Home Visits

Nathan started his ABA program with the county back in January of this year.  It's 5 days a week, 8:30-10:15am.  I am definitely seeing a difference in him....it's amazing.  The occupational therapist also comes to our home about twice a month  both to show me what he is doing in school and to give me tips on how to expand on these practices in the home.  Our OT's name is Christie, and I love her, I suspect that Natey does too even though he is always telling her to "go".  I don't know how many of you have seen a 2 year old sitting at a desk and doing "drills", but it is kinda nutty.  Not in a bad way, but in a, wait a minute, wasn't this kid just trying to lick the floor 5 minutes ago kind of way.  Now here he sits in his little chair, after being told to "come here" (and going!) doing puzzles, matching, sorting.....pretty cool.  The routine is for him to do 2 "tasks", if he does well he gets a fun toy (say a spinner) to play with for about a minute....if he doesn't he gets something a little less thrilling to play with, like a....spoon.  After the play, it's back to 2 more tasks, and then he can get out of his chair, give mommy a hug and play for about 3 minutes.  Then, back to the table (lather, rinse, repeat, you get it)....

I have seen him progress from matching one item to a like item to handling 2 choices with distraction.  He is working the shape puzzle completely independently, including when turned backwards.  He is learning to follow direction, he is responding to his name and "come here".  To give you some idea of how much progress this is, I once called Nathan's name over and over again just to see if he would ever turn.  30 times......nothing.  There are still times when he is "gone" and will not respond even if you are standing on your head holding the most gluteny snack available and dangling it in front of his face.  But those times are definitely fewer and farther between.  Most of the time he responds.  So gratifying to have your child look at you....

And language!  In December Nathan was not really using words in a constructive manner except occasionally go.  Here is what we have now:

"go", "more", "more book", "I don't want", "I good boy", the ever popular "no", "I did it" and many more words and phrases that are what I would call "emerging", ie, not consistent and not always intelligible, but coming along! 

This is good stuff