Pages

Friday, August 10, 2012

Its not all bad

I know my posts lately have been a little on the negative side.  I don't purposely intend for that but sometimes blogging is a good way to vent.

Andrew ran a high fever last night so we laid low today.  This was needed.  There was no outside stimulation for Abigail today so it was a very quiet day.  We colored, we danced, we watched sandcastles being built on TV.  We talked about things 5 year olds and moms talk about.  I only had to redirect her a few times and not once had to send her to her room.  It was amazing and it was needed by this Mama.

Andrews temperature broke this morning and he also laid low, although extremely clingy but that is to be expected.  There will always be room in my arms - even if all three climb up in them.

We had an amazing moment today with Andy.  Abby came running in while I was folding laundry and exclaimed "Andy said Bus!!"  My initial response was "sure he did" but I had to find out so I went into the other room where the kids were playing cars.  I sat down with them and started to play.  "Andy can I have the bus?" to this I get the accustomed nod.  "What is it that I want, Andy?" and low and behold he said "ssss" in which I replied "good try, it is a bus."  Andy nodded excitingly and said "Baaaa - sssss".  I would consider this a little prompting but I got ecstatic anyway.  He said Bus and he said it with little delay.

I had to give him a big hug.  We know have 4 words (well sort of): "Mama, Ba-ss (Bus), Pa - p (pop) and O - pa (open)".  Yes, they are not understood by all but the fact that he has the sounds and is trying to put them together is so exciting!

Andrew still needs a lot of prompting to try words but we are on the right track.  He has a lot of sounds he just has not quite figured out how to put them together.  I look forward to speech therapy tomorrow and what word he might develop in the short 45 minutes.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The space underneath the chair

Year 1 she cries
Year 2 she throws a fit
Year 3 she runs from the room
Year 4 she screams as she sits in my lap
Year 5 ...  She finds safety only in the space underneath a chair.  Temperature not taken, blood pressure not taken and the doctor on hands and knees checking her ears and eyes.

It's a routine yearly check up.  There is no immunization scheduled just your basic check up for school. No big deal to most kids and no big deal to Mom.  But for my princess the anxiety got to be so much that she could only find solace under a chair.  When the chair was removed she crawled under the chair I was sitting in grabbed both legs and wouldn't let go.

I have to check myself at this point - my patience weighing thin.  What do I do?  How do I comfort her and still get the appointment over with?  Thankfully, I did not have to make such a hard decision.  Abby's pediatrician got down on the floor (in her dress) and commenced the exam.

In these moments counting to 10 and taking deep breaths and stepping back is so hard for me to do.  I have learned that in these moments I am tested.  Tested as much as she is.  It is a no win.  Her pediatrician says "maybe it is time for Abby to see a development pediatrician" and I agree.

I took the info the doctor gave me in to therapy this morning.  The report from her OT is that Abby had a hard time visually today.  Her SLP reported that she was ok during speech.  They are in agreement with her pediatrician - things are getting harder.  This just confirms my fears.  

I am at the point where I do not know what is behavior and what is anxiety/SPD.  I do not know how to be mom and therapist.  How do you prepare for these moments?  How do discipline when you don't know the cause?

Somedays I wish I could crawl underneath that chair with her...

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Ode to "MAAAA"

"MAAAAA" comes the noise of my 2 1/2 year old from his bedroom when he hears his father coming home for the day.  "MAAA, MAAA!!!"  The excitement as he runs to the door is all over his face, in his wide eyes and his opened mouth smile.

Some people may look at my little man and wonder why "MAA"?  I look at my little man and cheer for it.  The truth is Andy just started saying sounds in the past few months.  He started private speech therapy in May and ever since his sounds are blossoming.  I do not mind being the only mom in the room proud of his animal sounds even though they do not come out just right.  I am just so happy to see him try them.

My husband doesn't mind being called "MAA" either because at least Andy calls him.

Andy's diagnosis????  He doesn't have one.  The therapist are pretty certain that Andy has CAS but they are cautious to diagnose him.  For now they treat him for severe language delay and see how he progresses.

More to come from Andy in the next months I am sure.  For now, I do not mind getting a prompted "Pa, ah, Pa" (pop) or a "O, Pa" (open).  It was a 10 month battle to get him to imitate... and now that he does it game on!!!