Good changes are happening

Changes are happening every day at our house. Dacotah had is dental surgery at UVA in Charlottesville. He also had a meeting with the feeding and speech specialist during our visit. We got her report back in the mail yesterday and mommy's concerns were confirmed. She said Dacotah's speech was 66-75% delayed for his age. He is talking on an 18-21 month instead of a 33-36 month level, but she is pleased with the progress that he is making. As we have said all along, slow and steady, one step at a time. She also confirmed his Autistic Disorder through her office evaluation, to what extent it will affect his life, we don't know, we just know for the time being it causes the speech to be delayed and a skip in his "normal" routine without prepping and be a cause for concern.

OT is excited to see the changes he is making. We found if we take him to Wal-Mart for example and we strap him into the buggy tight he does good. If he's not strapped in, or is allowed to walk with his backpack, he end up in a meltdown. So for now we will continue to strap him down and figure out the next stage once he outgrows the buggy. I do not look forward to that day.

PT measured him for a compression vest, that should help with his hypotonia and anxiety levels. We are working with his core and trying to get it built up. It's slow and steady but there is hope. There is a doctor in JC who is willing to try a trial on Dacotah to see if it will help with his low muscle tone, which adversely affects his speech. We should know what benefits he gains from it by the time he turns three.  Please pray that it works, there is a study that was published that showed kids with his genetic disorder showed remarkable improvement, but it was given before they turned a year old. There is not any research to prove it to be a definite benefit for Dacotah, but I'm praying that it will. For privacy reasons we will leave it at that, I will update the results as we see them.

For the car issue, we have submitted a DMV waiver for tinted van windows that will help block the sun from coming into the van when we are driving. We have found if we put our hands up and block the sunlight he's not screaming bloody murder down the road. I'm hoping the tinted windows will make traveling with him a life changer as well.

I started making him a communication board. I was very hesitant at first because I didn't want it to delay him further. After talking to multiple therapist we are using it as a brief tool, until he can say the words. Right now his word count without Echoing is roughly 20-30 words. To put this into perspective he should be saying 200+ words with meaning. He can say a lot, but he repeats words that you say. Words that he can't say he makes a spit sounding s..... :( He can say stuck but was sssssssssssss for truck. So I'm hoping by seeing the words and by us saying the words to him, he can understand them better.

Sleeping:...... This is one I am super thankful for, still going to sleep without and medications to assist. However, he REFUSES to take a nap, or go to bed unless mommy is home. If I get him to sleep he takes a full nap, and sleeps from 8:30ish-6ish in the morning ( thanks to the time change). I'll take it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!