And we're done with the training...bring on the QEEG

TRex's last training session was uneventful.  He handled it like a pro.  The conversation with the doctor afterwards was very interesting.  He asked me on a scale of 1-10 what was the improvement and I said I don't think I can say but I can give you another measurement.  In May I was lucky if TRex were able to concentrate on a task for 5 minutes.  This week he colored and decorated his poster for 20 minutes.

I told the doctor that I was concerned because of my conversation with the room mom the day before.  Her child had trained at the same age as TRex but 5 years later is having issues and is on ADHD medication.  How do I know if and when I need to bring TRex back if the QEEG shows everything is in the "normal" range.  His statement was that neurofeedback is just a tool that is needed to be used with others.  He gave me the example of someone who weight trains very strenuously but goes home and eats pizza will not achieve the desired results.  I have to be honest here and say that this doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling...all I can do is be vigilant and make sure that TRex's brain is stimulated every day.

Several observations about today:1. TRex was talking about his pets and kept calling Jasper a "red devil barrow" and laughing.  I asked him to repeat it several times and he kept using the same term.  I always call Jasper the Red Devil but I didn't understand what "barrow" meant.  I then asked him if LoLo was a red devil barrow and he laughed and said funny momma, she is a brown barrow...hmmmm that got me thinking so I asked him if Scooter was a red devil barrow and he said no momma he is a gato.....then it clicked I asked him if Rowdy is a gato too and he said yes.  So it seems that little Mr. Man has had some spanish lessons and he is correct both Japser and LoLo are perros....hahahaha!

After TRex finished his bath he was standing in front of the mirror and laughing.  He asked me "Am I a girl?"  I said of course not silly.  The he said look I have hair like Ms. Kittridge...and I almost laughed because he had made the sides of his hair spiky...like Ms. Kittridge.  Then I said are you sure it isn't like Ms. Owens?  Then he slicked his hair down and said this is like Ms. Owens.  So I would say his verbal processing is progressing.

One to go

TRex continues to do well.  He had an excellent session with Mr. Bill Saturday and one with Ms. Charity today.  She asked me if I had noticed any improvements at all since I didn't note any on the paper.  I have to say....the improvements happen all the time.

As an example, TRex is the class star of the week which means a poster about him was needed for Monday.  Typically the teacher sends home the blank poster and we complete it.  Last year I did all of the work though he was interested in the final product.  This year, I picked out the pictures and cut them to size.  He decided on his own that he wanted to color in the circles on the four corners and the letters.  (I think the student who was the star the previous week had done that so he thought he would do it.)  Anyway the point is....he FOCUSED on it for over 20 minutes.  It isn't perfect but he DID IT!  And he also wrote some of the answers.  I wrote about half since the space was limited but he was able to read it back such as his birthday.

TRex was very proud of his poster when we brought it in this morning.  It is much more precious than the one I did last year.  I am looking forward to the one he does BY HIMSELF next year.

Also, this weekend we traveled to Austin to visit my BFF and her son (the original neurofeedback child mentioned in the first entry of this blog).  TRex has always loved Mike.  Mike plays basketball so I think that is why TRex has been interested.  Mike worked with TRex while we were there, and he definitely got him to focus.  I think we need to borrow Mike a couple of times before the season starts.

Look at that intensity.  The focus is starting to happen. 

While we were waiting for TRex's appointment, he noticed a girl wearing a uniform for his school.  Turns out, she is the sister of one of his classmates.  The mother is our room mom, HA!  Talk about a small world.  (TRex's classmate is not the child who is having the neurofeedback sessions.)  Her eldest son had gone through treatments back at TRex's age.  In the 5 years afterward, he has had to go onto ADHD medication and was back with the neurofeedback in order to help.  I will definitely be vigilante in noting any symptoms so that TRex's odds of having medication are drastically reduced.

Everything is working out!

This past week has been great for TRex.  Hard to believe that his training will be complete by this time next week.  TRex now tells me what he did at school during the day.  Today, his class had a football player and a cheerleader visit which he told me about plus who all was in his class today..

He was very focused at training today.  We came home for a quick snack and then went to karate.  I was amazed at how focused he was.  We had practiced the first part of Chon Ji at home and he did it for Mr. David.  Also he has improved on his balances and block.  Today a pair of the higher belts brought their sparing gear and for the first time I noticed TRex paying attention.

On the way home, TRex mumbled something so I asked him to repeat.  He said I want to fight.  I asked him what he meant and he said fight like at Mr. David's.  I asked him do you mean you want to spar and he said yes I want to spar.  I explained that he has to get to the next belt to be able to spar and that is what he repeated to his Poppa when we arrived home.  I feel like everything is finally paying off for TRex.

I talked with a friend on the way to karate and said she could come by - which she didn't but will next week.  On the way home, TRex also asked me who didn't come to karate.  I asked him what he meant and he said "Who did you want to come to karate?"  I still acted like I didn't know what he meant and he actually named her.

TRex had wanted me to go a certain route on the way home from training but I told him no because of the school zone and that we would go after karate.  I went straight home because I was caught up in the fact that he was able to discuss his wants and such as I stated previously.  As I pulled into the driveway, TRex said "Momma, where didn't we go?"  I was kind of taken aback and asked him what he meant and he said "You said we could go on Mimosa after karate."  I high-fived him and drove up to Mimosa.

Before his bath, TRex used his number wall chart and counted to 100 for me.  He also did the "at" family of words.  After his bath, TRex read his first book to me EVER - the BOB book Mat.  I would say this has been an amazing and blessed day.   I don't believe he could have done this in May before his neurofeedback training.

Headed into the homestretch!!

TRex is on the last protocol with only 4 more training sessions left!!  His PE teachers at curriculum day commented that he is paying attention now. So far, we have had all positive reports from school which is very different than the previous two years.  I can't wait to hear the feedback from his parent teacher conference scheduled Oct 31st.

We have been practicing his skills from school.  He can count up to 100 and is starting to read three letter words using the family word methodology - at, it, etc.

End of first week of preK5

Friday was the end of the first week of pre-K5.  TRex was disappointed that he was not able to go to school on Saturday and Sunday so I would say that is a sign that he likes his class.  I have to admit I have had some nervousness about how this year would go.

Last year in pre-K4 TRex was socially isolated.  I could tell that he was sad about it because he would come home and cry about it (and as his mom this breaks my heart).  I think the social isolation was in part due to the fact that he was “different” from his classmates.  He only went half days.  He got special attention, etc.  The other part was also due to the speech issues.  I am hoping to help this pattern not repeat this year.  I was concerned because one of the students who he had said “doesn’t like him” was in his class this year when we were looking at the roster.  However, I have asked him this week if said classmate is being nice to him and he had so yes.  TRex is becoming very willing to talk about his feelings with me so I will continue to ask and hopefully this situation will resolve and we can move past it.

I saw his teacher on friday at release and she said she still has to direct him to start activities but that once he gets started he is ok (I hope I am not projected my wishes upon how I interpret what she said).  So that is part of what we will be working on for the coming weeks.

With school on-going, TRex's training sessions are in the evening during the week.  I am trying to schedule one of the two weekly sessions on Saturday morning.  He was very tired Wednesday with school, neurofeedback, and reciting his memory verses at church.  We skipped karate that night.  I think we will not go to karate on Wednesdays while he has training.

Aug 22, 2012

What a day and week for TRex!!  He did well on his training session Monday which was his first one in this protocol.  He had a 63% reward.  Today he had a 75% reward.  Lynsey said next one will have more difficulty.  TRex's speech and thought patterns continue to improve.  An example of speak this week:

On the way back from the store tonight
TRex: Mom how old are you?
Me: I am 5 just like you.
TRex: Mom 5 year olds don't drive.

Um busted. Guess I need to fess up to being 16.

Today was TRex's first day at pre-K5. This summer he worked his rear end off on school work. The only day of the week he got totally off was Sunday. Additionally he has been in karate since the end of May, had 10 Saturdays of soccer fundamentals, and 5 Saturdays of basketball fundamentals. Today was be the 17th neurofeedback training session out of a total 25 scheduled. Lots of activity and lots of hitting his brain.

When I picked him up in car pool, his teacher said "He drew the ginger bread man on his own, he ate his lunch on his own, he answered and participated in conversation. I took him down to talk to his teacher from last year. She amazed at the difference." All I have to say is AMEN! Thank you God. 

At home, he told his Poppa and M'Dear that he did his work by himself.  TRex was very proud as was his mother.   I am sure the neurofeedback isn't the only thing that made the difference, but I do give it lots of credit.  I am thrilled that he stayed on task.  I hope tomorrow brings as much success but need to keep my hopes in check.

TRex finished his third protocol on Wednesday.  The extra sleep seems to have worked as he was able to focus and had one of his best training sessions so far.  Only 10 left to go and I am looking forward to the protocol starting on Monday morning.  The focus will be on short term memory and verbal processing - the two areas that are at the heart of his issues.