Happy thoughts, think happy thoughts.
22 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: insurance, parenting, sensory integration disorder, sensory processing disorder, speech therapy, toddler
Greta’s appointment with the speech therapist was two weeks ago today. Her insurance only approved two visits initially. So after those they had to submit new paperwork. Adrienne told Ira that she would be requesting 12 sessions. We finally heard back from them yesterday. She’s approved for four right now. I’m really tempted to go on a rant about insurance companies, but I’m sure everyone has been there done that with their insurance over some issue or another so there’s really no point in my ranting. I’m going to focus on the positive point that she gets at least four more sessions. However, Adrienne is on vacation starting today, so Greta’s next appointment isn’t until next Thursday. *sigh* Oh wait. I’m focusing on the positive. Right.
It’s been a trying week or so. Both kids have been in terrible moods more often than not. Greta has been more and more likely to break down crying over every little thing which is taxing on everybody. Darcy’s been crabby, too. I think she’s cutting some new teeth. They’re both prone to squabbling with each other over every item that one of them picks up. Only Darcy doesn’t really talk beyond “Mama” and “Hi” so her end of the squabbling is that lovely whiny cry thing that toddlers use to get their way because the grown-up in the room just wants it to stop. I sent Ira down to his shop last night to take a break from the kids. I don’t think he even got half an hour before I had to go get him. How sad is that, that I couldn’t take for half an hour what he’d been dealing with all day? *sigh* Oh, crud. I keep forgetting. I’m supposed to be focusing on the positive.
Ok, here’s something positive. Greta’s been pretty willing to at least taste most things on her plate. She’s licked peas, carrots, cabbage to name a few things. She even scraped her teeth on the carrot! She spit it out right after, but at least she tried it! See, positive stuff there. 
Can’t think of anything else happy to say right now, so I’m just going to stop. Wanted to update so I stayed somewhat in the habit. Any uplifting prayers, positive vibes, happy thoughts that could be sent our way to improve the mood in our house would be greatly appreciated.
Messy success
11 Mar 2011 5 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: farsighted, glasses, messy time, oral defensiveness, parenting, sensory integration disorder, sensory processing disorder, SPD, speech therapy
As part of Greta’s homework for the week we’re supposed to encourage her to get her hands messy. It is one of her quirks related to SPD that she doesn’t like to get “gunk” on her hands. On Wednesday night we had ice cream. Since we hadn’t done any messy work yet that day I asked her if she could stick her finger in her ice cream. She did, barely, but with a happy little grin. So I kept asking if she would stick more fingers in and she kept doing it until she did all five fingers. Granted it was just the very tips of her fingers and only for half a second, but still, it was all five.
Last night I put the girls in the bathtub after supper, got out a can of shaving cream and sprayed a bunch of it on the wall. Greta gingerly poked at it with one finger. Then she smiled, so I encouraged her to get more. Soon she had both hands completely covered and was spreading it around on her face and belly! So exciting!
As for the eating part of this whole thing, that’s still the same really. Still putting a little of everything on her plate and she’s only eating a couple of bites of the “safe” things. That’s going to be a much slower road. Her oral defensiveness is one of her bigger issues. Learn more here. That whole site is full of information about SPD. I realize that I just jumed in to talking about Greta’s therapy without giving the background information about her quirks. Sorry about that. Maybe this weekend I’ll try and post some back story. Maybe.
Anyway! Moving on, since this is a blog about both girls. Darcy is doing pretty well. She got glasses for farsightedness about a month ago. We took her in for an exam because she was crossing her eyes way too often. She does well with the glasses, she really only takes them off and gets fussy about them when she’s tired. They do seem to be helping. Her right eye still crosses sometimes, but not nearly so often as it was before the glasses. We’ll keep watch and see if it continues. If so she may need a stronger perscription. Poor little thing.
Even though the messy time “homework” may be for Greta, Darcy is enjoying it as well. She had lots of fun with the shaving cream last night. Although she did discover that it tastes nasty! Ha!
Ok, time to get to work! Thanks for reading.
Speech Therapy
09 Mar 2011 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: eating, parenting, sensory integration disorder, sensory processing disorder, SPD, speech therapy
Greta had her first session with a speech therapist today. She’s going there for “feeding difficulties related to sensory integration disorder.” Quite the mouthful, eh? No pun intended. Today she ate a third of a banana and she licked an apple slice four times. She’ll usually do both of those things for us. It’s nice, though, that she did them for the therapist, too.
Adrienne, the therapist, mashed up part of the banana and apple and tried to convince Greta to play with it. She would only touch it with her index finger. Greta refused to put more fingers in, much less get her palms in it. Adrienne pointed out that if we could even get Greta to hold a banana in her hand sans peel that would be something.
So, the assignments for this week are twofold. One is messy play! I think tomorrow Ira is going to get out the finger paints. Or maybe some shaving cream to play with on the table. Assignment two is to have something that Greta refuses to eat on her plate at every meal. She doesn’t have to eat it, she just needs to be able to see it and tolerate it’s presence.
