Speech Therapy?

I was hoping to take a poll on what kind of activities your kids do during speech therapy at school (not outpatient/hospital based). 

I am meeting with Jack's teacher and speech therapist on Friday to discuss how his sessions are going.  I am just curious to find out how other schools conduct speech therapy.

At Jack's school speech is done in a group setting.  I've only come to realize (this week) that he does not get his speech 1 to 1 like he did in preschool or during early intervention.  I have a lot of questions on how he's doing with his goals and whether this is an appropriate setting for him.

The group session consists of 6 or 7 kids from two classrooms with about 5 switches on the table. They take turns hitting the switch to "read" a story.  While the activity in itself is nice, Jack needs SO MUCH MORE than this during his therapy time.  Much less in a group of 6 or 7 where he's the only VERBAL child.

Here's our experience PRIOR to this school year with school based therapy:

Oral Motor stuff like working in front of a mirror sticking his tongue out or imitating a "O" with his lips. Using a "horn hierarchy" to build muscles around his mouth. Blowing cotton balls across the table with a straw, etc.

The other things were receptive language stuff: like point to the bird, what is the boy doing in this picture, etc.

Then there's the pronunciation and just repeating sounds.

He has so many motivators too like bubbles, music, toys, balls, etc. And his TSS is there to help with the behavior and redirecting so I feel he needs to be in a different situation at speech time.

Thanks for your input -- I'll keep you posted!!!

Random Things...

We had our Wilhelm Thanksgiving at our house this past weekend!  It was a lot of fun and our dinner was yummy!  Pa Pa, Jan, Uncle Ben, Julia, Jack, Morgan, and Jason and I had a good time talking over turkey!  Everyone brought a dish or two and let me tell ya, that was a great thing!  I tried traditional stuffing for the first time and it was great -- good job Pa Pa and Jan (although I know there was a tiff in the kitchen, lol it was worth it!)

Jack has been doing great at school.  He got his "report card" (progress report) and I am SO PROUD!

• Use 20 new words 98%
• Use a greeting/farewell 100%
• Draw a cirlce, square and triangle 73%
• Use non-dominant hand (right) to stabilize objects (books, toys, paper, etc) 100%
• Correctly orient a scissors to paper 93%
• Insert coins into slot 100%
• Independent functional mobility in school environment 70%
• Propel wheelchair 20 feet 33%
• Pull to stand at walker 77%
• Stand independently for 8 seconds 100%
• Use walker for 10 minutes at a time 70%
• Name shapes and colors 71%
• Rote count to 10 41%
• Identify letters in his first name 44%

When we wrote these goals at his IEP meeting I really had no idea he'd be close to mastering most of them within the FIRST QUARTER!  These are goals written for the ENTIRE YEAR!!!  His teachers and the staff at the school are truly angels on earth.  I could not be any happier with his placement or how things are going.  It feels really good to say that, considering how much preparation and planning and worrying went into this transition.

We are heading to Grandma Linda's for Thanksgiving this year.  I am really starting to get in the holiday spirit!  I even pre-planned and printed my black Friday shopping list -- I'll let you know how I make out!!

I hope everyone has a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Ideas? Adapted Mouse?

The following is an email I sent to Jack's teacher this morning!  I need your links, info, comments please!

I was wondering if you had any information on a suitable computer mouse (or switch/button) that would be good for Jack to use with simple computer games. He loves to play a few online games (like peekaboo on sesame street -- where you can hit any key on the keyboard to play).

I was browsing some special needs catalogs and came across a few games like this:

Language and Communication

Lots Of Action

Kids love amusement parks. This great program gives you 16 errorless activities that provide hours of fun and teach cause and effect, scanning, and visual tracking. Animated activities include a ferris wheel, motorcycle stunts, popcorn machine, dolphin show, bumper cars, car wash, roller coaster, and much more. Use a single switch, two switch step scanning, or touch screen to start the action. Each activity can be played with 1, 2, or 3 segments. No prior knowledge or understanding is needed. Chronological age is 9 mos-4 years. CD-ROM:Win.

Have you come across a switch that is just one or two buttons? Before we would purchase something like this I would like to ask around to see if anyone can show me an example of a mouse or switch that would work for Jack!

Any information would be great!!

Thanks,
Angela

PS -- feel free to forward this email to anyone else who may know of something that could help!

Best Days!

Wow, Jack's had two of the best days yesterday and today!

He woke up with a smile -- and gave me lots of hugs and kisses...he played before breakfast and cooperated with getting dressed and sat very patiently waiting for the bus.  I think it helps that the mornings have been gorgeous here and we sit outside waiting for Miss J. to come get him.

Today at school he played "Classmate Bingo" and loved it!  He made a story book about the weather (using PECS symbols)  He said all of his teachers' names!! (Lo lo, Tish, Je, Tef) used his words all days long and knew it was snack time before they announced it (it truly shows he's learning the routine and paying attention to cues).

He had OT and Vision Therapy today.  His OT said he did some sensory input with him using a "ball bath" I can only imagine Jack LOVED this -- the note said he enjoyed it.  Jack also did well with his vision teacher and did a lot of nice things for her today.  Although he wasn't keen on naming colors today -- there's always another day!

It does my mommy heart good to hear how he's really getting into the swing of things and when he has good days, they are REALLY good.  I hope they are here to stay!

Baguttons!

Jack had a great week at school. His new TSS Miss J. is f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! I love the staff, they are so nice and genuinely care about the kiddos. He's been very, very sleepy after school and wanted to go to bed last night at 7:00 pm...we kept him up until 8:00 for his meds.

Morgan loves taking Jack to school -- she runs around the classroom and waves bye bye when it's time for us to go. Jack had tears this morning, but he put on a brave face and hugged me and said "See ya."

His teacher has this wonderful communication book she sends back and forth with the kids. It has details of Jack's day and on the same page a space for parents to write notes as well. I think she'll get tired of my notes...I tend to write a lot! lol!

Jack has off tomorrow for a neuro and ortho appointment...then Friday is a school holiday and he has a wheelchair/PT appointment to assess his wheeling needs and get the ball rolling on getting a new one...and an ENT appointment. YUCK...too much all at once. I will be looking forward to a nice three day weekend!!!

Oh, and our new favorite saying around our house? "Bagutton" -- that's what Morgan calls buttons. It cracks us up every time!

First Day of Kindergarten

Our Jack Riley is at school right now. It's not that I'm not used to him being in school -- he's been attending preschool for 2 years. It's just the fact that he's officially a Kindergartner now, with a full day away from mom.

The morning went well...he woke up early and had a big breakfast, a bowl of corn pops, 4 pieces of veggie bacon, and 8 oz of chocolate pediasure. He had his meds and combed his hair. I packed his little lunch bag last night: PBJ sandwich, apple sauce, fish crackers and graham sticks...as well as some pediasure. Packed lots of diapers, 2 extra sets of clothing, and his diastat. He was ready to go! We stopped by grandma and grand-pauly's house to pick them up. They wanted to see Jack go on his first day...I was grateful for the company.

We arrived at the school about 20 minutes early. We signed in at the office and walked the hallway to Jack's classroom. Jack spotted the little sink and immediately was fixated on wanting to play with water. The sink is not meant for playing and this upset him GREATLY. He started crying and throwing his entire body backwards in his wheelchair. The teacher took him over to the toys, and on the way there Jack threw himself backwards and HIS WHEELCHAIR TIPPED BACKWARDS...(yes, it does have an anti-tip bar -- but apparently, it's not 100% anti-tip). He was a little stunned, but thankfully unhurt. This has never happened before -- of course it happens within minutes of starting his first day. We made sure he was okay and actually that stopped him from yelling and he calmed down. We said our goodbyes and he was so brave. He said "see ya...love you, bye" a couple of times and we left.

I'm okay, really and I know as the days go on and I learn how he's doing and what the daily routine is I'll be even better. No one ever said it was easy to let go...because, well, it isn't.

Pictures to come ; )

School Lunch Ideas?

Jack eats a lot of food -- however, this year he's been extremely rigid about the types of food he'll eat. I plan on packing a lunch for him daily. Here are the types of things he'll currently eat that are "packable" he'll eat spaghetti and veggie bacon and a other hot foods, but there's no way for them to heat things or cook things for Kindergarten.

Sliced bananas
Dried apples
Apple Sauce
Crackers (fish, teddy grahams)
Pudding
Yogurt
Peanut butter sandwiches (I checked and PB is allowed in the classroom).
Chocolate Pediasure

Taking these foods into consideration, what other variations are there? What do your kids eat at school?

Ready, Set, GO!

I remember my first day of Kindergarten. I remember my teacher, Mrs. C. I remember playing with my first friend Amy on the playground. We decided to be "best friends" that day. I remember I rode bus number 23. I chose a book bag with a blond cabbage patch kid on it...these are my earliest memories, and now Jack is about to travel that same road!

Monday Jack Riley starts Kindergarten. He has a lime green jungle print book bag, a blue lunch bag, and a blue camo thermos. He has new clothes, new shoes, even new socks...seems he's all ready to go! Thing is, I am not ready for him to go. I can't believe he's no longer a baby, no longer a toddler, not even a preschooler any more...he's offically a big kid now!

He'll be driven by me the first week -- then he'll take the bus. He goes all day. The bus will pick him up at 8:10 am, and drop him off at 3:45 pm. ALL DAY. I know he'll be in good hands -- but it will take a long time for me to get used to the fact that he'll be away so many hours during the day.

I will keep you posted! Wish our big kid good luck for Monday!!