Behind

Okay, here's the deal:  kids in foster care are at a greater risk for developmental delays than children in the general population.  This spans the gambit from drug exposure to neglect.   (http://www.howkidsdevelop.com/fcCommon.html)

In the case of the boys, this was very apparent.  Though he was a babbler at three months, Baby O had language delays.  At nine months, when he came to us again, he wasn't even crawling.  

W had fine gross and fine motor skills, but his social, emotional, speech and language development was definitely affected.  He spoke like an 18-month old, using "me" instead of I and other baby talk.  It was sad to see, actually.

During the one visit she had with them, I asked the grandmother why W's speech was so delayed.  She answered matter-of-factly, "your speech would be delayed too if no one ever talked to you."  

This made me incredibly sad.  

And confused.  

I mean, even if his mother was the worst mother in the world and never talked to him, he had been in foster care for two years.  Hadn't his foster parents talked to him?  Hadn't they noticed his delays?

I put both boys on lists for early intervention like Bram got in hopes of getting them some in-home therapy, but the waiting list was too long and we never got called.