The End of 2011

I'm really behind on catching up on Christian. November and December are the busiest time of the year for him. As all of his annual follow-ups and evaluations come up and I decided to wait till he has been to them all to talk about it in one blog post. He still has one left, the geneticists, that he will see the third week in January of 2012. But I think today is a good day to catch you up on things for this year. 


First thing-
His school and I had his annual review and IEP meeting the first Friday of November. His Teacher, Speech Therapist and Occupational Therapist were very pleased with Christian's progress at school since he started one year ago. His preschool teacher commented that he is still acedemically behind children his age but has adapted well to school and is following routines. Less tantrums and outbursts. Speech Therapist says he is making more of an effort and being more consistant with his communicating (verbal and signing.) Occupational Therapist says he is tolerating a greater variety of sensory input. His attention span has improved for activities that his Therapist suggests; rather then doing just what he wants to do. 

*Overall, Christian is doing so well at preschool. He loves it and he loves everyone there! Ben and I are so blessed to have our little man attend such a great school system!

We took him back to his Neurologist the second week of November for his annual follow-up (mostly for developmental delay). She didn't focus on the fact that Christian is behind other children his age because she was so happy with the fact that he is making the progress that he should be. She wasn't surprised that his expressive language skills still isn't where it should (because of his hearing loss) but was happy that his receptive language had shown much more improvement since his appointment in 2010. This time last year he couldn't follow most of the directions you gave him. Today he can follow most directions you give him, not that he always will (typical male). Although he is still having some trouble answering yes/no questions. He almost always says "no," even when he means "yes." Doctor was satisfied with the services he is getting at school along with attending preschool on a regular basis. She doesn't want him to go back for another Neurology follow-up till November 2012 (unless needed for any concerns).


Christian celebrated his 4th birthday the first of December! I can't believe my baby boy is 4!!!!! I still see him as that sweet baby boy that was in the hospital, and I always will!

Communication skills continue to improve:

His new signs are - movie, bird, ice cream, hot, cold
New verbal words are- watch, weed (read), see it, the end, help, k, wow, hot
When you start counting and you say "one" he will then say "two" and attempt "three" but its not as plain as his two.
He is attempting to repeat words, signs or sounds the majority of the time. Not every attempt he makes sounds right but it is getting much better. He still continues to need less prompting with one-two words or signs,  ecspecially if he wants something bad enough.
My favorite is him yelling "help" when he wants the cabinet open! Or him yelling "help" then signing movie to change his DVD.


His four-year check up went as usual, Christian crying and throwing up most of the time. But I am use to it by now. Pediatrician still diagnosed him with developmental delay but was absolutely thrilled with ALL of his progress he continues to make. She was even more thrilled that he loved school so much and that he was doing so well there. She felt that was the BEST thing for him! 


His routine hearing test was December the 16th. This appointment was not completely smooth but....it was the smoothest it has been since he was diagnosed with hearing loss at 5 months old. He completed the hearing evaluation in my lap and responded to every sound (high and low pitch). But he turned to the left side every time even when the sound came from the right. The audiologist said the left ear was still doing all the work (based on his responses that day and the ABR done two years ago that showed profound HL in the right) and his left ear is still in the normal range at four years old! YAY!!! We were able to get the measurements of both ear drums, even though he kicked and screamed. That was as much that we were able to do that day. Go back in July and as always I hope he does better so they can do more testing and can get more results.


Even though he is still 'developmentally delayed' I got a feeling before long you will never be able to tell what he went through or that he was ever "behind."  He is gradually acting more like a "typical" child everyday. He is finally engaging in some imaginative play. By getting in the floor and pushing his little cars around and jabbering and giggling as he plays. He is even playing with his sister now, in short 2-5 minute intervals a couple times during the day. Playing with his cars with her, demonstrating turn taking and playing hid and seek around the house. He is wanting to become more independent, as most kids do at this age. His class at school had a little program for Christmas where they sang a few songs for their parents. Even though Christian didn't sing any of the words to the songs. He did do EVERY move to the dances that went along to the song, just like all of his classmates. He yelled out "hey" during the appropriate times.  He even put his Santa hat on his self and wore it, which is huge for him!


I can tell a difference in him everyday. I fell that he is truly starting to 'grow up' on me. As much as it hurts, it is also a great feeling as well. It is what we have been working so hard for all these years. I believe we will see even bigger improvements in 2012...I just know it!!!

My Blossoming Boy!

This summer seems like it has flew bye....oh wait, it did! But regardless of how fast or busy it has been it has also been a great one! Christian has gained  5 pounds since around May , no exaggeration! Thanks to all the bolonga, hot dogs, cheese cake and milkshakes he has out grown his 12-24 months clothes (which he has worn for the last 2 years) and can now wear 3t and some 4t's. His failure to gain weight has always been a concern with all his Doc's, but not anymore.

His vocabulary has improved dramatically. His new words consist of;
"Sissy" to compare "ti-ti"
"Sam" one of our cats name's
"sou-side" for outside
"yes"--even though he rarely says it and with a lisp
"ow"
"hat"
"woah"
 *he can now say about 30 words, consistently*

He is still signing a lot. He is putting two or three words together on his own! I am not having to prompt him to make a phrase/short sentence. I haven't been using a lot of signing at home because I want him to SPEAK but we do use it in loud places still, so we don't have to repeat ourselves over and over or yell to communicate with him (we can't all be on his good side). Some of his combines words include;
-color-book
-read book
-more-drink-please
-please-mama
-finished-mama
-jump more please, mama (with jumping ball)

Anyone who really knows him, knows he loves books and could care less about toys. But he stumbled across his first Mr. Potato Head back in May and is now obsessed with it. Anytime he sees one out somewhere he thinks he has to have one, even if he already has one exactly like it. I must say though Mr. Potato Head has been a great tool to use for identifying and saying body parts.  Every time I put it together for him I label the body part-he repeats back what I say (hat and eyes are the only two he repeats perfect)-then he has to show me where his "eyes, nose, mouth, etc parts are. He can identify 7/7 of them correctly to compare just 2/7 a couple of months ago!

He went for his routine hearing test back in July. It was a typical visit-screaming, kicking, crying during the whole evaluation. The Audiologists didn't get enough information from the part of the test that measures his middle-ear function, for the second time in a roll. If they don't get it on his appointment this December they want him to have a sedated ABR to get all the information they need. However, he did give enough feed back in the booth during the actual hearing test and his left ear is still in the normal range.

He can identify all the characters on Spongebob and Toy Story. This amazes me...not because I think he isn't capable of learning. But because he is constantly jumping,bouncing, humming or just simply on the move the whole time he watches either one of these and it just shows he pays more attention to what is going on then what I realize.

He is only drinking from a bottle at nap time and bed time. Using cups with straws are most successful. We are in the process of potty training. This issue is no different than any other...he is being as stubborn as possible about it. But he knows when he has an "eww" (as he calls it) or is wet.

He did well with speech therapy during the summer with a different therapist in a different school. He even did well when my grandmother took him on the days I couldn't because of my own schooling. He didn't do any occupation therapy over the summer because there wasn't enough room to place him. But he kept me busy at home bouncing on his ball and swinging which are his two favorite things.

Lastly, he started back to preschool a few weeks ago. Although he was happy to be back, he was upset the first few days when I left him. He is now back into the swing of things and doing really well. He is following the routine's really well and doing as the other kids do. He is even riding the bus from school 3 days a week and he loves it! I still take him and his sister every morning because of bus schedule conflicts. He loves to play  on the computer at school. Even wearing the headphones on his ears to listen to the sounds, something that he will not typically do at home or for his hearing evaluations. We are continuing to work hard with him so his development and speech will continue to improve. I really hope to hit some big milestone's by his 4th birthday, which is less than 3 months away.

Thanks to everyone who has been asking how things are going with him. As you can read and see he is doing great.

First bus ride home.

The Start of Summer

Our summer is off to a GREAT start. It's been a busy one...but a good one so far.  We met with his pediatrician the week before last to discuss OT options for the summer while he is out of school. We decided to send him to the rehab center he attended a couple years ago for PT. He has not started any services yet. No one has contacted me with any information yet, but I will be contacting them soon if I don't get a call soon. I still plan on him getting ST at school through the summer.

His teacher, assistant teacher and teachers aide came to visit him on Friday. They were happy to see him and he was happy to them! He began signing a lot of things to his teacher (although neither one of us know what he was talking about). God truly blessed us when He put them in our life! They mean the world to my family and I and it meant a lot that they took the time to stop by and see him during summer break. I hope and pray that things work out and he will be placed with them next year for preschool.

Last summer it was a challenge to get Christian in the pool. He would kick, scream, cry and be very fearful of the water. But this year is completely different! He loves it!!!! He is comfortable enough to float around in the water by himself (with floaters of course) and jabbers and giggles the whole time he is in there. He worked up enough courage to jump in the water with me (with me holding him) this afternoon, but his head never went under the water. We did it several times.

I started Christian out in a smaller pool this year (which is usually a struggle too) but this year he took right up with it as well!

No new words yet. No new signs either. He is trying to imitate sounds and tries to repeat words often.

Biggest sensory issue so far is chewing. He has chewed two holes in his "squish" (his stuffed dog) and my mom has had to sew it up twice in the last 2 weeks. So oral input is the main issue right now. Chewing gum, gummy bears and fruit snacks is what he prefers. Although he does like the teething vibrators every now and then.

I wanted to send him to a special needs camp that was taking place at the end of this month but my schedule will be full and I won't be able to take him. I am disappointed that we won't be able to go but hopefully next year. My wonderful mother offered to spend her vacation week taking him but I would rather be there with him. I am sure I could learn just as much there as he would benefit from being there.

We go for his routine hearing evaluation in a couple of weeks at Vanderbilt. I am really hoping he will behave and tolerate the testing well so he will not have to be restrained like usual. But I already know his left ear is working good and strong (he hears way too much for it not too) but it is always nice to hear an audiologists say so and a test to prove so.

Hopefully I will have more great things to report the first week of July! :)

Spring Update

1st thing..... in the last 3 weeks, he has gotten about 60% broke from his bottle. One battle that I have been fighting for over 2 years now, but we are finally getting somewhere. He is going without it throughout much of the day....mainly wanting it at nap and bed time. Drinking from his sippy cup is no longer a fight when eating meals or when he just wants something to drink.

2nd thing...he was able to communicate through a situation without one meltdown/tantrum or crying spell.
-He got ski out of the fridge and handed it to me along with the bottle. I got the milk out, put it in his sippy and he shock his head no and said "no, ki" as he handed me the bottle again. I said "NO BABA", poured the milk back into the jug and put ski in his sippy. He took the sippy from my hand, walked off and drank all that was in the cup (1/2 way filled) and then came back, handed me his sippy and got the ski back out and handed it to me. Signed drink and please and then said "ki."
Usually the only communication you get is him only signing please and handing you his bottle. Then a tantrum follows because it wasn't the right drink he wanted. He can sign milk (when he wants it) but he can't verbalize any of the other drinks he wants and I don't know the signs to teach him.

3rd thing...he put the whole back of his head and ears into his bath water!!!! I know this sounds silly to most people but he has never laid back in the tub. He has been trying hard for the last 6 weeks to lay the back of his head in the water, as soon as the least bit touches he gets scared and jumps back up. But the other night he just did it out of the blue and loved listening to the water run into the tub. My husband, daughter and I were praising him like crazy!

4th Thing....We had our first conversation. We were coming home from school about 2 weeks ago and I asked him if he had a good day at school.

He answers, "no."

I say, "why not?"

He replies, "non know ama" (don't know mama)

5th thing...He went to the dentist yesterday to get his teeth cleaned and his check-up. After having 5 of us hold him down (while he screamed like someone was going to kill him) to brush his teeth (with a tooth brush) and have the Dentist look them over. He ended up getting a great report, all his teeth are in great shape! Which is great news and a shock to me considering I have to fight him every night to get them brushed, and I am always afraid I'm not doing a good enough job.

                                                                                                                                    

He is pointing to eyes and saying "eyes."

He is saying "I wike dat" and "I non't wike dat."

(I like that and I don't like that)

He can say "eat" now, instead of just signing it.

He is identifying characters/animals by pointing to them in pictures.

Although he can say "arick" (for Patrick) off of Spongebob.

He can feed himself really well with a fork now!

He has less than 2 weeks of school left before summer break and I am in the process of setting goals, making arrangements/plans until August gets here. I will try to post soon about the summer.

Field Trip, Bus and Progess.

Christian went on his first field trip and bus ride today and they were both a success! I was heart broken that I was not able to go with him today. I had to take Graci for her allergy test today. But Christian did great without me. They took a tour of several places around our hometown square. He got to visit his Nanny (my mom) at her work and had his only tantrum of the trip because he didn't want to leave her. I was lucky enough to see some pictures of the trip that the teachers had taken and they are PRECIOUS. I wish I had some to share but I don't for this trip. :(

Since he loved riding the bus, Ben and I have decided to start letting him ride the bus home. He has transitioned into school really well and is in a good routine. We think it is a good time to try something new, not to mention he proved he is ready for it! I am not sure at this time on the day he will start riding it.

He has field trips scheduled for Monday and Tuesday of next week. Since the grant money for my class has stalled (for whatever reason) and no schedule is set in stone yet means I get to go and be with him next week! I am so excited!!

Christian's has made so much progress in the last couple of months. 

• He is in a good routine as I had mentioned before.
• He is using his pictures, signs and using what words he can say to communicate.
• He has made a big improvement with making sounds and saying words. 
• Not just doing them-but making a better effort at saying them.
• Eating & sitting at the lunch table with his class (before sitting in something like a high chair).
• He gets put in time-out for typical toddler tantrums and is learning to calm him self down. 
• This process just started last Monday.
• He is working well with his Speech Pathologist. He is attentive and cooperates well with her.
• He is really paying attention to the other kids and trying to do as they do. The kids are very good to him and like to help and encourage him! :)))
• Example- Christian was trying to climb up the slide and a little girl grabbed "squoosh" (his favorite stuffed animal and companion)  placed it at the top of the slide and said, "Come on little boy, you can do it."  She was from another class...
• He naps well and eats very good most of the time.
• Christian is staying about 30 to 45 minutes longer than the kids who ride the bus so I can pick him and Graci up together. He doesn't get distressed when he sees the other kids leave but when his teacher brings him out to me in the afternoon he lights up like a Christmas tree.

I could go on about the progress and stories about his time at school. But you get the idea...great progress is being made. He is still not drinking at school only his bottle at nap time. His teacher's are working hard with him and try different methods to get him to drink. But he is a stubborn little boy! I don't where he gets it from, lol. Hopefully one day this issue will no longer be one.

Quick Update

Christian is getting back into a routine at school, after missing so much because of the weather and sickness.. He went three out of four days last week. He had a rough 3 days but each day got a little better. He is eating again at school and has made a new friend that "mothers" him and he allows her too. Teacher thinks it is because she looks like his big sister!

He is refusing to drink from his cup, we are back to the bottle all day. Between us being sick and me "babying" him, we took a step back. But hopefully this week or next we will be using the bottle to a minimum again. However he has gotten better with using his utensils when eating. Getting food to his mouth better and not spilling so much.

His stimming has gotten better within the last week! I really don't know what has changed to cause it to decrease so much but what ever it is I am glad. We were able to eat out and go for ice cream the other night, and he didn't stim or perseverate one time! I think it was the first time we have been out in a long time that people didn't look at him with a concerned look. I haven't really changed his therapy routines or done anything new. I think us getting into a routine could possibly be decreasing it and the fact we have been busy and he is distracted from it more. Who really knows.....just hope it keeps up. Not that I would love him any less if it doesn't!

He is also answering questions a lot more. Simple yes and no answers! He will shake his head no or say "no." He will sign yes but still isn't saying yes and still doesn't shake his head yes, because he has never shake his head yes. Doctor thinks because of balance issues (due to the single sided deafness), but it is something we continue to work on.

Making Some Progress

I am happy to report that Christian has made some progress with his speech and development this week! It seems as though his progress had plateaued for the past couple of months, but this week he has made a come back from it.

Examples include;

• Saying "Yay," while clapping his hands.
• He goes around saying "Hey ya," (which he got off of Jesse on Toy Story 3.)
• He learned how to suck out of a straw last night! He has it pretty well mastered. His biggest problem is after he sucks the liquid out, he opens his mouth and the liquid falls back out. Not sure what that is about yet. This is a huge milestone, considering we have been "practicing" this for over a year. His biggest problem was not being able to understand he had to close his lips around the straw, but he figured it out! :)
• He will now stand in front of the bathroom sink and TRY to brush his teeth. After brief attempts of brushing his teeth he will lean into the sink and spit (mainly making noise with his mouth then actually spitting) and say "eww." I still have to lay him on the counter and hold him down (while he screams and kicks) to be sure his teeth are brushed completely. Usually the attempt with him brushing his own teeth ends up with him walking around the house visually self stimulating with his tooth brush and humming. We may not have this skill mastered yet but he is at least using his tooth brush appropriately.
• He also has four new signs. Grumpy, train, leaf, and boy.