K-I-D... spells... kid!

Joey's favorite toy this minute is a leapfrog phonics writing thing. We haven't been too worried about it up to now. He likes letters, it is comforting for him, and he's been learning to write letters, spell words, and make sounds. the words are the funniest. It has a setting where you can spell out three-letter words, and if it is a word, the toy tells you the word and praises you (K...I...D... spells... Kid! Great job!) When Joey, pressing random letters, discovers not only a word, but a word he knows, he just beams with delight. D-O-G! Dog! Wow!

The problem is that he is starting to perseverate on it. Instead of doing his work, he is echoing the toy. Instead of participating in class, he echoes the toy. Instead of interacting with the world around him, he echoes the toy.

Hence the seeking of a doctor yesterday. Is he uncomfortable, maybe sick? Is he using this toy to comfort himself because he is uncomfortable, unhappy, afraid? Is there something wrong at school? Are we doing something that is making him want t retreat into reciting, echoing, letters? With all the advances he has made, he still can't tell us. He thinks the question "Are you OK?" is, without fail, "I'm OK." Its a form... and increasingly boring one... not communication.

I meet with the school OT in the morning. I haven't much faith. This woman and I have personality clash issues in the first place, and now she's threatening my kid... and has actively worked to deny him service. I'm expecting the whole mess to either last five minutes, or drag on in hell until I have to extract myself to pick up Joey. I wish McDonald's sold beer.