CP AWARENESS: PSYCHOLOGY REPORT II

Here's the second Psychology Report a year later from yesterday's post.

Again I'll translate:

Age: 6 years 6 months

Seen: New Iberia Health Unit
          Iberia Parish Unit
         5-12-69


I saw Lisa in April of 68 at which time she attained a Stanford-Binet I.Q. of 71. Another test was wanted to see if she had changed significantly and what class she should be placed in, whether she should attempt the regular class or be in a retarded class.

Lisa impresses me as rather formal and matter of fact without great feeling. She talks rather vaguely and her articulation problems make it quite difficult to understand her.  She is still a fairly scared child.


On the WISC Lisa attained a verbal IQ of 72 and a Performance I.Q. of 65. These scores are in the Borderline and Mildly Retarded ranges. The highest score seems to be the more accurate measure of her academic or school ability.

There are signs from testing and otherwise that the mother tends to keep expecting too much and pushing this girl some. Again I told her that she couldn't help Lisa's ability by doing this but could harm it some. I encouraged her to let Lisa do as much as she could, however.

Actually, this girl needs a slow learner class but that's not available. I think it's probably better to let this girl belong to the regular class and spend a year or two in each grade, rather than being in class where they are much lower and much rowdier.  Also regular classes are near her home and family would not have to drive an hour a day to make arrangements. I cautioned the mother that Lisa probably would fail every year or so and to emphasize on grades significantly. I think it would be good if Mrs Hebert reinforced this from time to time.

______
I passed every year as an average student. I went onto becoming a nurse. So much for being a slow learner.

With many years of speech therapy during my Elementary years my speech has improved significantly although I have trouble with saying a word. I call those times as having a CP brain fart.

 Once you get to know me, you usually get used to my speech. However, strangers have trouble sometimes. MyHubby tells me most of the time they are not listening exactly to what I am saying.

Case in point: The other day I was on the phone. I was saying my address and our street name is difficult for people to spell: Courtableau…signs like Core-tah-blah. I spelled it. She comes back with C-o-r-t-o-b-l-u. How did she miss u, got "o" out of a and totally missed ea is beyond me because I was saying it fairly slow. So I had to repeat using words "C as in Cat", etc.

My mom is my hero. She could tell I could do a lot more than the Psychologist implied. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if there was a slow learner class available. I think my Mom would have fought tooth and nail.

The  tone of the psychologist and the way he used mentally retarded makes me cringe.

It's funny! I think I express myself with very strong feelings just fine. I think many will agree.

I think as a child I was shy and I knew I was "different". Being evaluated by doctors and psychologists was intimidating to a little tot. Kids sense many things and maybe I sensed something with this psychologist so I clammed up.

I also wondered how the test was performed because how could he give me a score when he could not understand what I am saying?

Of course with my bad speech problems at the time, very few people took the time to try to listen and understand me. So I probably thought why bother to talk.

I have friends and family members say they forget I have Cerebral Palsy in any way, shape or form.
I love to hear that.

Thank you for the warm comments and encouraging words.

CP AWARENESS: 1st PSYCHOLOGY REPORT

Years ago, I received my records from the Crippled Children's Clinic in the local health unit. It was like a child on Christmas. I have read my records so many times. I'll share bits and pieces I think is interesting.

Here is a Psychology report  a psychologist wrote on me after examining me for the first time.The print may be too small so I have transcribed it below.  My second visit with him a year later was more interesting. I'll post that one in the next few days and I guarantee this will make you think. Every time I read them I think if I could visit this psychologist now and tell him he was wrong would be so cool



Age: 5 Years 6 months (My birthday)
Seen: 4-10-68
New Iberia Health Unit

Lisa is a Cerebral Palsy child and was referred to determine if she should start in regular school. Lisa is quite small and I found her too quiet and uneasy. She smiled a little too strongly as though fearful. I noticed minor articulation problems and baby speech. At times it was extremely difficult to understand what she said.

On the Stanford-Binet Lisa attained a mental age of 4 years 1 month for an IQ of 71in the borderline range. This is on the border between Dull, Normal and Mildly retarded. This means that she is not actually retarded but in the slow learner category. It would be good for her to be in a slow learner class if possible or start school a year or two late if no such special class is available. She could be in a Educable Retarded class as long as it contains young children.

I think the mother has done a reasonably good job with Lisa and there seems to be strong affection between the two. The mother, however, is a little too strict and compulsive in her general work with Lisa.  I think if she could to "loosen up" a little and allow Lisa more freedom in small ways, this might make her feel safer.  It might be a good to see mother and child again for 45 minutes a visit or two from now when we can find more time. I don't think it's real urgent, and if Mrs Hebert can encourage Mrs. Landry to loosen up some with Lisa, this may handle the problem.

______



My mom was strict with both of her girls. Mom said he evaluated me for about an hour putting me in a room with blocks.  She was so upset that she went to my Pediatrician and insisted this doctor was wrong! My Pediatrican, Dr. Halphen told my mom she knew me better than anyone else and just do what she has been doing.

I don't ever remember my Mom restricting me in doing anything. I NEVER felt unsafe. Maybe I knew I was different and didn't understand why being a young child so it made me unsure. Maybe I was afraid of him, a stranger.

I started school a year late not because of being "slow and borderline" retarded but because I had surgery.