What it's like at Weiskopf...

Just over a year ago, on the advice of my pediatrician, I took my youngest child to the Weiskopf Child Evaluation Center in Louisville. I did some research prior to our visit, so I would understand more what to expect. I was nervous, you see, because my child was having some speech delays. Well, I was surprised to find that there was NOTHING on the internet about the place. I know NOW that I can google the STAR Program and get all kinds of information, but I had no idea any such program existed until they gave me their pamphlets.

Let me tell you the whole story, in hopes that if you are like I was, you'll find some useful information. My child had his third birthday and was not using words anywhere near his age level. My pediatrician had us put on the waiting list for the WCEC. A few days later, we received a packet of forms to fill out in advance of our future appointment. Most of the forms, as in most doctor's offices, were completely redundant.

About three weeks after sending the forms back, we received a phone call from a clerk at the WCEC, who basically asked me the same questions I answered on the forms. She told me that they would call me when an appointment came open. Fine.

About four months later (be aware that your wait can be as long as SIX months), we had a phone call from a receptionist there informing me of an appointment that had come open about a week later. It was for 8:30 in the morning. My child usually doesn't wake up before 9:00 and I would have to wake him up before 7:00 to get there on time. I asked if I could wait for another date so that we could have an afternoon appointment, and I was curtly informed that "they do not HAVE afternoon appointments at WCEC, EVER".

So I tool the appointment. In the mean time, I had a call in to the billing office at WCEC to help me find out just what is covered by my insurance for them. I couldn't get an answer. I had no idea if my insurance would cover any of it. I called my insurance and they said it depended on how the doctors coded the bills. I talked to no less than three people in the billing office and finally spoke with a "supervisor" who was down right rude to me. I never did get an answer on that question.

The day of the appointment came and I woke my son at the crack of dawn, with crying and all the works. After I navigated the roads downtown, and FINALLY found a place to park in the Kosair garage, I went in for our appointment. At the front desk, I gave my co-pay and the receptionist called the first doctor we were to see to let her know I was there. I took my son to the waiting room. And waited. And waited. And waited for 45 minutes.

Now, let me tell you all about this waiting room in an office where ALL of the patients are CHILDREN. It's all fancily decorated, no kid stuff to be seen. There is a little glassed in room for the kids to play in, but there was really nothing to play with. There was a toy garage with no cars. There was a doll house with NOTHING in it. There were two little, cheap plastic trucks from Dollar Tree (way too big for the garage). And there was a rickety little table with the beads on it. One leg was about to fall off. And all of it was FILTHY. In a DOCTOR'S office. Hmmm....
Not to mention, there was a sign that read "Do not leave children unattended". Understandable, but where was a parent supposed to sit in this room? The floor?

We're finally called back and we have our evals with a Speech Language Pathologist, a Developmental Pediatrician and a Psychologist. The first two were great. The Psychologist, not so much. She had bedside manner like a mosquito. After we sat with her (less than ten minutes, how can she make an evaluation in TEN minutes?), she told me, and I quote, to "toddle on off to the waiting room and we'll be with you with the results in a few moments."

I'm thinking "Great! It's just about time for lunch, and my baby is hungry. We'll be out of here shortly". Right. We waited. And waited. And waited. And the rest of the parents disappeared one by one. And still we waited. Come to find out, all the other parents and kids had gone to lunch. They were told to go get something to eat and be back in an hour. Why wasn't I told that? And I should mention that there are signs all over that place that read "Absolutely NO food or drink". Smart for a place where you're expected to spend several hours of a morning with a small child.

I have to wonder if I was poorly treated because I was alone and did not have an entourage like the other parents. Or was it because I wasn't dressed to the nines? I was in capris and a polo shirt. I wanted to be comfortable if I was going to be sitting around an office for 4-6 hours. Did they assume that because I'm a housewife I'm automatically STUPID? Not worthy of respect? I've got news...I'm just as qualified to do the job their "psychologist" did for me. I have the same degree. Housewives are not morons!

So after waiting an hour and a half, we got our results. And I won't go into that in this post, but the whole report business was about pushing their STAR Program, which I avoid like the plague. They recommended pre-school (fine, I planned on that anyway) and speech therapy. Fine. They told me I'd have my copy of my report in a week. They didn't tell me HOW to go about getting my child into programs that would help him. They just pushed me a pamphlet on THEIR program.

It took SEVEN AND ONE HALF MONTHS to get my report from them. In the mean time, the school board won't talk to me about preschool without that paper. I can't even get him into speech therapy without that paper. Was this because I didn't immediately enroll him in THEIR program? I have to wonder.

Since having my appointment with WCEC, I have gotten my son into therapy at a wonderful place! And I have spoken with no less than SIX other parents who had similar experiences at WCEC. Two of those parents had children falsely diagnosed. Hmmm....

Anyway, I hope this post will help at least one person to know what to expect when they go to Weiskopf. It will all be worth it if I can help one person avoid setting foot in that place.