Therapist Update

Two posts in one day? Yikes.

Anyway, just wanted to leave a quick update on how things are going with Baby J (what are we going to call him when new baby arrives?). Currently he is getting weekly therapy sessions to help with some sensory processing issues. It has helped remarkably, as some of you know I was at the end of my rope with him back in September. He is a much calmer happier kid now that I am "giving him what he needs". We are finding the balance between what is sensory processing that needs therapeutic intervention, and what is naughty 15 month old behavior and needs a different kind of intervention.

Out in public is where we (usually) have the most success with him. Being that he is sensory seeking, being in a very stimulating environment usually holds his interest. The problems arise when there are stimulus he doesn't like (touching his hair, rubbing his skin lightly, hearing running water, or you initiating physical contact) or things get...well...boring (here at home). Not that there is ever a dull moment. In my mind there is WAY more than enough going on, however I don't enjoy tons of stimuli. For Baby J, when everyone is here doing the routine, he gets to being his special self and antagonizing everyone and throwing fits all over.

It may sound pretty normal, but his fits are not (at least not what we tolerate at this house) and the way to stop them is also not. We do quite a bit of squishing him with a pillow, tossing him on the couch, rocking him in the (soft) rocker so his head bangs against the back, patting him firmly on the head, and smacking his bottom, back, soles of his feet. I swear I am going to jail for child abuse.

Many of these techniques are probably "do not try this at home" due to the fact that we are trained how to do it safely...so please don't try it on your children when they are outta control (or on mine if he is for that matter!)

My next update might be from a jail cell, but Baby J has settled down enough that he can follow a few simple directions, shake his head "yes" and "no", imitate some facial expressions, and say "ough-oh". HUGE progress for him :o)

P.S. he broke the 21 lb mark (again) this week. He had gotten there briefly before, but was hovering at 20 lb 12 oz for about a month or so. All this walking and climbing has him burning calories faster than ever! However, he is a CHUNK these days!