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Preemies
PT for 2 yr old -?
I feel like I've answers this question so many times here (for younger kids) and now I'm asking it!
Andrew is nearly 27 month actual and nearly 24 months adjusted. He is currently in OT and ST each once a week.
Andrew had feeding therapy (OT) today. HIs 6 month review is in 2 weeks
to review his therapy goals and plan. They were talking about if he
still needed therapy every week for feeding (or maybe just every other
week as there are still a lot of things he pockets or can't chew), until
she pointed out he does have a lot of fine motor delays too that maybe
she should work on as the feeding continues to improve.
And then
we got on the subject of PT. She did some short evals and he's 15-18
months old in gross motor and about 16-19 months in fine motor, with a
few random schools that are higher than that. The kinds of things he
cannot do are stack blocks, jump, walk up stairs (just started to do
this with a LOT of support), run (he just started to speed walk but
sometimes still trips even), and some other things related to seemingly
poor balance (was too scared to walk in our back yard yesterday, is
super nervous still to walk on mulch, etc, without a crazy grip on my
hand). She suspects some probably minor sensory component to the
balance thing.
First Steps says he's too old (almost 27 month) to
adjust his age, but his doctors don't necessarily think he should be
caught up since he was born so early, which would say he should be
acting like almost 24 months. Either way, he's clearly behind. I know
part of this is personality but I don't want to just blow it off either.
He was evaluated 5 1/2 months ago at a -2 for his adjusted age
(standard deviation, meaning he's way way way behind) and not seemingly
catching up. Also another point is that usually fine motor skills
develop after gross motor, I think, so there's some tie there.
I
suppose he'll learn these things in time - so I guess the important
thing is he is caught up before school starts so that he can participate
appropriately and fit in. First Steps ends when a kid turns 3, which
is in Dec, and at this rate he will qualify for developmental preschool
through our public schools. Basically he'll get picked up on a bus and
taken to school to help catch him up with other kids in the same boat.
He's
already in therapy 2 days a week. The 3rd day he or I have a doctor
appointment. This leaves Mondays and Fridays free for him and is when
we do play dates or other activities. I'd hate for him to be "tied up" 4
times a week - but if he needs it he does, I guess. I know therapy
never hurt anyone, but I can't help but just want to feel normal and I
also don't want to nitpick his abilities to death either.
So what do you think? Give him time? Or push him now and hope to avoid developmental preschool? I'm leaning towards starting PT now.
Also,
does anyone have any experience with developmental preschool that would
care to enlighten me? How did you like the program? Did your child
progress well there?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: PT for 2 yr old -?
I would lean towards starting PT now since I think it's easier the younger they are, but of course sone do really just do it at their own pace. If nothing else, a good PT can give you ideas for things to be working on with him that may help you out in directing some of his playtime in ways that will help his fine and gross motor skills. I don't feel like we get a ton of great stuff from DS's Early Intervention PT, but the private PT we see is awesome and really has a lot of good ideas about things to do during playtime that have helped a lot. Some involves us pushing him to work harder, but some just involves some alternate positioning that helps strengthen his body and coordination through play he's already doing (so super easy wins). Would First Steps consider an every other week session so it's not so much for you guys? Or could they come and tack onto one of his current sessions so at least they're both on the same day?
No experience with developmental preschool yet since DS is only 18 mo.
My DS was not a preemie but he had some developmental delays: specifically in speech. Before he was 3 he was in early intervention with speech therapy once a week. We tried pushing potty training around 2. He wasn't ready. After several accidents on the floor, and both of us being frustrated with the other. I stopped. I decided then and there I would never "potty train" another child. I chose to do what's called "potty learning". Where we introduced the potty, made a big deal out of it but ultimately made it HIS choice. He ended up potty training alllll on his own at 3 years 3 months. From what research I have done MOST children will potty train on their own when given the proper tools and not forced. Many children will have set backs if you try to force it, which will actually delay the process. The average age for boys to potty train is 3 years 2 months. So considering your child is not only just 2 years old but also has all these other issues with delays I wouldn't push it. Is he even showing signs that he's ready?
Now DS is in preschool with an IEP and also has speech therapy once a week. He has made tremendous progress since he started. Just night and day and is almost caught up to his peer group in speech development. We're hopeful that by kindergarden he will be completely caught up.
I would start the PT now- I like the suggestion about maybe doing it every other week. At the program where we take DD there is a little boy who is 3 now, but for the last 18 months we've run into him and his mother quite often and the huge leaps and bounds he's (literally) making is amazing to see and I honestly believe that so much of it is because of the PT. (He was not a preemie but has delays in muscular development that are on par with micro preemies)
I know that out PTs try to remind us that DD can't really focus on all of her development targets at once- and your DS is still working on building so many skills. But I think that the PT for gross motor (which is DD's stumbling block) is really essential- so much of the physiological aspect and correcting movement is just not something that your average mom is going to know about. I would at least get a bi-weekly or even monthly visit to give YOU the tools to help your DS so that when you're out on playdates or running around the park you can help him work on those skills.
I agree. LO is younger, but from my experience, I LOVE all of the new ideas & techniques that our PT has taught me to incorporate into our daily routines and play times. We are also able to request how often we want these services and so far they've always granted our requests. I also feel like it takes some of the pressure off me as my natural instincts are to research everything to death to learn how to do something to the best of my ability. By having the therapists teach me, I feel that I am fulfilling my role as educated mother without all of the personal pressure to find the best ways. It's worked well for us.
Thanks Tara - sorry for the confusion but I was referring to Physical Therapy, not Potty Training. I know there is no well in hell my son is ready for potty training, LOL!
LOL I must have been REALLY tired when I wrote that
LOL. Np...understandable!!
At about 18 months I noticed L lagging in dayare, so I started asking questions. We contacted a developmental pediatrician and waited for an eval, then waited for PT and OT evaluations that were done around her 2nd birthday.
She was about 8 months behind in gross motor and about 6 months in fine motor with sensory issues. SAND of all things would set her off. She was discharged from OT after 4 months and her progress was amazing. She is still in PT, 1 hour a week. We are still working on jumping and stairs. But she can function on a playground, a huge hurdle!
If you can get the services, go for it. There is nothing wrong with a little boost