- Speech therapy - Sometimes I wonder if it is more for my benefit than Matthew's. I learn alot and ask many questions on how to coach Matthew at home. His articulation is typical and he is advanced for his age in what all he says and repeats. So, she doesn't coach him to say sounds or words, she coaches him on the social aspects of speech. For instance, he can look at a page with a picture of a teddy bear, a spoon, a pillow and a telephone and name each and every item perfectly. But when you ask him "What do you eat with?" He cannot answer. Also, we're working on him on how to interact with others. What it means when someone cries and how to play cars with other little children. Simple things that typical kiddos pick up naturally.
- Occupational therapy - Matthew's fine motor skills are fine. This therapy is for his sensory difficulties. In this therapy he colors, plays with play-do, plays in the ball pit, feels different textures, etc. Hopefully, we'll get him on a swing, slides, all the fun stuff that he should be enjoying immensely at this age.
Thursday - Together groups with Early Intervention. This is a play group for other children in the Early Intervention program. Its a chance for Matthew to interact with other kiddos his age.
Friday - Early Intervention visits. A EI Specialist comes to work with Matthew. I think she really comes to work with me and gives much advice on how to work with Matthew all throughout the day. From how to engage him while doing house-cleaning chores to bathtime and meal times. How to challenge him, keep him interested and engaged in a variety of toys, etc. She does much more than I can begin to list. Matthew likes these visits alot and has benefitted greatly. I attribute his great cooperation in toy clean up times to Robyn! Or, as Matthew says: "Rah-rah-bin".
When you throw in church small groups meetings on some Tuesdays and play dates on some Wednesdays, it makes for busy weeks! I don't mind though. I'll drive around the world if that's what Matthew needs!
Matthew is also involved in the P.L.A.Y. Project, this is something we just started. This is an intervention for children with Autism. It is a play-based intervention. We are each periodically video-taped playing with Matthew and then given suggestions and coaching by our EI Specialist and by Drs who will view the footage. The goal is to follow Matthew's lead in play, but to slowly guide him through different levels of play until he is playing as a "typical" child - using elaborate and highly imaginative play. Children with Autism get stuck in play and don't evolve through levels of play on their own, as typical kids do. There's alot more to it, but that's it in a nutshell.
Here are a few pictures from playing outside this fall. The second picture is blurry, but I think he looks so much like my nephews, John and Caleb did at his age in that pic.
