I was so determined to keep this blog going and up to date....oops!
We have had a busy busy month.
We took a 10 day trip to FL, continued working with the case worker and ST for Brady, managed play dates with pre-school and other errands of necessity, dealt with a few illnesses and recently toured a farm with Llamas and Great Pyrenees rescue dogs. It has been a full month.
Josey graduates from pre-school on Thursday the 27th. From what I understand there will be graduate caps and tassels....and probably tears. I am not sad so much that she is graduating but amazed to see her growing before my very eyes. She is such a sweet thoughtful girl who can also be headstrong and difficult. I love her fierce independence, or try to anyway since I hope it will serve her well as she gets older and has to be strong enough to maintain her values despite peer pressure. I know I may sound a little silly but we all know that happens way earlier these days...She starts Kindergarten in the fall and she is thrilled. She is still the craftiest little thing and almost always makes stuff for friends and family before herself. I love that about her.
Lucey is growing into a little bit of an attitude. She is a middle child through and through. She works to make sure that she gets attention and is heard. Trust me on that one...she IS heard. *wink wink* She loves animals, as do the other kiddos, and when we toured the farm last week she was excited to see the goats, llamas and dogs. If I could have bottled her giggle and squeals of delight while she played with them I would have. She is a joy, when she wants to be. Fits are her latest "thing" and they never cease to frustrate me. She is loud I tell ya....L-O-U-D!
Brady is coming along in leaps and bounds. He is picking up new words here and there. I think that the GF/CF diet is helping him quite a bit, seems to anyway. We are meeting with an OT next week to discuss some sensory issues he seems to have, we'll see how that goes. He was right in there with the girls feeding the goats last week. Petting the llamas and chasing cats. He enjoys being outside and is in love with a tractor I bought at a garage sale a year or so ago. Too bad it does not currently run....we are looking for a new battery for it. Otherwise he enjoys riding the bajillion other toys we have. He likes to water the plants too.
Here is a list of words for him currently. I will copy and paste his old list and use an asterisk(*) to note new words. Parentheses( ) indicate how he actually says the word. I am not sure that this is terribly important except that some words are much more clear these days so I think I like these phonetic notes to compare to later. Also of note is that some of these words are used and noted during ST or work with the CW but not necessarily used on a day to day basis.
mom
daddy
sissy
no
uppy (ut-ee)
shoes (sooes)
fish (feesh)
drink
night (nigh)
bye (die)
baby
eat
cheese(he does not use this one anymore since he does not get cheese)
more(he is trying so hard to enunciate this word anymore. it is precious)
please (pease)
cookie* (oo-kie)
butt*
moon* (oon)
bubble*
apple*
car* (ar)
me* ( while pointing to his chest. it is adorable!)
Oscar* (us-ar) This is our dog's name.
boat*
pillow* (i-ow) Basically pillow without the "p" and the "ll". He is extremely attached to a pillow.
banana* (na-a)
uh-oh*
bug* (ug)
sit* (zit)
I think that is it. I am pretty sure. His speech is still pretty limited. He is trying. We will look at his progress again in August and then October and decide what more the AEA can do with/for him at that time. The two basic choices will be either speech groups, which meet 3 times a month for about half an hour, or 3yo pre-school which would meet Mon-Thurs for 3 hours daily. We go to the University of Iowa on June 8 for his evaluation with the CDD down there. Until then we are still working weekly with the case worker or ST on alternating weeks. He is a very affectionate little guy when he wants to be too. Every night before going to bed he tells us all "nigh" and gives hugs.
That has us all caught up I am pretty sure. Later I will upload some pictures to share with you all of our vacation and the farm tour.
Showing posts with label early intervention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label early intervention. Show all posts
May 25, 2010
March 10, 2010
the game plan
So we are going to wait to get Brady evaluated. The EI people will need to look at his progress come June so we will go ahead and schedule testing at the University for that time frame just in case we still need to have him looked at.
For the next month we have appts. scheduled once a week to work with him. Case worker and SLP trading weeks. Tomorrow is the case worker, L. I will be glad to see her and again get some more tips and ideas for working with him.
He was trying to say Elmo earlier. It was adorable. Lucey of course loves "melmo" herself and has been saying that forever so he was repeating her when she would say it. But he was pointing at him so I am gonna count it as a try. :)
I have also been sitting with him and doing some flash cards. Just simple pictures for now. Nothing too detailed because I don't want to complicate things for him. showing them to him, naming them and then trying to have him point them out to me when I have them grouped into threes. I am trying to mimic some of the stuff that I have seen the workers do when they are here.
Josey had gymnastics this morning. It is her second session and she really is doing well. I just love to watch her. The teacher told her today that she was doing so well maybe she could just teach the class for her. Josey could not have smiled any bigger. She came running over to tell me all about it. She was bursting she was so proud of herself.
After that we went to a new playgroup for Multiples. It was fun to have 4 sets of twins in one room with older siblings and one pregnant mom too. There was one set of older twins, L and B, another set of 2 yo and 10 week old babies. Oh so cute. loved them. Brady was all about sitting beside one of the little babies. She was smiling at Brady. it was so precious.
ok....everyone is in bed. it is quiet and I am hungry because I think I have yet to eat dinner so I am going to go find a snack and enjoy Dinner Impossible on Food Network.
For the next month we have appts. scheduled once a week to work with him. Case worker and SLP trading weeks. Tomorrow is the case worker, L. I will be glad to see her and again get some more tips and ideas for working with him.
He was trying to say Elmo earlier. It was adorable. Lucey of course loves "melmo" herself and has been saying that forever so he was repeating her when she would say it. But he was pointing at him so I am gonna count it as a try. :)
I have also been sitting with him and doing some flash cards. Just simple pictures for now. Nothing too detailed because I don't want to complicate things for him. showing them to him, naming them and then trying to have him point them out to me when I have them grouped into threes. I am trying to mimic some of the stuff that I have seen the workers do when they are here.
Josey had gymnastics this morning. It is her second session and she really is doing well. I just love to watch her. The teacher told her today that she was doing so well maybe she could just teach the class for her. Josey could not have smiled any bigger. She came running over to tell me all about it. She was bursting she was so proud of herself.
After that we went to a new playgroup for Multiples. It was fun to have 4 sets of twins in one room with older siblings and one pregnant mom too. There was one set of older twins, L and B, another set of 2 yo and 10 week old babies. Oh so cute. loved them. Brady was all about sitting beside one of the little babies. She was smiling at Brady. it was so precious.
ok....everyone is in bed. it is quiet and I am hungry because I think I have yet to eat dinner so I am going to go find a snack and enjoy Dinner Impossible on Food Network.
March 7, 2010
Brady
I am tired. Let me tell you straight up...I am tired. I have looked at the things that were said to me on Friday backwards and forwards and sideways too. I am overloaded with what to do. As a mom, for me anyway, it is always hard to make decisions about my kids because I am consumed with the fear that I will make the wrong decision. In this situation I will tell you that I am not overall a religious person but I do consider myself to be spiritual and I will pray for the faith I need to know that Brady is in good hands...whatever we decide to do.
He was evaluated by the SLP, with the case worker here again, on Friday. He was verbally at about a 15-16 month level. Cognitively, what he understands, was at about 19 months though. While this is still considerably behind where he should be it is good that he understands more than he says. That means we can catch him up, hopefully.
He also failed his MCHAT. This is not a diagnostic test for autism or ASD but it can be indicative of red flags. Failing means he had the red flags that indicate there may be something wrong. wow. I expected it but was still reeling a bit.
At this point in time I think we are going to wait to have him evaluated further. I am going to copy and paste an email I sent to friends for further explanation. sorry but I have not got the energy to type it all out again.
ok. the reason we will probably wait to have him evaluated is that they wonder if the fact that his speech is so delayed perhaps he "looks" worse than he really is. and perhaps some of the other more autistic behaviors are influenced by his lack of communication. does that make sense?
He would have to be evaluated by the university. You have to have an MD diagnose specifically PDD and probably the other conditions as well. I know, from speaking with the U already, that he would be seen by a developmental pediatrician and speech pathologist at the least. He would probably also be seen by a neurologist and potentially have a pysch eval as well.
there are specific therapies for autistic children. We will be working with some of the more troublesome developmental issues with the case worker. They are fine with me having him evaluated. they did not tell me not to. they just said that perhaps if we wait a bit then he may catch on to some of these things without needing the diagnosis. Obviously, as I am sure you can figure out, a diagnosis is a double edged sword. can be good...can be bad.
I think that it seems reasonable, for now, to allow him a couple more months to work on his speech and see where things go. They will reevaluate him in June to see where he is at and whether or not he would qualify for more help after turning three, since that is when EI ends and he would need to be turned over to the school system for early preschool or something of that sort. I will set up appts at the U for June as well. that way if he is not where he needs to be. or if I still have my concerns then we can get him in there to be evaluated.
I will be honest and tell you that for the most part I am ok with this, but part of me wants to whisk him away immediately and get a DX. part of me worries that I am doing him more harm by not getting him right in to get him evaluated....but that part of me is about as big as the part of me that worries about a dx following him around.
If he is on the spectrum he is obviously very high functioning thing is though that he could possibly eventually function high enough to barely register the spectrum if that makes any sense. I had, up until recently, only shared my concerns with Brad. and no one else. not even my mom. because I wondered if perhaps I was over thinking things. but I have had concerns for a few months now. if I see any of his symptoms or behaviors seeming to become worse or more pronounced I will also be getting him in earlier.
again...sorry for just copying and pasting but I am just too tired to try to type it again.
I am keeping a log of odd behaviors and other troubling stuff. I think I will also start trying to get little videos when I can of the things that worry me.
I am hoping that with the SLP and the case worker helping me out we can start to see some improvements even without an immediate diagnosis.
We will also begin feeding him a gluten free diet, which means we are all going GF since Josey is already.
ok....off to play with the littles. I will update my own blog later once the kids are in bed.
He was evaluated by the SLP, with the case worker here again, on Friday. He was verbally at about a 15-16 month level. Cognitively, what he understands, was at about 19 months though. While this is still considerably behind where he should be it is good that he understands more than he says. That means we can catch him up, hopefully.
He also failed his MCHAT. This is not a diagnostic test for autism or ASD but it can be indicative of red flags. Failing means he had the red flags that indicate there may be something wrong. wow. I expected it but was still reeling a bit.
At this point in time I think we are going to wait to have him evaluated further. I am going to copy and paste an email I sent to friends for further explanation. sorry but I have not got the energy to type it all out again.
ok. the reason we will probably wait to have him evaluated is that they wonder if the fact that his speech is so delayed perhaps he "looks" worse than he really is. and perhaps some of the other more autistic behaviors are influenced by his lack of communication. does that make sense?
He would have to be evaluated by the university. You have to have an MD diagnose specifically PDD and probably the other conditions as well. I know, from speaking with the U already, that he would be seen by a developmental pediatrician and speech pathologist at the least. He would probably also be seen by a neurologist and potentially have a pysch eval as well.
there are specific therapies for autistic children. We will be working with some of the more troublesome developmental issues with the case worker. They are fine with me having him evaluated. they did not tell me not to. they just said that perhaps if we wait a bit then he may catch on to some of these things without needing the diagnosis. Obviously, as I am sure you can figure out, a diagnosis is a double edged sword. can be good...can be bad.
I think that it seems reasonable, for now, to allow him a couple more months to work on his speech and see where things go. They will reevaluate him in June to see where he is at and whether or not he would qualify for more help after turning three, since that is when EI ends and he would need to be turned over to the school system for early preschool or something of that sort. I will set up appts at the U for June as well. that way if he is not where he needs to be. or if I still have my concerns then we can get him in there to be evaluated.
I will be honest and tell you that for the most part I am ok with this, but part of me wants to whisk him away immediately and get a DX. part of me worries that I am doing him more harm by not getting him right in to get him evaluated....but that part of me is about as big as the part of me that worries about a dx following him around.
If he is on the spectrum he is obviously very high functioning thing is though that he could possibly eventually function high enough to barely register the spectrum if that makes any sense. I had, up until recently, only shared my concerns with Brad. and no one else. not even my mom. because I wondered if perhaps I was over thinking things. but I have had concerns for a few months now. if I see any of his symptoms or behaviors seeming to become worse or more pronounced I will also be getting him in earlier.
again...sorry for just copying and pasting but I am just too tired to try to type it again.
I am keeping a log of odd behaviors and other troubling stuff. I think I will also start trying to get little videos when I can of the things that worry me.
I am hoping that with the SLP and the case worker helping me out we can start to see some improvements even without an immediate diagnosis.
We will also begin feeding him a gluten free diet, which means we are all going GF since Josey is already.
ok....off to play with the littles. I will update my own blog later once the kids are in bed.
March 4, 2010
ahhh...my children
this post is from a previous blog, posted yesterday(March3,2010)
more on that in another March 4 post to come
I am a mom therefore I worry. or something like that.
I love my children. all three of them. they are the joy and the frustration of my days. They are my job.
Josey will be starting Kindergarten next fall. I am not sure why I use capital letters on Kindergarten except that it feels like that…it feels all proper and important. And big. Really really big. It has been a fast 5 years. She is doing well. Loving preschool and the friends she makes there. I just got a reminder call from the University where she had her cranio surgery at 4 months old and it is time for a re-check. in the earlier days I was calling to schedule these appts. and this time I was a little surprised. She is doing so well that some days you can almost forget she ever had her skull reconstructed so young. Almost…quite a bit happened around that time and although she is healed and well I can seldom talk about the surgery without crying. Not all out sobbing or anything. Just tears of a mom who feels incredibly lucky to have come through something like that with her kiddo intact and healthy. Sometimes I wonder if all that oxygen her brain was exposed to did something to it…like accelerate growth. She is smarter than I am I think on some days.
Lucey…techinically our second born since she was the first twin out of the gate. She is only a minute older than her brother but I am fairly certain that will be a detail she will not let him forget as they get older. She is talking all.the.time. these days. She ask about things. Lets us know when she “toots” or “poops”(for the most part). She loves to play with her big sister. She still sleeps with a paci, known as “paa-ie”, but knows when she gets up she needs to hand it over. Lucey eats just about anything and everything. No exaggeration…no lie. She is an awesome eater. She loves our boxer Oscar and lays with him while he is sleeping. The cat is also intriguing to her, she loves the sounds he makes when she pulls his tail. *small chuckle* We are working on teaching nice touches.
Brady…my youngest and only boy. ahh Brady. I was so scared to have a little boy. I did not think I would know what to do with him. I am here to tell you that little guy came out holding my heart in his hands. I love my girls but there is just something different about a boy and a mom. He is all over this house these days. He is active and moving. He LOVES cars. LOVES them. The movie, the toys…anything with wheels. He has a couple larger ones that he leans on and just pushes all over the house. Full of energy and love.
It is him I am worried about right now. It is Brady that consumes my thoughts and fears right now. He is not talking. Please understand when I say not talking I mean it literally. I don’t mean that he is hard to understand or that he is not talking as much as other kids. I don’t mean that he does not want to talk and so is choosing to be silent or that he gets everything handed to him so he does not have to talk. He really does not seem to be able to form words.
I called Early Intervention in our area 2 weeks ago. We met with them for the first time last Tuesday, Feb 23. The case worker was very nice and spent about an hour and a half here that morning. She did some developmental tests with him to see where he was at, she did say she would score him another time as well to make sure to get a more complete view of him. He scored very low in communication skills; at 27 months he scored at a 16 month level. Have you any idea how hard that is? To hear that your child is almost a year behind where he should be. He was behind in all other areas as well. He basically scored between 16 and 20 months.
A speech language pathologist, SLP, is coming this Friday, March 5, to meet with us and evaluate him as well. Where we go from there I am not real sure. She also bringing a test that will alert us to any red flags of autism spectrum disorders, ASD. again…kind of scary. I will blog more about my own thoughts on my other blog.
I am eager to meet with these professionals and move on to whatever the next steps are. I am so happy to have Brad to walk this with me. He is a wonderful person to lean on. I am grateful to be able to check things with him as well and watch him watching Brady. I know that whatever comes of all this we can walk this together. We always have been able to walk these tough roads together.
Well…smells like I need to get back to work. The girls have been playing for a little bit after getting up from nap and I believe that Lucey has made a lovely package for me in her diaper…oh the joys.
more on that in another March 4 post to come
I am a mom therefore I worry. or something like that.
I love my children. all three of them. they are the joy and the frustration of my days. They are my job.
Josey will be starting Kindergarten next fall. I am not sure why I use capital letters on Kindergarten except that it feels like that…it feels all proper and important. And big. Really really big. It has been a fast 5 years. She is doing well. Loving preschool and the friends she makes there. I just got a reminder call from the University where she had her cranio surgery at 4 months old and it is time for a re-check. in the earlier days I was calling to schedule these appts. and this time I was a little surprised. She is doing so well that some days you can almost forget she ever had her skull reconstructed so young. Almost…quite a bit happened around that time and although she is healed and well I can seldom talk about the surgery without crying. Not all out sobbing or anything. Just tears of a mom who feels incredibly lucky to have come through something like that with her kiddo intact and healthy. Sometimes I wonder if all that oxygen her brain was exposed to did something to it…like accelerate growth. She is smarter than I am I think on some days.
Lucey…techinically our second born since she was the first twin out of the gate. She is only a minute older than her brother but I am fairly certain that will be a detail she will not let him forget as they get older. She is talking all.the.time. these days. She ask about things. Lets us know when she “toots” or “poops”(for the most part). She loves to play with her big sister. She still sleeps with a paci, known as “paa-ie”, but knows when she gets up she needs to hand it over. Lucey eats just about anything and everything. No exaggeration…no lie. She is an awesome eater. She loves our boxer Oscar and lays with him while he is sleeping. The cat is also intriguing to her, she loves the sounds he makes when she pulls his tail. *small chuckle* We are working on teaching nice touches.
Brady…my youngest and only boy. ahh Brady. I was so scared to have a little boy. I did not think I would know what to do with him. I am here to tell you that little guy came out holding my heart in his hands. I love my girls but there is just something different about a boy and a mom. He is all over this house these days. He is active and moving. He LOVES cars. LOVES them. The movie, the toys…anything with wheels. He has a couple larger ones that he leans on and just pushes all over the house. Full of energy and love.
It is him I am worried about right now. It is Brady that consumes my thoughts and fears right now. He is not talking. Please understand when I say not talking I mean it literally. I don’t mean that he is hard to understand or that he is not talking as much as other kids. I don’t mean that he does not want to talk and so is choosing to be silent or that he gets everything handed to him so he does not have to talk. He really does not seem to be able to form words.
I called Early Intervention in our area 2 weeks ago. We met with them for the first time last Tuesday, Feb 23. The case worker was very nice and spent about an hour and a half here that morning. She did some developmental tests with him to see where he was at, she did say she would score him another time as well to make sure to get a more complete view of him. He scored very low in communication skills; at 27 months he scored at a 16 month level. Have you any idea how hard that is? To hear that your child is almost a year behind where he should be. He was behind in all other areas as well. He basically scored between 16 and 20 months.
A speech language pathologist, SLP, is coming this Friday, March 5, to meet with us and evaluate him as well. Where we go from there I am not real sure. She also bringing a test that will alert us to any red flags of autism spectrum disorders, ASD. again…kind of scary. I will blog more about my own thoughts on my other blog.
I am eager to meet with these professionals and move on to whatever the next steps are. I am so happy to have Brad to walk this with me. He is a wonderful person to lean on. I am grateful to be able to check things with him as well and watch him watching Brady. I know that whatever comes of all this we can walk this together. We always have been able to walk these tough roads together.
Well…smells like I need to get back to work. The girls have been playing for a little bit after getting up from nap and I believe that Lucey has made a lovely package for me in her diaper…oh the joys.
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