James still has services at the school for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy. As a matter of course, his progress must be assessed quarterly and yearly. This is how it works. I understand the need and the reasoning. They have to tailor the therapy to match the needs.
ONLY
He's being compared on a graph to the norms. Every little thing that does not measure up to the "other children in the box" is noted. It starts to feel super negative when your kid doesn't fit the usual molds.
He can do very well, generally, but he is on the slow side, so his scores are low, and he doesn't measure up.
In the next few weeks it will be the testers' duty to share with me everything that needs to be "worked" on, everything that he is "behind" in, where he doesn't "compare" with other kids.
NICE.
***
On a happier note,
I didn't just reach 100 friends.
I have 104!!
And I'm still at 995 posts :-) AMAZING!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
A Visit to the Behavioral Therapist
James and I went and visited with a behavioral therapist here in town. She asked questions, went over his history, and we told our story. Then she asked what we had hoped to accomplish by visiting with her. I told her I was hoping for some input and strategies to help him reach his potential and learn deal with his emotions better.
She looked at me and said,
"You are already doing everything right.
It's just going to take time."
*sigh*
Well, we tried.
I had thought to leave no stone unturned. She gave me a list of books to read. Some I have already read. I realized after talking with her I am actually well read on the subject. I have done a ton of research. As long as it had no New-Age connections or Mystical medicine links, I have given it thought, compared it with the principles in scripture and put it into practice or dumped it. And probably I have learned more on the subject through reading other mom's experiences online than anywhere else.
It was nice to talk to a real live person with some background, though.
One thing that she said that was little light bulb moment was this: "As adults we think through things, we self talk, we motivate ourselves internally, etc... but with these kids we do all the WORK for them. We think it through, we talk them through, we walk them through and we motivate them to then next stage."
We do all the work. No wonder I am exhausted at the end of the day.
She did suggest that James might need a brain stimulant... I will study that aspect of the brain, but as far as medication goes, it would take a lot to convince me at this point. I think we are a whole society dependent on stimulants and I don't think it is a healthy crutch. . .
