I thought I'd share some of his accomplishments since his last IFSP meeting:
Occupational Therapy -
- Successfully puts various objects into a container
- Scoops and feeds himself with a spoon
- Consistently crosses midline
- Drinks from a sippy cup
- Uses intentional gaze to get what he wants (ie, food vs. drink)
- Showing significant improvement with endurance for sitting
- Fairly consistent lateral protective reactions (catches himself from falling sideways when sitting) but still needs assistance with backwards protective reactions.
- Rolls with ease in both directions
- Has begun to commando-crawl
- Shown some progress in pushing himself into a sitting position but still unable to do on his own
- Beginning to use several signs consistently ("more", "please", "ball", "go", "open")
- Imitates familiar gestures (banging toys together, "so big") and engages in imitation during song play
- Purposefully places objects but needs cues to use more refined, fluid movements
- Uncover a partially hidden objects with cues
- Blows kisses
- Will drop objects systemically (ie, into container and then dump)
Here are some of his goals for the next six months:
Occupational Therapy -
- Improve functional use of hands (decrease associated movements, transferring objects between hands, stacking blocks, etc)
- Use a spoon and fork independently, drink from an open cup
- Develop posterior protective extension reactions (catch himself from falling backwards)
- Sit Independently
- Transition prone to sitting
- Creep independently
- Independently propel his mobile stander 15 feet to allow him to engage in play with others
- Propel his wheelchair with occasional assist to allow him to participate with his peers/family at family functions
- Comply with simple commands and perform requested actions
- Demonstrate a developing vocabulary by pointing to named objects, pictures, clothing items, etc
- Use at least 6 signs consistently and meaningfully
- Participate in pretend play activities
- Imitate gesture and play skills (wave bye-bye, making farm animals eat, etc)
- Participate in book related activities (scanning, turning pages, looking at pictures, pointing to pictures, etc)
- Use both hands in midline (one holds, one manipulates)
- Participate in nursery rhymes, songs and fingerplays
We also talked about the status of his wheelchair, stander and bath chair. There wasn't a lot of updates at the meeting but we've since been told that everything is "in the works" and he should have them all within the next couple of months. We've also got approval for extra "extended" visits (60 minutes versus the typical 30 minute sessions) with his PT once the stander and wheelchair arrive so that she can work with us on them. Therapy sessions will continue as is (2/week for PT, 2/week for Spec Instruction and 1/week for OT with 6 extra extended visits for PT for this next IFSP period).
We also discussed getting a new OT and definitely NOT because we wanted one! Jackson's current OT got a job elsewhere so we needed to find a new one. Jason and I wanted to keep the services with CAFL but our EI rep was of a different opinion. She thought it would be easier to change the OT to Korpiel as that is where all of his other therapists (and service coordinator) are from. No offense to the therapists that work with Jackson on a regular basis (as we really like them and they are doing a great job), but we feel that having everyone that's involved in his care come out of one company puts us at an unfair advantage when trying to advocate for Jackson. We liked the diversity and wanted to keep it that way. Well after some awkwardness at the meeting and some other personnel issues at CAFL, Jackson has a new OT (from CAFL). It's started out a little rocky as she had a full caseload before she took on Jackson so scheduling has been a little tough. But, after meeting her on Friday we feel we made the right decision. I think she'll fit in well. After all, she does come highly recommended by Jackson's now-former OT. ;)
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| Therapy time with his new OT |
So, long story short - Jackson is making progress but is still delayed. No biggie though. Some progress is better than no progress!
