Update on LJ

I couldn't remember if I'd posted about our diagnosis, but I went back and saw that I had. LJ is doing well these days. He's started meds for the ADHD which seem to be helping his focus. He's doing PT and still wearing his AFOs (though not as often as he should be...bad mommy keeps forgetting about them!) and he's started OT with a new girl. She's really nice and I'm praying that her methods work better than our last OT. I was not impressed by her at all. I didn't feel like they made a connection and I didn't feel he was progressing any with her.

Here's LJ and Ms. Jan (PT)


and here's LJ with Ms. Megan (OT)



His teacher has been great this year. Honestly at first I thought I was going to go crazy with all the phone calls and her calling out every LITTLE thing he did during the day that was "out of sorts". But she's calmed down now and I'm thankful for that. We now have an answer to WHY he does the things he does and we just strive for finding solutions to the problems. Like when he has meltdowns because he's not ready to go in from recess. Problem: changing from one activity to the other. Solution: giving him reminders that the change is coming 5 minutes before and then again 1 minute before the change. This helps him realize that change is coming and he can prepare for it. The teacher prepares him all during the day when they change from one activity to the other. And if something out of the ordinary happens (like him riding the bus home without his sisters or picture day) we give him plenty of notice and reminders about the change. He gets very anxious when things like this happen. I remember the day he had to ride the bus alone. He kept talking about it the night before and on the way to school that day. I felt so bad that my baby was scared. He did great though.

His "hand flapping" is still very much active. He does this quite frequently. And he gets fixated on things. He's had a sore on his head for months now because he picks at it all day long! He once had a scratch on his face that he constantly picked at. I'm about ready to get his hair cut very short so that I can kept some antibiotic cream on it and hopefully it'll go away.

He won't talk to anyone on the phone. Mom kept him last Friday because school was out and when I called to check on him he wouldn't talk to me. I have no idea why he won't talk...he used to. When he gets embarrassed or is being shy he'll lick whoever is holding him. We saw a cousin in Walmart and LJ was in the buggy. When I said "Tell Daphne hey" he promptly leaned over and licked my hand several times! LOL Just a nervous tick. He did it to his daddy a couple weeks ago (Joe had taken him to see a friend that works at the archery shop and LJ always likes seeing Mr. Casey...but he acted shy and licked Joe!)

He enjoys lots of different things. He loves his video games. He got a DSi from his Nana Ann and Popa Wyman for his birthday and he plays that a lot. He also plays the Wii. He can scan through the movies on Netflix through the Wii like a pro and can operate my Ipod Touch better than I can :) He loves to read books and I'm working on sight words with him. I know I, a, big, so and am. We just started with them. He also loves to be outside. Swinging is his favorite outside activity. His teacher says he'll stay on the swings during the entire recess time. We signed him up for Tball this year. We're just waiting to hear from the coach to see when the practices and games start. I'm anxious to see how he does. It'll be his first team activity. I too him to buy his cleats and glove last weekend. He's all set.

He's such a wonderful little man. He's so smart and is always asking questions and learning new stuff. He's requested a trip to see dinosaur bones so we're going to take him to the museum soon. I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.