Hi mamas--how is it going for your LOs? What kind of progress is everyone making? What is the most exciting thing to happen in terms of gross motor with your LOs in the last two weeks? How are you feeling about everything?
How often does your LO get PT services, and do you just go with an EI/school district PT, or do you have a private PT instead (or in addition)?
We're making slow but steady progress. Caleb is very consistently scooting on his butt now, which the PT isn't super happy about, but hey--movement is movement in my book. He is also much more confident moving through several different positions at once (ie, rolling from belly to back to pushing up to sit, or pivoting on his belly/with hands--just moving around a lot more).
He's not quite hands/knees crawling just yet, but I think that might happen soon. We also have been trying to work with him with the walker/push toys we have (he is steady and can hold himself standing for a long time, just doesn't quite have it together to actually move his legs on his own yet, or cruise). He will kind of take steps if we just hold his hands and give him a lot of support.
I am feeling okay about things. I was starting to worry about transitioning him to the next room at DC (that it wasn't happening as fast as I'd like--I guess I am a little sensitive about him being the oldest kid in the infant room by a few months), but talked with the PT and the DC owner today and they're both on board with starting the transition and him being over in the "first steps" (12-18 months room) full-time within the next few weeks.
We just get seen once a week for an hour, through our EI/school district PT, but the whole goal of their program is to teach parents and DC teachers, if applicable, what to do to help him all the rest of the time, so I also try to work with him for a good 30 mins each afternoon, between DC pickup and making dinner (and bumping with you lovely ladies, of course ).
Slow and steady for us, too. Our last appt was much better in terms of clinginess and cooperation, and she was very happy with his progress.
He is taking a few steps with just one hand now instead of both, and his new favorite is pushing a plastic storage cube back and forth as a walk-behind toy. Still not stable enough to stand on his own though, so we're still quite a ways from walking unassisted.
Our PT is through our NICU follow up program, and I'm honestly not sure how it's classified other than that. We go every 2 weeks.
FKA mimi4347: diaper rash magician and unofficial expert on excrement
This kid may not have a lot of bowel, but he has plenty of guts! DS born at 34 weeks with (surprise!) gastroschisis turned short bowel syndrome. 131 days in the NICU, 7 trips to the OR, G-button, daily TPN....
We are impatiently awaiting the day we can say goodbye to his girlfriend Ivy for good.
DD is doing great. After a rough week of grumpy Morgan she is back to old self. She is crawling all over the place and for longer distances at one time. She is getting faster too. On low things she is pulling to stand and taking steps if she is too far away. Still no independent standing or walking but the crawling is good enough for me.
We put the couch cushion on the floor so she can crawl up the cushion then onto the couch. She is getting so much better at it. She does crawl head first down the couch which is not ideal. She does not understand edges and she would fall off if I don't watch her. Kid has no fear.
She still is wiggling and jamming out to music. She tried to climb up my leg which is so cute. She figured out how to get the kitty to pop out on her train toy. I am sure that there is more but I can't think of any right now.
She has EI twice a month. We could have it every week but I don't really like our service coordinator. She is going to see if a speech therapist can come out and start seeing her. DD also has private PT every week which is what really helps her. I know it is not therapy but she does go to swim class every week. That should help with muscle development.
@squirmworms, love that Morgan "jams out" to music!
That was another thing I was thinking of--what are you most proud of your LO in terms of other, non-gross-motor, strengths?
I would say verbal development and enjoying music are two of Caleb's--he babbles a ton, but I think he definitely has some words in there--"uh oh", mama, dada, "bubba" (brother=Landon), and he says "da" (dog??) for all animals, and also possibly "up"?
She loves other people. She smiles and flirts with me. She loves staring at them. I always know when there is a man behind me. She reaches out to be held by every woman. She also likes little kids and babies. There is no stranger danger with her. She has more babbling sounds but no words yet. Everything is Dada.
We have our nine month check in coming up next week. It is hard to believe my baby is old enough to have done anything for nine months.
Yesterday, at 14 months, he took steps <:-P I'm so proud I could burst. We are going to continue therapy at least through a year, because he still very much favors doing things with his left side, instead of his right, but we might drop to every other week.
He gets therapy through the county EI program. She goes to his DC, which is sad, because I don't get to be there, but better for B, because he wouldn't have quality PT if we did it at the end of the day.
He is picking up words and signs like crazy. He has please, eat and milk as signs, and bye, dad, mom, dog and yea as words :x
Yesterday, he scooped a spoon into the dessert we were sharing and put the spoon in his mouth, so that's exciting.
My LO isn't in PT, but can I ask how you decided that PT was necessary? In my gut I don't feel like P needs PT, but he is slightly behind in some gross motor skills. I read these check ins and feel like P is working on the same skills as other LOs. He rolled belly to back at 1 day old and kept that skill, but he didn't roll back to belly till 10 months. Started crawling at 11.5 months and is not walking yet. The Dr. hasn't mentioned it at all, and I am very honest about his skills with them. Did your Dr. recommend it? did you push for it? I had to make the decision to change day care plans for the school year, and part of it was because he needed to be walking to go in the toddler room (infant room is full) and I highly doubt he will be walking by this Tuesday. I just want to make sure that I'm doing all I can to help him.
@joyfultrex , we decided to get an EI eval after his DC teacher had brought it up to us multiple times. He was sitting and rolling but not doing much else, and not bearing weight on his legs (this was probably around 7-8 months), and even our pedi wasn't totally convinced he had an actual delay, but said we might as well just get it checked out if we wanted to. IMO, it sounds like your LO is doing okay if he's crawling--my ds1 didn't crawl until almost 11 months and didn't walk until about 15.5 months, so I am a big believer in a wide range of normal.
@joyfultrex My situation is a bit different. DD will have some sort of therapy most of her life. I am a firm believer that it does not hurt to get an opinion for a professional. If he does need PT the earlier the better to start services and less frustration down the road. If they do not think PT is necessary you will know that nothing is wrong and won't feel bad for not doing something earlier. They know are saying the new average time for walking is by 18 months.
My situation was also different. Ben had plagiocephaly and torticollis, so he was automatically eligible for PT through EI. His PT is focused on evening muscle strength on both sides, while working on gross and fine motor skills (mostly gross). I would probably wait for the 15month appt. if your kid stil isn't walking, talk to your dr to see if a pt rec makes sense.
thanks for the info. I will bring it up with the Dr at 15 months if he still isn't walking. He has very good core strength, and I think he has 1st child syndrome, where he thinks why do something if all the adults will do it for me. We had to leave the room to get him to crawl at first.
Re: J13 PT LOs/mamas check-in
DS born at 34 weeks with (surprise!) gastroschisis turned short bowel syndrome.
131 days in the NICU, 7 trips to the OR, G-button, daily TPN....
We put the couch cushion on the floor so she can crawl up the cushion then onto the couch. She is getting so much better at it. She does crawl head first down the couch which is not ideal. She does not understand edges and she would fall off if I don't watch her. Kid has no fear.
She still is wiggling and jamming out to music. She tried to climb up my leg which is so cute. She figured out how to get the kitty to pop out on her train toy. I am sure that there is more but I can't think of any right now.
She has EI twice a month. We could have it every week but I don't really like our service coordinator. She is going to see if a speech therapist can come out and start seeing her. DD also has private PT every week which is what really helps her. I know it is not therapy but she does go to swim class every week. That should help with muscle development.
I'm always happy to answer questions!
Yesterday, at 14 months, he took steps <:-P I'm so proud I could burst. We are going to continue therapy at least through a year, because he still very much favors doing things with his left side, instead of his right, but we might drop to every other week.
He gets therapy through the county EI program. She goes to his DC, which is sad, because I don't get to be there, but better for B, because he wouldn't have quality PT if we did it at the end of the day.
He is picking up words and signs like crazy. He has please, eat and milk as signs, and bye, dad, mom, dog and yea as words :x
Yesterday, he scooped a spoon into the dessert we were sharing and put the spoon in his mouth, so that's exciting.
Baby boy 7.10.13
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Baby boy 7.10.13
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