No Brain Scan for You!

Say you have a cute four-year-old girl whose older brother has a few developmental issues.

Say you have become a sucker for researchers who want to run tests on your little girl, as long as those tests are free, and do not involve injecting radioactive materials into her veins because even though that's how you paid for your second trip to West Africa while you were in college*, you haven't entirely worked through your feelings about irradiating children. As long as those tests are part of developmental evaluations that will reassure you that your tiny monkey is fine, just fine.

Say you've hit the jackpot: a study that provides not only a small stipend, but also thousands of dollars' worth of free developmental evaluations -- including an MRI and genetic screening.

The researchers are excited, they think your daughter might be perfect for their needs. Then they tell you what the study is about: Reading acquisition/pre-readers. And this is your daughter:



This is the same kid whose preschool teacher told me, during today's parent/teacher conference, that they'd had to break out new reading learning books for my girl, because she'd already blasted through all the levels they have at her school. (A school which includes kindergarten).

What do you do?

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I have a few scruples, so I sent the study coordinator a link to the above video. She told me that, alas, since Mali can already read, we no longer qualify for the study.

I would be a ball of conflicted but amused irritation if she hadn't already pointed us towards a different researcher and a different study.

*Oh my god this must be why Leo is autistic!

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Clarification: I am much more amused than irritated. I am used to being told that Leo doesn't qualify for such-and-such; it didn't occur to me that Mali might be disqualified for very different reasons.

Please know that I am helping the original researcher find Mali substitutes who are at a different point on the reading learning curve.

Did You Know?

That it only takes 60 seconds to switch pediatricians? On our insurance plan, anyhow -- once you've machete'd your way through fifteen minutes of their almost impenetrable phone system. As of May 1, my kids will be Dr. M's patients, not Dr. G's. I am still very sad about leaving Dr. G's office, as they've fought so hard for so many of Leelo's treatments for us, but am very excited about Dr. M's attitude.

That Jo's Eliz gets weepy at the end of sad movies? She doesn't want to admit that she gets so deeply moved by fare like B1ack Beauty, though, and will tell you that she has something caught in her eye.

That Ep's Clyde is one of the most competent people on the planet? He is nice about it, too, even when his efforts make it obvious that you are a nitwit (Fuses? those cylindrical glass tubes are called fuses? And they live inside my irrigation timer and occasionally go out?). Yesterday he was willing to work for scones and tea, but we will make sure to provide him with a meat dinner soon (Ep is a vegetarian).

That trying to be Leelo's aide at preschool while carrying Mali in a bjorn is not a great idea? Oh well, it was worth the effort. We've at least two good candidates to replace Therapist F/Therapist C, and should have one in place by Monday 5/2.

That Leelo is really starting to dig his auditory integration headphones, and is starting to as OT Therapist M to put them on? And then he is calm and they have a great session? I didn't realize that some of the enhanced CDs have vocal tracks--this explains his sudden ability to sing songs like "Bicycle Built for Two" without his previous segue into fudged lyrics after the first two words.

That it takes hours and hours and hours to get together a good package of materials to send to an architect? Wish lists and annotated photos and site maps and parcel maps and examples of the styles we like...sheesh. Two separate packages (one flat, one tubular, dude) are going out today. I will post the very amusing wish list later when I am on the computer where the file resides.

That if your daughter is sitting in the back row of the minivan and drops a carton of milk under the seat in front of her and it spills under said seat, you won't know about it until your van smells like the barn on a poorly-maintained dairy farm? We need find ways to encourage Iz to better mind hygiene and cleanliness. She is an unrepentant slob.

That The Hole makes really good butternut squash soup-in-a-box? I am getting over my hangups about having to either make dinner from scratch or get takeout. There is a middle ground, and one of the stops includes said soup heated up with chives tossed into it, grubby whole grain bread for dipping in it, and roasted potato salad that takes only five minutes to assemble to serve on the side.

That Mali is not always a perfect baby? No indeed. She has been up all night for the last two nights, eating eating eating. It may be time for solids. I'll give it another two nights, as it may only be a milk supply-building effort in anticipation of a growth spurt.

That my parents and Uncle Adolph/Auntie Marta are visiting tonight and tomorrow night, that I have my Iron Gate article due tomorrow, and probably some other things too? Yikes. Thankfully one of the Iron Gate moms has taken me on as a charity case and is bringing dinner by tonight (a delayed offer from when Mali was ill).

That I do think of other things to write besides long lists of practical and journal-type particulars, but never get the time to do it? Truly.

Think good thoughts for Jo Spanglemonkey, she is moving today. Ack.