Speech

One more thing!

Last year at this time, Matthew had maybe 5 words in his vocabulary. If I remember right, he said: Daddy, ball, ruff, roar, etc...

This past week he was evaluated by a speech therapist who tested him at or above his age level for speech, comprehension, etc. So, he does not qualify for speech intervention through the school system. There are definately issues with his speech that we need to address though, so we're going to work on getting some funding for that.

Please indulge me for just a bit. There were 2 therapists who evaluated Matthew, one was the Speech therapist and the other was an OT. (For the most part, Matthew could do the fine motor skills fine, but struggles with sensory, which we knew.) Matthew greeted them at the door, found out their names and called them by name throughout the time they were here. The speech therapist told me that in her 29 years, said she has never seen a child like him. Most kiddos on the spectrum won't acknowledge her entrance, and engage in the testing like he did. She found him to be delightful (her words).

Yes, that's my little one and I know he's amazing.

Fun away from home

In 1 week from today, we're leaving for a beach vacation. This is the first time we're going on one since Matthew has been born. So, we've been talking about the beach alot, and I made a book for Matthew, so he'll know a little more about what to expect.




Matthew is a creature of habit and routine. So, its best to let him know what is coming next, especially if it is new and different. I've learned to explain, explain, explain and repeat, repeat, repeat...




We had a gift certificate for a nights stay at a local hotel, so we used it to show Matthew what it will be like to sleep and spend time away from home. He did great! We swam in the pool (Without any meltdowns or protests, even!), and had a fun evening in our room on the fourth floor. The only thing he didn't like - but has talked repeatedly of since that night - is the elevator. He's pretty afraid of them, and its the movement that he doesn't like. So, we sing and "count numbers" while the elevator moves. He protests before we get on and clings to his daddy but he does ride them. When he is tired, the protests are worse. I've been explaining to him that we will ride an elevator lots on vacation. We'll see how that goes...


The next morning came VERY early at 5:45 when I heard his little voice say "Do you want to play with your letter puzzle?" (Sometimes his speech is echolalic - meaning he parrots back what we say or would say, to him.)




Here are some fun shots in the pool:

Snacking on some popcorn before bed.

Sensory play

Last summer, Matthew rarely played on playgrounds or any play equipment. Occasionally, if he was exceptionally well-rested and he was 100% comfortable in his surroundings, he would do play well, but other than that, he mostly was afraid of it all.









So far, this summer is proving to be much different. This is in our backyard, but we've gone to several playgrounds and with 1 exception, he's played great!















We're working on alot of sensory play, and he's doing well! What is sensory play, you ask? That is a good question, and I'm not really sure how to answer, so I'll give you examples:

• Slides


• Swings


• Merry-go-rounds


• Finger paints


• Shaving cream


• Sandboxes


• Play-Doh


• The list could go on and on.

Are you getting the picture? Its experiencing different sensations, I suppose. It involves much more, but those are the basics. We swing Matthew back and forth in a blanket sometimes and he and his daddy love to wrestle. I've drug him around in a washbasket, which he loves. When he's riding in his wagon, he often says "Go fast!!" This is very important for him, to get him used to all kinds of stuff that he'll experience all his life. We won't be taking him on a roller coaster anytime soon - really, its ok if he doesn't like them. After all, Mommy doesn't!! (Hmmm, do you think I could have some sensory issues?)

Again, this stuff was very difficult last summer. He would never have climbed willingly into a washbasket then, and when it came to sand, he didn't even want to touch it. Now, he likes to lay in his sandbox and as long as we can incorporate letters and numbers, he'll stick his fingers right into the shaving cream.

One of the things that occasionally gives us problems is running water. So, its a little touchy to wash his hands sometimes and he's afraid to stick his hands under the faucet when his tub is filling up. The other night, one of his bath toys was directly under the water. I watched him try to work up the courage to reach for it, and he ended up asking for help. We'll just keep working on it!

And, as a bonus, are the flowers in my backyard pretty? My clematis did well this spring, and there are tons of peonies and a huge hollyhock!