A few weeks ago I took Wes to the pediatrician with concerns of some developmental delays with his motor skills. I knew at the time that I was probably worrying unnecessarily (not like I ever do that), but I wanted to talk things over with someone who would have a more sound opinion than my own. It is also particularly hard as a teacher to see students with all sorts of disabilities and to remain rational about my own child's development.
There are a lot of factors that are affecting Wes' development. Most notably, he was born a month and a half early. He looks and feels like a healthy 7-month-old, so it is often difficult to remember that he is really only considered five-and-a-half months old. For the first two years of his life we can use this "adjusted" age.
Secondly, his helmet can slow his progress toward milestones. He has yet to roll over from his back to his tummy, and the helmet is likely a big reason for that. He will occasionally roll from his tummy to his back, but most of the time he doesn't seem too interested in that. Our doctor reassured us that many babies nowadays are skipping the rolling over milestone since all babies are placed on their backs to sleep. His helmet also makes it more difficult for him to sit due to the additional weight being placed on his head.
Wes is also an enthusiastic "spitter-upper." Whenever pressure is put on his stomach (by laying on it or sitting) he tends to spit up. As our doctor so eloquently put it, "Would you want to sit up if you puked every time?"
With all this in mind, our doctor made a referral for an evaluation by Easter Seals for the early intervention program. He said there is a very good chance that Wes would not qualify (and that's a very good thing), but we would all rather be proactive now rather than regret something later on. Wes must have taken this referral very seriously, because before we even got the phone call to schedule an introductory appointment, he was hard at work achieving some milestones.
The first thing he did was start reaching for objects. Before, he would grasp things that were placed in his hands or touch something only if it was within arm's reach. He would keep both hands at his side while in his jumper or walker. A few days after our appointment, however, he got to work grabbing anything within reach. The most recent discovery has been our faces. Next time you hold him, he'll probably grab your eyeballs.
And tonight, Wes sat! Up until today, he could sit by himself for about 10 seconds before toppling over. Coincidentally, I received a phone call this afternoon from Easter Seals to set up the big evaluation. Again, Wes must have thought this to be very serious because after dinner tonight, he sat on the floor and played with a rattle, stuffed animal, and Bear's face for about 5 minutes. He would even lean to the side in order to grab Bear's tongue and then pull himself upright again.
What is the lesson that I have learned from all of this? If I want Wes to do something, I best get someone with more authority than myself involved in the situation. Or perhaps it's that Wes is just fine, and he will reach his milestones on his own schedule. Either way, I'm happy to have (as described by my pediatrician) "a fat, happy, spitty baby."
1 comment:
That's wonderful! And what cute pictures!
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