Megan is doing amazing with her walking. It started on Thursday when we got home from school and it hasn't stopped. I was/am very nervous that she is back at school today. Obviously they want her to walk too, but it is different. There are others in the classroom and though I am sure they will work with her to get her to walk when they are ready to transition to a different area, it will be very different from me having her walking constantly.
This weekend she walked all over the park and playgrounds that we went to - she held our hand to walk on the mulch but she didn't really use it - just wanted the security.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Independence = JOY
Megan has always been a happy and joyful little girl. Watching her this morning when she chooses to walk somewhere other than where I tried to get her to go - she is so very joyful. She is still walking everywhere - I am still enticing her for the most part; but every once in a while she decides she wants to go somewhere other than where I am directing her and her face just beams when she does it.
I have been giving her breaks, 5-10 minutes to just do what she wants and though there is very little walking during this time, there is a lot of standing and playing with Sam.
I have been giving her breaks, 5-10 minutes to just do what she wants and though there is very little walking during this time, there is a lot of standing and playing with Sam.
It is possible that it will stick
Yesterday Megan was in the mood to walk. She tried to dive out of my arms on the way into the school so she could use her walker. If it is cold I wait until we get inside for her to walk and she didn't want to wait. She walked all the way to her room, which took forever because she is like the school ambassador. She stops and chats with everyone, she tries to follow the older kids when they say hi to her, she claps for the police officer.
Anyway, when she got into her room her teacher picked her up and Megan wanted back down immediately so she could walk around the room with her walker. They said she was that way all day. She even walked to the office and back just holding one hand at one point.
I let her use the walker to get all the way to the car when I picked her up and then I parked in the driveway instead of the garage so she could hold my hand and walk to the front door and into the house.
Once inside I put some enticing toys on various surfaces throughout the living room and she walked from surface to surface, even turning around and letting go by herself. She was ready to go. She walked across the house and to all kinds of places with just me following behind her. Yesterday before lunch was like the Thursday 3 weeks ago. I was concerned that she would wake up from nap and be done with it like she was last time, but unfortunately she wouldn't go to sleep at nap time. She was so amped up, she was squealing and laughing for her entire nap.
When she got up, though she was tired, she walked around for 2 hours until dinner time. She was so happy to be walking where she wanted to go and she did great. So, this morning after she slept it was time to test her again.
She is still walking everywhere. Sometimes she acts like she needs me there and will lean back but if I tell her that she has got this and she doesn't need my help she leans forward and takes off. It is 9:15 and she has walked since she finished breakfast 1.5 hours ago.
Anyway, when she got into her room her teacher picked her up and Megan wanted back down immediately so she could walk around the room with her walker. They said she was that way all day. She even walked to the office and back just holding one hand at one point.
I let her use the walker to get all the way to the car when I picked her up and then I parked in the driveway instead of the garage so she could hold my hand and walk to the front door and into the house.
Once inside I put some enticing toys on various surfaces throughout the living room and she walked from surface to surface, even turning around and letting go by herself. She was ready to go. She walked across the house and to all kinds of places with just me following behind her. Yesterday before lunch was like the Thursday 3 weeks ago. I was concerned that she would wake up from nap and be done with it like she was last time, but unfortunately she wouldn't go to sleep at nap time. She was so amped up, she was squealing and laughing for her entire nap.
When she got up, though she was tired, she walked around for 2 hours until dinner time. She was so happy to be walking where she wanted to go and she did great. So, this morning after she slept it was time to test her again.
She is still walking everywhere. Sometimes she acts like she needs me there and will lean back but if I tell her that she has got this and she doesn't need my help she leans forward and takes off. It is 9:15 and she has walked since she finished breakfast 1.5 hours ago.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
New skills at hippotherapy
Megan did awesome at her therapy session yesterday. She is overhand throwing balls into the basketball hoop like crazy. They added stirrups to the horse so she could stand up to reach toys that were high up. Unfortunately the shortest setting is still too long for her so she can only stand up a little bit, but she did excellent. After showing her once what to do the next time they approached the pole she stood right up and grabbed the toy.
They also added reins so they could play red light, green light. When the therapist said red light Megan pulled on the reins and the horse would stop. She thought that was funny but didn't want the horse to stop so she would drop the reins instead of pulling them.
They also added reins so they could play red light, green light. When the therapist said red light Megan pulled on the reins and the horse would stop. She thought that was funny but didn't want the horse to stop so she would drop the reins instead of pulling them.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
IEP meeting
This afternoon I met with Megan's teacher, her speech therapist, the head of the program and the Occupational therapist who recently evaluated Megan. The meeting was to discuss the results of the evaluation and to officially add OT services to Megan's schedule. It was also to discuss ESY (extended school year) for Megan.
Overall the OT rated Megan at 18 months for her fine motor and self-help skills. About half of her goals for the next 3 months Megan can do but she didn't demonstrate them or she is having issues because of throwing. For example, eating with a spoon. Megan can do this but after each bite she throws her spoon so we don't let her do it by herself at home and until this week they had never even tried at school. They also want her to be able to pull off and put on her pants - which she can absolutely do; it is the reason she has to sleep in pjs; but since I have been tightening her waist bands with my little gadget I guess it is too difficult for her to do.
She will start receiving OT twice a week just like her speech and PT.
As for ESY, she qualifies for PT and speech because she has emerging skills that they want to take advantage of. She will go to school twice a week for 4 weeks in July and be there for 1 hour each day to receive 30 minutes of each therapy. We had the option to decline these services but we want her to continue to receive the assistance.
Overall the OT rated Megan at 18 months for her fine motor and self-help skills. About half of her goals for the next 3 months Megan can do but she didn't demonstrate them or she is having issues because of throwing. For example, eating with a spoon. Megan can do this but after each bite she throws her spoon so we don't let her do it by herself at home and until this week they had never even tried at school. They also want her to be able to pull off and put on her pants - which she can absolutely do; it is the reason she has to sleep in pjs; but since I have been tightening her waist bands with my little gadget I guess it is too difficult for her to do.
She will start receiving OT twice a week just like her speech and PT.
As for ESY, she qualifies for PT and speech because she has emerging skills that they want to take advantage of. She will go to school twice a week for 4 weeks in July and be there for 1 hour each day to receive 30 minutes of each therapy. We had the option to decline these services but we want her to continue to receive the assistance.
Monday, February 11, 2013
February 9th Measurement
In looking at the kids the past couple of weeks it seemed like they had grown again - or were still growing so we measured them this weekend.
In 42 days since we least measured her Megan has grown 1/2" making her 34 1/4 inches tall. So she has grown 1 1/2 inches since her growth spurt started just after Christmas.
In 42 days since we least measured her Megan has grown 1/2" making her 34 1/4 inches tall. So she has grown 1 1/2 inches since her growth spurt started just after Christmas.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Eye appointment
Megan saw her eye doctor yesterday and it went as expected. Her eyes are perfectly aligned, she needs to keep wearing her glasses until she can complete an eye exam.
Sam got another free eye exam while we were there and he totally lost his marbles at the lights being turned out. The nurse had to come get him and take him for a walk. Megan was doing amazing with the appointment until Sam started freaking out and then she thought about it and decided if he was so upset then something must be wrong and she started trying to get away from the doctor.
Sam got another free eye exam while we were there and he totally lost his marbles at the lights being turned out. The nurse had to come get him and take him for a walk. Megan was doing amazing with the appointment until Sam started freaking out and then she thought about it and decided if he was so upset then something must be wrong and she started trying to get away from the doctor.
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