A little disappointed, probably need PT....

2Momtoo

So we just had our dr appointment and I left feeling a little disappointed/sad...they are 7 and a half adjusted right now... DD is rolling over tummy to back, just started back to tummy and sits up in a boppy by herself.  DS has always hated being on his tummy time, no matter how hard he we push it, he tolerates the saucer and sits unassisted in the boppy too.  Anyway today the dr said she wasn't totally pleased with their development if they are not 'further along" at the next visit in May she will recommend physical therapy.  She asked if they notice each other and laugh and they do so she seemed please with that aspect of it.  I did ask though is this a sign of mental retardation and she said no just need some extra help because they are preemies. 

 Anybody else do PT?  What do they do?  Is it ever a sign of somethign bigger?  We go to the dr a lot because our pediatrician seems extra cautious, every 2 months with visits for RSV shots every month too...  I am so ready to take a deep breath and exhale, but never feel like I can....feel like I need some success stories right now.

MommynTeacher

My DD goes to pt for torticollis now. PT is very common, not just in preemies. Please don't worry. I know it's the preemie mom instinct to worry! PT, OT, etc. really are great interventions and they don't usually mean something is "wrong"

Good luck! 

MommynTeacher

Also, I totally hear you on not being able to relax. It seems like as soon as I get one thing under control another thing pops up with DD.

kaylaaimee

We did PT for a year. It didn't really have to do w/ S's mental development, it was more that being born so early and lying in a bed for so long instead of being in the womb means their bodies don't get as strong as they need to be and makes them have weak muscle tone.

In PT we started by trying to get Scarlette to open and close her hands, then we worked on reaching for things, lifting her head, rolling over, sitting up, crawling and walking. She was just very wiggly and unsteady and took a lot longer to do all of those things and the PT really helped with that. It sounded a LOT scarier than it actually was.

Now she's chasing our dog all over the house and we can't believe how stinkin' quick she is!

katie4253

We did pt for his torticolis (by weekly) and now we do pt for gross motor (weekly).

mrsV719

Ditto everyone else. I have been getting EI services since he came home from the hospital. We started with just general therapy and now we get PT, OT, and feeding therapy. They have worked wonders and I am hoping that he fails at something in his re-eval so that he can continue to get services!!! You will see such an improvement and it doesn't always mean that there is something bigger going on. They just try to help "catch them up" to their actual age. So LO is 10.5m adjusted and 13.5m actual. His development is somewhere in between... some things are stronger than others. They don't want him developing like a 10.5m old... they push him to reach goals of a 13.5m old. Although as a little tid-bit... WE, as the parents, should never compare them to their actual age until somewhere between 2 and 3 years old. GL!

royalcrown1

My twins have been getting therapy through EI since August.  We had them evaluated in April because they were not sitting by themselves, but they did not have enough of a delay to qualify; they had 25% and needed 30% to qualify.  When they were re-evaluated in August, they were 10.5months adjusted and still not sitting or crawling.  They qualified with a much larger delay.  I was a little annoyed because if they would have started in April, this might not have happened.  It took them awhile with PT, but they finally started walking 1.5 months ago.  I do not know if they would have anyway or if PT actually helped, but it was nice to feel like I was doing something to help.

Just an FYI, they also received speech therapy and occupational therapy (which we added in January).  With speech therapy, they were evaluated to be 6 months old and with 6 months of therapy, they are now 15-18 months with expressive language and close to 24 with receptive language.  

It was har dto start the therapy and sometimes I feel like a failure because I could not get my kids where they are today without someone's help, but it might really make a difference.  If you start EI, they come to your home.  My kids love all their therapists and get sooooo excited for them to come.  They give me tips on ways to strengthen them so I am able to give them therapy all week. 

t1nkfan

We've been doing PT once a month since DS was 3 weeks adjusted.  We joined early intervention - so it's a regulated program.  Last month, we were increased to twice a month.

I've really liked PT time.  The therapist works with us on what to do to achieve the next skill.  DS had tortocollis and a helmet for 12 weeks - we worked on stretches to overcome that stuff.  We've worked on crawling and going from crawling to sitting, etc.  As a first time mom, I think it's been great to learn what activities we should be doing with DS and if we should be worried about anything.

DS is 8.5 months adjusted.  He started crawling 2-3 weeks ago and is already full force flailing across the room!  This week he started to climb already.