It's hard to be a mom of two crazy tornadoes, run two blogs, homeschool, be an advocate for various things, participate in an online support group or twelve and run another online support group! Sometimes I drop a ball or two! Unfortunately, this blog is often the ball that gets dropped!
Or I overlook something soo incredibly simple, I feel like the world's most idiotic mother! :D It's hard though between all of DW's issues and needs, trying to balance what each kiddo needs, what I need to do yet and what I've left till tomorrow. Though sometimes, I will admit that it can get almost overwhelming and occasionally I will visit denial land where one or both boys are just fine and they are not. Hence, I drop a ball. :\
Case in point, my youngest JD....he was thought to have Apraxia of Speech but, now they are leaning more towards a language disorder. Basically, there is some portion of his brain that cannot "hear" correctly, even though his hearing is fine. Somewhere in there word retrieval is also suffering, as well as the words coming out don't come out or don't come out entirely correct. So, while the rest of the world, including myself, thinks he is saying one thing, most often he is saying another. Or he repeats the end of a sentence said to him, or even his own, because this is all he can process. So communication with him has been tough to say the least. He never hears anyone call his name and unless you are practically nose to nose with him and have eye contact! It is amusing and stressful all rolled into one.
Anyway, we've made what to the outside world I think, would seem like a baby step but, here between us, it is a HUGE thing. It was suggested that I make picture cards for him by his SLP and then by some other mothers who have children with similar language problems, for meal times, and various other things like toys, clothes, etc. So, today was the first time I implemented it during meal time and now I am kicking myself for not having done it sooner!
JD was calm and was able to tell me what he wanted! He even ate all of his meal!! Without issues and without eating the "good stuff" first. He picked a sandwich, peaches and gluten free pretzels. Instead of eating the peaches first and then yelling, he ate his sandwich first, then his pretzels and then the peaches. Not a thing was left over! AND neither, DW nor I had to redirect him to eat! It was fantastic!! Two meals went by with no yelling, no begging, pleading or chasing after him with bits of food!
As a bonus, DW gets to pick out his food for the entire day and this way, he knows it's coming, he's prepared and if he refuses to eat, it is his own fault. He's responded so well to it, that he's not had an empty plate all day! :)
JD was so pleased to be understood though, that he decided that the next thing he was going to eat was......you guessed it, Cheerios! ;)
