Satscout
10-11-2004, 10:28 PM
:) The short version, for reference's sake. Especially since new folk keep asking. :D ;)
Andrew was born four weeks early and from the beginning could not suckle properly. After much effort, we were able to get him to drink formula, and later, drink from a bottle. By his 12 month visit, he was "a little behind"; by 15 months, he tested out at the 9-10 month developmental level and was labelled as "global developmental delay". He entered multimodal therapy (OT/PT/ST) and a local daycare that specializes in special needs children; the program that pays for it covers children to age 3. Two very special women in the daycare managed to get him to the point of eating "semisolid" food (read: ronis, Spaghettios, applesauce; that is, his current feeding level).
On his third birthday, Andrew aged out of that program, and his care was assumed by the school system. Funky, I know. They put him in the Early Childhood Development program at his school, and his diagnosis was "upgraded" to "pervasive developmental disorder".
His main issues currently are sensory related. He cannot eat food that must be chewed or bitten. Macaroni, Spaghettios, applesauce, and the micro size raviolis are all he can eat. He drinks a lot of juice and chocolate milk too (the doctor's take: "at least he's getting some dairy"). Oh, I almost forgot - yogurt. We share a yogurt every afternoon when he gets home from school. Dairy and bonding at the same time. ;)
Corollary to this is the persistent toilet training problem. He can demonstrate the skill, but cannot consistently go by himself, under his own initiation. Applies to #1 and #2.
He has a problem with sunlight. He can't go out in it uncovered without getting sick - not a burn per se (although if he were exposed that long, he would be very sick indeed!), but a mental status change that can range from wooziness to almost a drunken gait and demeanor. It goes away when he is out of the light long enough, and special sun protective clothing has helped this somewhat. Now if we could only get a diagnosis......
.....which brings us nearly to the present. He is considered "at risk" for autistic spectrum, and has tested one criterion short of formal diagnosis. We got a grant from a local children's charity to cover OT, and he just started therapy again last week. He "looks normal", so much so that folks at church unaware of his diagnoses are genuinely surprised when I explain just what I'm dealing with. Honestly, sometimes I think it would be easier to have a wheelchair, or Down's syndrome facies, or something else big and obvious so people won't be so DENSE when it comes to accepting the reality of Andrew's issues.
And then I'm grateful that he is as independent as HE is, given my own physical limitations. That would be a whole 'nuther post, however. I'll stop while I'm ahead.
Yes. He is my special, special boy. He will be five years old next March 8. :cool: :D ;)
Andrew was born four weeks early and from the beginning could not suckle properly. After much effort, we were able to get him to drink formula, and later, drink from a bottle. By his 12 month visit, he was "a little behind"; by 15 months, he tested out at the 9-10 month developmental level and was labelled as "global developmental delay". He entered multimodal therapy (OT/PT/ST) and a local daycare that specializes in special needs children; the program that pays for it covers children to age 3. Two very special women in the daycare managed to get him to the point of eating "semisolid" food (read: ronis, Spaghettios, applesauce; that is, his current feeding level).
On his third birthday, Andrew aged out of that program, and his care was assumed by the school system. Funky, I know. They put him in the Early Childhood Development program at his school, and his diagnosis was "upgraded" to "pervasive developmental disorder".
His main issues currently are sensory related. He cannot eat food that must be chewed or bitten. Macaroni, Spaghettios, applesauce, and the micro size raviolis are all he can eat. He drinks a lot of juice and chocolate milk too (the doctor's take: "at least he's getting some dairy"). Oh, I almost forgot - yogurt. We share a yogurt every afternoon when he gets home from school. Dairy and bonding at the same time. ;)
Corollary to this is the persistent toilet training problem. He can demonstrate the skill, but cannot consistently go by himself, under his own initiation. Applies to #1 and #2.
He has a problem with sunlight. He can't go out in it uncovered without getting sick - not a burn per se (although if he were exposed that long, he would be very sick indeed!), but a mental status change that can range from wooziness to almost a drunken gait and demeanor. It goes away when he is out of the light long enough, and special sun protective clothing has helped this somewhat. Now if we could only get a diagnosis......
.....which brings us nearly to the present. He is considered "at risk" for autistic spectrum, and has tested one criterion short of formal diagnosis. We got a grant from a local children's charity to cover OT, and he just started therapy again last week. He "looks normal", so much so that folks at church unaware of his diagnoses are genuinely surprised when I explain just what I'm dealing with. Honestly, sometimes I think it would be easier to have a wheelchair, or Down's syndrome facies, or something else big and obvious so people won't be so DENSE when it comes to accepting the reality of Andrew's issues.
And then I'm grateful that he is as independent as HE is, given my own physical limitations. That would be a whole 'nuther post, however. I'll stop while I'm ahead.
Yes. He is my special, special boy. He will be five years old next March 8. :cool: :D ;)