Delayed Development - does private care help?

[IndiaBound]

Hi,

Looking for experiences and advice really - so Mumsnet is the place even for a dad!

Our 16 mo daughter was born 2 mo premature and has always been behind with development. She also has hypermobility which means she tires and has to try much harder to do certain things. Also (number 2) she was severely long-sighted and had a squint - these have been sorted over the last few months.

She is definitely developing - a few months ago she couldn't really sit and now she is crawling at a pace that keeps up with me walking.

However, she is not standing at all, doesn't really speak apart from "dada" and the odd "no", can pick up a spoon but tends to put the wrong end in her mouth, can drink a sippy cup to her mouth but often spills more than she drinks, etc.

So, she is delayed in gross and fine motor skills, as well as cognitively.

We were being seen by a paed, PT and OT in our old area but moved a few months ago and have just got a date for the new paed (who is the gateway we are told to Berkshire's other services) for the end of October!!

This is heartbreaking to us as we can see the development and just wonder if some PT/OT/SALT advice and assistance would see the development continue and even, hopefully, accelerate.

Does anyone have any experience with going private (we don't have a lot of money but would make sacrifices if it helps), or how to access services without the need to wait for the paed meeting (and I can see it being months after that for waiting lists)?

Any other suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Graham

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

She doesn't sound that delayed but can understand why you are feeling like this. Have you tried posting in the SN section?