8 Week Check-In

Last Friday we had our 8 week parent check in. This is where they update you on your child’s progress. At our 4 week check in, Drew’s results had not changed much on paper. I was devastated! Jessica told me not to worry too much about that because of what we were seeing at home and in center. It still would have been nice to see it on paper to get some sort of validation that this is worth all of the time, hard work, separation and money that we have put into it. Well, that came on Friday. First, let me explain how they measure progress. The brain is driven by our core muscles and large muscle groups. How long you can hold a certain exercise determines your age level. Below are his results.

Postural System – These are things like planks, side planks, supine bridges, superman. The goal is age appropriateness.

Supine went from 3 years to 6 years
Prone went from 2 years to 6 years
Lateral went from 3 years to 5 years
Brachiation went from 2 years to 4 years

Vestibular System - This is our balance and equilibrium system. These are mostly eye exercises. The goal is 100%.

VOR went from needing assistance to doing them independently 25%.

Proprioceptive – This is spatial awareness. That we can feel where our body is in space. He does these exercises in center. The goal is age appropriateness.

Balance Beam went from 3 years to 4 years
One-legged stand went from 3 years to 4 years

Synchronization – This is our body’s ability to move both sides together, opposite, or independently. This is mostly cross-lateral exercises and interactive metronome. The goal is age appropriateness.

Cross-lateral exercises went from 3 years to 5 years
Aerobics went from 3 years to 6 years
Interactive Metronome went from needing assistance to doing it independently at less than 3 years.

Last Friday he also got a star and to pick from the treasure chest.











His treasure from the treasure chest







Monday we went to North Point mall with Amanda and Adeline. He kept saying “I want to go to Target!” Seems like I’ve heard that a few time before. Amanda tells him we are at a giant Target. That worked for a little bit and then he says “I want to go to medium Target!” oy!! Tuesday we went to the Roswell Cultural Arts Center for a puppet show. The theme was Aesop’s Fantastic Fables. The puppet guy did a compilation of The Rabbit and the Hare, The Lion and the Mouse and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. It was pretty cool. Drew was miserable the entire time. Then we went to lunch at the Fickle Pickle where kids eat free on Tuesday. However, I didn’t notice that it didn’t start until after 3. Ugh!! Then we went to a thrift store and the Dollar Store to kill time before Drew had to be at his session at 2 where he got another star! After his session we came home and went swimming. He loves the water so much! He doesn’t script when we are swimming. Jessica said it’s because the water is providing the sensory input that the scripting usually does. I asked if I could make him a bubble suit and fill it with water for him to wear around. She said no! Bummer.










Puppet Show. Trying to get a good picture of these two is like herding cats!

















Here are some bullets from the week

• When we were driving home last Friday, there was a guy on the side of the road spinning one of those signs for a business. We were at the red light and he looks over at him and says “Excuse Me, come over here.” Then he says “He can’t hear us.”

• Matt has noticed that he is playing rougher with him in the pool. He can toss him across the pool whereas before he was too scared.

• Yesterday when we were swimming, he played tag appropriately with a little boy in the pool. Usually tag consists of “Chase Drew"

• He has started eating string cheese!

• Last night he asked me for chicken. I knew he meant chicken nuggets but I had some deli turkey out and cut some of that up and put it on a plate and he ate it, twice!!

• When we were at the American Girl Doll Store we walked past the “salon” and the girls said Hi and asked how we were. He says “We’re fine” and keeps walking.

• I bought them some guns that shoot balls at the Dollar Store (don’t waste your money) and he points it at Abby and says “Put your hands up!”

Drew has a session early this afternoon and then we are hitting the road to TN for a long weekend!

Gargling

We are trying to develop his vegas nerve. It is connected to the GI system and he has issues. Gargling helps develop that. This is just funny! Honestly, I was quite surprised he was able to do this on the first try. I thought for sure we'd be practicing this forever before he got the hang of it.

Until next time,