What we have been up to

It has been so long since I've posted. Two things happened. The first is I got a new camera and I can't figure out how to get the pictures from the camera to the computer. They save weird on the camera and it goes back and forth from the SD card to the memory. It will split all the pictures up. My computer also wouldn't recognize my camera. The strange thing is it is the same camera I previously owned but a newer version. Here is a picture that was taken in the middle of January. Evan is really starting to notice cameras and try to smile for them.

The second thing that has been happening is Evan and his therapy. We have been worried about Evan retaining his primitive reflexes and his overall muscle tone for awhile. The doctors just wanted to wait until 1 year to see if they would correct themselves with just home therapy that I was doing. I use a sensory brush and massage him daily. Since he had received therapy until he was 4 months we just reopened his case and they came back to  reevaluate him at his present level. Evan scored average on everything except his receptive language and fine motor control. In those 2 areas he is currently at a 9 and 10 month old level. They also did an overall sensory test and concluded that he shows signs of hypersensitivity. All of this is not news to us. I have been documenting everything that was worrying us over the past 6 months and would cross out if it would resolve. Here are some of the things: severe curling of feet when pressed, won't relax legs, keeps legs very stiff, won't rest against us for more than a minute, startle reflex is strong still, afraid of wind, afraid of noises like vacuum/plastic bags/carts at store, when he is scared is hard to comfort, uses back of hand to push food in mouth still, left hand won't use pincer grip, cannot clean ears AT ALL, and won't catch himself when falling. These were the things bothering us the most.

In the middle of January Evan started his therapy twice a week. He goes every week to a chiropractor for craniosacral therapy and adjustments and then once with an OT who works on feeding, auditory, sensory, and muscle tone. The interesting thing is that both of these therapies work very well together. The chiropractor helped us find out that Evan had dairy intolerance. Once we stopped dairy he started pooping twice a day instead of twice a week, his eczema is cleared up, and he is overall happier because his gut isn't hurting. The chiropractor also has been adjusting him and Evan loves it. I was very skeptical that this would work at first but she adjusted his pelvis and at the office he was able to bend down and pick up a toy from the waist instead of sitting first and then pulling himself up. It was pretty amazing. He also loves the craniosacral massages she gives. He will grab her hand and put it on his head, stomach or legs. In the other therapy we work on fine motor skills and dismantling his startle reflex.  It has been great too.

It has currently been 5 total weeks of therapy. So far Evan has improved 100%. He now can almost run. He can curl up to you without being stiff. He is talking. So far he says, "yook (look), mama, dada, moo, and aaaaaaammmmmmm (vroom, when he is holding his car)." After his second craniosacral session the doctor picked him up and he pointed and said, "yook." So far that is his favorite saying. He also has started to tease and laugh by himself when he is playing. He can now hold a crayon with his left hand. He can hold a piece of string with his left hand. He will let me brush his ears with a really soft sensory brush and after a few minutes will let me put my finger in ear as long as I don't twist it. We are close to being able to use a que-tip. His right foot isn't so stiff and his feet will relax after a few minutes of massage and hold the correct shape for several minutes. He can walk in place and started to crawl backwards. He also will catch himself when falling forward and not bonk his head.

We still have a ways to go. The auditory sensory issues are the hardest for him to work on. I still bring the vacuum out everyday and so far he will let me turn it on as long as I hold him or someone holds him. Plastic bags still scare him and if someone knocks on the door he has the biggest fit. The doorbell can almost give him a heart attack. The other day we made it outside in the snow and he let me lower him on it and the crunchy sound the snow made only bothered him the first few minutes.

We will do 3 more months of therapy and then he will more than likely be dismissed. He has made great progress and we work on therapy everyday. It has been a lot of fun to see him starting to recognize things and relax more. I have loved that he has started to show a sense of humor. Sorry about the long overdo update. Hopefully I'll figure out how to get the videos and pictures off of my camera more efficiently. I got the camera because it had HD video recorder on it which has been fun.