Easter: An update on Zach's skills as observed by Mom

(excerpts from mail to school psychologist)

Hope you had a good Easter.

We had some really nice surprises here. First off, Zach opened up wrapped presents (sent by terrific Babcia Morphet) with a verbal prompt of "open" given to him, which he echoed back verbally while tearing through the paper. He opened up 5 presents given to him this way. He enjoyed each present too - ranging from obvious favorites like a Thomas the Train coloring book and activity book, to chalk shaped like a bunny and a chick which he stared at trying to figure out what it was, to a book about a bunch of chicks called Jelly Bean which he sat in my lap and turned the pages, although he was not interested in hearing me read it.

Easter also gave us the opportunity to work on scanning skills in the form of seeking objects while outside.  He did a pretty good job on two different Easter egg hunts. He only picked up 5 eggs the first hunt, having to be directed to each egg, prompted to pick it up and then prompted again to put in the basket. The next day's hunt, I prompted him for a few eggs, and then he went and searched himself, and grabbed around 10 eggs completely on his own and put them in the basket without a prompt but with lots of praise, that is, until he was distracted by the neighbors kids in the backyard playing baseball. He then ran right over to their house and got in the middle of the game of pitch. Steve originally tried to yell for him to come back,but I went over and encouraged him to hang out. He ran back and forth and grabbed some balls and a bat and just investigated them - not really using them as designed, but definitely interested - my whole family was astounded.  I was thrilled.  He is interested in kids socially - likes the energy and excitement, but has no idea how to participate in a normal way.  We will work on this.

He was great for Easter church services - although his babbling is a little much for a quiet service - but was OK with the noisy one we had (lots of babies and kids).  We do not regularly attend services.  I find it difficult, since Sophia has a very difficult time sitting still or acting appropriate for our non charismatic services, plus the who knows what is going to happen with Zach.  It seems like I can barely be present to hear scripture read or that days sermon, and we are likely only disturbing others, so I have avoided it.  But I know that this isn't what I want for our family, so I have thought about what to do - and this is one time where I can say that we just need to do it and see what happens, and persevere through it.  Sophia is old enough that she can now attend the children's classes that they run for part of the service.  There is also a crying room if I need to give Zach a place he can have some space and make some noise.

After about a 10 day hiatus from wanting to use his fork - Zach seems to be back on track and I have noticed he drinks from a cup really well - often showing off using one hand.    We have lost some of our sit down family meals lately because of schedule issues, and I have noticed that Zach and Sophia will get up from the table prior to being excused and wander around and play.  Like the church thing, I don't think we need to formally address this as much as we need to practice it.


He is going through a bit of an attachment issue with me - if he leaves a room and comes back and doesn't find me where I was when he left, (as he did at his Grandma's house on Easter) we get instantaneous waterworks, calmed only by my presence and great big hug. I have noticed that if I am not in the kitchen when our one itinerant therapist ends her session at the house, he sometimes shows this same behavior. 

We are also working on some self help skills - like getting dressed and disrobing.  We're starting with some of the easy stuff -shoes and socks.  Getting him to take off his socks the right way is a bit problematic, but he is trying.  The OT at school was working on showing him to stick his thumb in at the top of the sock, but I am afraid that Zach really loves to just pull it off at the toe. 

All in all, I feel like he is at a new stage right now - he is really seeming to like his sessions with his home therapist more than ever, and I think his receptive language is gaining ground - in fact, I think we are likely to see a lot of progress in this area right now. I have asked him some 1-step directions, and he has don't them without a visual prompt and that really surprised me! (Pull down pants, take off sock, sit down, get the ball, where is your milk?)

He loves a Leap Frog game that Uncle Mark had sent a few years back for Sophia.  We use it to keep him energized and motivated during his home sessions.  Although Zach has given us little indication that he can identify more than a few letters let alone any more advanced skills like spelling words, etc, he loves this game that is all about making words up out of letters.   In fact, the Easter bunny decided that Zach should try another Leap Frog product - sort of like a computer on your TV, called ClickStart My First Computer.  We haven't purchased any games for it yet, but are playing the basic game that came with it.  So far, Sophia really loves to play with it, and Zach likes to watch.  I keep on thinking, it will happen in its own time.

Back to the motor skills - Zach loves to swing on a regular swing.  I push him so high and am terrified that he will let go but he never does, even after swinging for 15 minutes.  He likes the playground equipment, but does better when his sister or other familiar children are around.  He is alternating feet when even going up a ladder now which surprised me, and can handle the rock wall on  our playset like a pro.  Ball handling is still an issue.  I try to play catch but he doesn't seem to get the reciprocal nature of the game.  Wish we had a young man who could be willing to help us out that way and model it for him - he seems particularly enamored with young men and boys.


Finally - Zach is really captivated by Goodnight Moon. I have been trying to get him to search and point to the mouse as it moves around the room from page to page.  I wonder if he is familiar with it because he remembers the numerous times I read it to him pre-regression.  I have always loved that book. 

Sophia and Zach had a wonderful Easter - the weather was beautiful, there were presents and treats, the family got together, we even took a friend of Sophia and her mother to church with us, which was pleasant.  I see the buds starting on the trees and I think of Zach.  Here hoping to lots of budding this spring.