Another graduation from EI-- onto ESY preschool!

[Guest guest]

Hello all--

Thought I'd write a little update on my son Drew. It's been a crazy

few weeks lately, and I know I haven't participated on this board as

much as I would like!

Well, the week before last, as some may recall, I was talking about

my son seemingly having a surge being off EFAs, as well as having

some extra sensory stimulating activities which may have also caused

the surges. Well, that week on vacation ended on a down note, as

both Drew and I got sick while on vacation, and weren't able to see a

doctor until the day after Memorial Day. We essentially had the same

symptoms (from what I could tell). I could tell from his symptoms

and behavior that Drew had a sinus infection, but it turns out that

he also had his first full blown ear infection (I usually was able to

catch those before they were full blown). Fortunately, just with

antibiotics alone, he's significantly better already. I, however, am

still battling my symptoms, as I was told I didn't have a sinus or

bronchial infection (yeah, right!), just severe allergies (severe is

an understatement, as I am on several prescriptions to battle this

and a week later I'm still sick, although not as badly).

Drew's surge seems to be continuing though. He is really babbling a

lot, and he's always trying to say more words. The good news is, he's

becoming more willing to try to express himself. The bad news is, I

can't make out a thing that he is saying. So, frustration levels are

going back up, and we are playing 20 questions and " show me where it

is/how it works " , etc. I can legitimately say, at least, that when I

don't understand him, it could be my clogged ears or my tired ears,

at least, are not working, and to keep trying! LOL

We also had that bittersweet end to Early Intervention this week as

well. The sped teacher and the OT we have been working with for so

long said our goodbye, keep in touch, etc. With the OT, Drew started

asking her for the first time to " tay! tay! " (stay! stay!). However,

something we had been working on for a long time has finally started

to sink in with Drew, so there was a breakthrough of sorts. Over the

course of the afternoon, Drew would say with a little prompting at

first, but eventually no prompting, " I want_____ " . His first true

sentence formations! Hooray! I think if I really continue to work on

this as I have, it'll start to stick soon. But I'm heartbroken that

now that EI is done, I have to wait 4 weeks until Drew starts in his

specialized preschool program via ESY. I've lost my main support

system/team that helps me work with Drew, and I have to wait until

the next support team (that's how I see his teachers and therapists)!

WAH! So I just have to hang on tight in the meantime. Both EI

therapists gave me some great suggestions to work on with Drew in the

meantime, so I guess I'll have my hands full!

The best thing of all was both on Friday at his OT session, and again

last night with his birthday cake. I made it simple with a single

candle (one that looks like a number 3), but Drew actually blew out

his birthday candle. We had our family at the house, and it was a

full house, but he did it, even though it took a few tries, and was

not an " o " shape blow but an " fwh " blow (think about how you shape

your mouth when blowing a candle, and you'll see what I mean). I was

so thrilled, knowing how hard this is for an apraxic kid, but no one

else really appreciated the significance of it, even when I pointed

it out. They thought I was full of it. :-( Drew was thrilled with

all his presents, especially his new guitar and his new bicycle (with

training wheels still firmly on the ground).

So, Drew is making some great progress, but I'm anxious about the

next few weeks, not exactly knowing what to do with him to help him

progress. I'm sure I'll make it through somehow. But Drew is doing

great, and I just have to hope that when he starts with ST at his

summer preschool program, we'll start seeing some more progress and

intelligibility!

Now....off to another busy week ahead!

le (mom to Drew, now the big *3*, apraxia, DSI, and hypotonia

[Guest guest]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW!!!! My son couldn't blow out his candles on his 3rd

b-day!!!!

hope you feel better

chris

windsornot <windsornot@...> wrote:

Hello all--

Thought I'd write a little update on my son Drew. It's been a crazy

few weeks lately, and I know I haven't participated on this board as

much as I would like!

Well, the week before last, as some may recall, I was talking about

my son seemingly having a surge being off EFAs, as well as having

some extra sensory stimulating activities which may have also caused

the surges. Well, that week on vacation ended on a down note, as

both Drew and I got sick while on vacation, and weren't able to see a

doctor until the day after Memorial Day. We essentially had the same

symptoms (from what I could tell). I could tell from his symptoms

and behavior that Drew had a sinus infection, but it turns out that

he also had his first full blown ear infection (I usually was able to

catch those before they were full blown). Fortunately, just with

antibiotics alone, he's significantly better already. I, however, am

still battling my symptoms, as I was told I didn't have a sinus or

bronchial infection (yeah, right!), just severe allergies (severe is

an understatement, as I am on several prescriptions to battle this

and a week later I'm still sick, although not as badly).

Drew's surge seems to be continuing though. He is really babbling a

lot, and he's always trying to say more words. The good news is, he's

becoming more willing to try to express himself. The bad news is, I

can't make out a thing that he is saying. So, frustration levels are

going back up, and we are playing 20 questions and " show me where it

is/how it works " , etc. I can legitimately say, at least, that when I

don't understand him, it could be my clogged ears or my tired ears,

at least, are not working, and to keep trying! LOL

We also had that bittersweet end to Early Intervention this week as

well. The sped teacher and the OT we have been working with for so

long said our goodbye, keep in touch, etc. With the OT, Drew started

asking her for the first time to " tay! tay! " (stay! stay!). However,

something we had been working on for a long time has finally started

to sink in with Drew, so there was a breakthrough of sorts. Over the

course of the afternoon, Drew would say with a little prompting at

first, but eventually no prompting, " I want_____ " . His first true

sentence formations! Hooray! I think if I really continue to work on

this as I have, it'll start to stick soon. But I'm heartbroken that

now that EI is done, I have to wait 4 weeks until Drew starts in his

specialized preschool program via ESY. I've lost my main support

system/team that helps me work with Drew, and I have to wait until

the next support team (that's how I see his teachers and therapists)!

WAH! So I just have to hang on tight in the meantime. Both EI

therapists gave me some great suggestions to work on with Drew in the

meantime, so I guess I'll have my hands full!

The best thing of all was both on Friday at his OT session, and again

last night with his birthday cake. I made it simple with a single

candle (one that looks like a number 3), but Drew actually blew out

his birthday candle. We had our family at the house, and it was a

full house, but he did it, even though it took a few tries, and was

not an " o " shape blow but an " fwh " blow (think about how you shape

your mouth when blowing a candle, and you'll see what I mean). I was

so thrilled, knowing how hard this is for an apraxic kid, but no one

else really appreciated the significance of it, even when I pointed

it out. They thought I was full of it. :-( Drew was thrilled with

all his presents, especially his new guitar and his new bicycle (with

training wheels still firmly on the ground).

So, Drew is making some great progress, but I'm anxious about the

next few weeks, not exactly knowing what to do with him to help him

progress. I'm sure I'll make it through somehow. But Drew is doing

great, and I just have to hope that when he starts with ST at his

summer preschool program, we'll start seeing some more progress and

intelligibility!

Now....off to another busy week ahead!

le (mom to Drew, now the big *3*, apraxia, DSI, and hypotonia

[Guest guest]

Happy Birthday to you Drew! You're such a big boy now!! Keep up the

great improvements in your speech!

le, hang in there. I know that you will do your best to keep up

Drew's home therapy until school starts. You're an awesome mom, I

can tell!

Oh, and in regards to your sickness, I hope that you feel better

soon. If your current allergy meds aren't working as well as you'de

like, you might try asking for a stronger med. My dh has horrible

allergies this time of year (esp. in May). His doctor prescribed

(among other things) Allegra. At first our insurance wouldn't

approve it, but the doctor sent a letter/statement to the insurance

co. stating that Allegra was the only allergy med that would work for

my husband, and the insurance finally approved it!

It was nice to see you last night at the Oral-Motor workshop! Hope

to see you again soon...sorry there wasn't much time to chat! Maybe

we can meet at a park in the Freehold area one afternoon...or maybe

just meet at the mall, lol.

Take care,

Laurel, mom to Evan (30.5 mo, Pierre Robin Sequence, cleft repaired

with fistula remaining, 3rd set of ear tubes, hypotonia, non-verbal

with no official dx yet) and (almost 7 yo)