I can hardly believe it when I think back to what he was like in April/May. I am to continue using the strategies I learned, and Elijah (and I) will be evaluated again in six months and then six months after that.

What's also exciting is the possible implications of this study and our participation for kids all over the country. Megan and her colleagues have already been invited to train Early Intervention personnel in other states. Apparently this study is a Really Big Deal in large part because of who's running it. Vanderbilt is the best in the nation for special education, and the principal investigator (Megan's boss) is Dr. Ann Kaiser, who's at the top of her field. So her findings through KidTalk could affect EI and special education nationwide.

And the timing of all this could not have been better. Steve and I didn't originally plan to have a three-year gap between our kids; we imagined them closer together. But how glad I am now that God orchestrated it this way! I never could have done this intensive intervention with a new baby. Instead, we were able to really focus on Elijah and get him the help he needed before his little sibling arrives—and the intervention ended just in time for us to prepare for the new baby's arrival.

So that's the story of our summer: a new friend for our family, new words for Elijah, new skills for me, and fresh evidence of God's sovereign, gracious care.

[previously in this series:]
part 1: Elijah's Growth and God's Gracious Care
part 2: Growth for Elijah *and* for Mama
part 3: Elijah's Skills Take Off

2 comments:

Zoanna said...

I'm so encouraged by this post. What a treasure you were given.

For additional reassurance, my younger sister did not really speak intelligibly until kindergarten. But when she was an adult, she wrote and published a 500-page book. So I am in faith for your Elijah that he will grow to become an author with a gift for language and be able to testify of the good work the LORD did thru his parents and therapists.

Lauren Parker said...

Amy,
I'm looking at job shadowing one of the ladies who works with Early Intervention. Who worked with y'all and where did you go?