Eric Therapy and Other Updates

During the holiday break Eric's therapy was ramped up. There were days where he had 3 therapists coming and 8 hours of therapy. Some days he handled this better than others. That's a lot of work for a 7 year old child. I had big plans of finishing up a few things we are so close on since we had 2 weeks. None of it came to be. Stuff happened. Life happened. That's ok, we will get back on track.

Verbally, Eric continues to amaze me. He's become a parrot. Repeats a lot of what I say. My favorite is "down Jon Jon" when his baby brother is climbing. When I was doing his hair cut "Please stop!" When trying to zip his jacket "let go!". Turning on the water to wash his hands "Too cold!" This is just a few examples. They are now teaching him how personal information such as phone number, address, names of everyone in the family (meaning my actual name) and how to respond to those requests. He's already mastered his first, middle and last name. He can identify his brothers, but sometimes calls Andy Jon Jon, although I think he knows the difference, it's just more fun to say :-) He can spell his first and last name also. While on the vantage I've heard him spell other simple words like ball, car, dog, red, ect. To answer the next question, yes he can read. I have no idea at what level, but they, and I have given him various preschool books and he's been able to follow with his finger and read most of the words. You wouldn't think it by looking at him. It goes to show how much they really know and understand, but just can't effectively communicate.

There is a wonderful line therapist working with Eric that I would love to keep here at home with me. She has been working with him on dealing with emotions and expressing them, sharing and turn taking with his brothers. She is teaching him how to breathe to calm down and deal with stress and anxiety. He is now learning to attach words to his emotions. So instead of crying, throwing stuff, stomping, ect we are asking him if he is mad and keep on him until he expresses it in words. When he needs to blow off steam we let him bounce on the exercise ball, or squeeze him really tight. At the end of the session Eric wants the therapist gone, like right that second. This therapist hangs around, in his sight until he calms himself down. It works, eventually. Eric has been asking for hugs for a while now, and knows what the word means. Before he was just saying it, leaning into me waiting for me to hug him. Last night he squeezed me back. That was the most awesome feeling! I was crying from that one. He is now letting me initiate the hugs while before it was on his terms only.

The feeding and the cup, that's more difficult. We progress and get so close, but can't finish it off. We will get there. He is finally decided to sit on the toilet yesterday and went, so hopefully we can make up for lost ground on that.

Andy is doing much better with going back to school than I thought he would. He's had some difficulties with behavior and coping with the enviornment there for the last couple of months. He seemed much happier at home, at least for the first week of vacation. So far he's been happy to go on the bus and there have been no reports of any problems. His recertification for elegibility for the waiver will be this month. As far as I know, he is still on track to get the funding for his in home therapy in March. I will find out more once we have the recertification meeting. I'm just waiting for her to call back to schedule that. I'm also filling out paperwork for him to be evaluated at the feeding clinic.

Jon is a very busy, active little boy. He climbs EVERYTHING! The boy has no fear. I've been hearing words come out of his little mouth, but they are scattered and mixed in with a lot of jibberish. This looks promising, compared to either of his brothers at this age. But from the last I've heard he is still VERY delayed, like at the early infant to one year range. He has progressed with the occupational therapist with the small motor stuff. His play skills are still behind, and it's really hard to see where he is cognitively. I'm starting to notice many more oral and auditory sensory issues with him. He always wants to chew the velcro, usually on shoes or on his or Eric's coat. He's getting pickier about food. He really craves bouncing, swinging and rocking motions. Ordinary sounds like opening a cereal box or bag of chips, the vacuum, someone talking even a little too loud (not yelling), or coughing will scare him and he is a screaming mess for a while. I will admit I have auditory sensory issues myself, but not to this extent. His speech and occupational therapist will discuss their evals with me next week and the 6 month IFSP meeting is January 19th. We shall see what happens there. I am also trying to track down all the paperwork I filled out for the Child Development Center at Children's Hospital so he can get his first eval there. Still waiting for a call back from them too. At this point I'm ready for anything. We've survived everything thrown at us already.