End of year status

TRex has continued with his neurotherapy protocols.  This next week I schedule his last two of the 25 sessions as well as his follow up QEEG.  He started twice a week speech therapy this week with Ms. Ashley.  She assigned two things for homework for the first session.

•                 When talking with TRex, if he doesn’t look at you gently tap his wrist and say “Look at me when talking”.  As time goes on, we should be able to do this less.

•                 Ask him to describe what is happening in a picture.  We will start with a new book tonight and ask him to tell me what he thinks is happening in the story.  

After the second session of speech therapy Ms Ashley again assigned homework:

•                 Sequencing – Have him verbally tell you the steps in a familiar process such as how do you brush your teeth.

She has also started a social skill building exercise.  They play the “Who am I game”.  She had him guess who she was with her giving him clues for instance a fire fighter.  Then he had a turn at giving the clues.  TRex plays iSequence on the iPad at home.  I am working with him to verbally tell me the steps as he is progressing.  Ashley said that after he completes a sequence, I should ask him what would be the next step. 

This month has shown a remarkable increase in language skills.  Remarkable enough that I notice even though I see him all the time when he isn’t at school.  A couple of examples follow:

1.                Last week on the way to basketball practice, he said “Momma you don’t have to come in.  I know what to do.  I am a big boy.”  I laughed and told him I am his mom and I AM coming in. 

2.                He told Santa Claus exactly what he wants for Christmas.   This is the first time he has ever said anything to Santa.  Ever.

3.                He has also gone into details about how Santa brings presents down from the roof and puts them under the tree.  He has never discussed with me before though I have talked about Santa in previous years.

4.                Yesterday on the way to neuro, TRex  says “Mom look at that car.  It is a mini cooper but it looks like a race car.”  This was a very good description of the vehicle.

5.                On  the way back from neuro, he said in a mature voice..”Mom I need to tell you something.”  This caught me off guard so I turned down the music volume and turned around and asked "What?"  He said "Mom I don't want school lunch.  I want to take home lunch."  I was a little taken aback since he has wanted to have school lunch this year.

I said “ You know that means you won't get ice cream and pizza on Friday?” and he said “I want school lunch on Pizza and chicken nuggets but the rest I want home lunch.”  I asked him why the change and he said “Wyatt and Riley bring home lunch. “  The he added “I want school lunches on Pizza and Chicken nugget day and the rest home lunches.”  I am amazed.  he is being social and is using his language in a very mature way.

What are the coincidences that he has this language spike on the week he started speech therapy?  He has had speech therapy as part of his PPCD program when he was 4.  I believe this is a combination of the two therapies together.  I can hardly wait until we see the QEEG results mid-January.