Scared adoptive mom

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone. I feel very fortunate to have found a place to post

my concerns and get feedback at a very scary time for my husband and

me. My husband and I are planning to adopt two little girls; the

oldest is 9 years and her little sister just turned 12 months. We

met them two and a half months ago and they have lived with us the

past two months. Our concern is the baby. Before we met them, we

were told she was blind and most likely had a very mild case of

cerebral palsy. Contrary to what the doctors are saying this little

girl is NOT blind. She looks at us and responds with a smile from

across a room. She can pick a Cheerio out from between my thumb and

forefinger. She can definitely see. She came to us unable to sit

without assistance and unable to go from a prone to sitting

position. Now, with the help of our occupational therapist and

physical therapist, she crawls all over the place on her hands and

knees and can walk holding on with just one hand. She's into

everything and keeps right up with her 9 month old foster brother.

The physical therapist pegs her at only about one month delayed now.

The point is she is improving every day.

About a month ago she started rocking in her booster seat. I don't

mean gentle rocking back and forth. Her head almost hits the tray

and she pretty much slams back into the back of the plastic seat.

She is definitely not hurting herself but she jars herself pretty

good. She gets sort of an odd expression on her face and makes kind

of a lawnmower noise as she goes back and forth. It is fairly

alarming to see. If left on her own she rocks maybe 8-15 times amd

then stop on her own or she will stop if we physically stop her and

say, " no. " She mostly does it in the booster seat (she started the

day we bought it for her) but sometimes does it in her car seat and

every once in a while does it while playing on the floor.

Her caseworker, a physical therapist friend and a mental therapist

friend all immediately said " Aspergers " or " autism. " We have been

referred to a very recommended pediatric neurologist but can't get in

for five months. That's almost half her life away! We are beside

ourselves with worry...more because we just want to know what we are

dealing with.

Here's why I am not thinking autism or Aspergers---she interacts

socially....giggles, plays peek-a-boo, takes direction(will hand me a

block if I ask or put it on top of a box if I ask), says mama if she

wants me, shakes her head no if she's done eating, giggles with her

brother, smiles at strangers and acts shy if they talk to her, ect.

Her P.T. brought up sensory integration problems and recommended

reading " The Out of Sync Child. " It seems more fitting that this

could be her problem even down to the vision " issues " these children

have.

It's just that this severe rocking has us alarmed. Very sorry so

long. ANY and all feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you

so much. Caren