Speech Evaluation

Today, Adam went to Columbus Speech and Hearing for a speech evaluation.  Some of the concerns I had were his articulation: "F" sounds for "TH", "W" for "L" and "R"s and his speech just being generally slushy.  Turns out most of those are age appropriate.  TH & R don't fully develop until about 7-8 years; L around 5.  But things that I saw as slushy (s, z, ch, j), he's actually lateralizing his tongue.  He kind of moves his tongue to the right. It actually makes sense in a way because it is really the right side of his tongue.  Most of the left half of his tongue was removed in his tongue reduction surgery.  He also has some trouble because he doesn't really have a tip to his tongue and his tongue is soo thick.  So the summary was:
Voice/Fluency: Age appropriate
Expressive Language (talking): Age appropriate
Receptive Language (understanding): Age appropriate
Articulation (speech sound skills): Severe

Despite most being age appropriate, she wanted to keep it at severe so that we could get one of the therapists that had more specialization in oral-motor skills rather than just general articulation. I guess there is someone who has worked with cleft-lip kids and "other" issues (other I hope meaning large tongues) that she thought would be good for Adam.

I had checked "trouble maintaining eye contact" on one of the forms will filled out.  She said she noticed it too but that part is age, part is Adam just wants to look at everything.  He's an explorer.  He may also be sensory seeking and that they have these heavy pillows that the kids can put on their laps that helps kind of calm them during therapy.  They also use iPads during therapy so he'll like that!

We are on a waiting list and someone should call us within 2 weeks to schedule individual therapy once a week for 30 min.

After we got home, I contacted Westerville schools to see if they offer Speech Therapy for preschoolers.  The woman that answered said that they do but not in the summer and that the person who knew more was out until July 18th.  I left a message for her to give me a call back when she gets back.  Maybe we can get started this summer at Columbus Speech and Hearing and continue with Westerville when school starts.  I guess it also depends on their experience as well.

Last days

Adam had a couple "lasts" this week.  Wednesday was his last Sporties for Shorties class.  The kids did some running around, a little obstacle course, and then they got a certificate.  Don't they all look thrilled to have certificates?

 

 

 Thursday was the last day of preschool!  That year went by quick!  The kids sang us some songs which was adorable.  It was funny to see how some of the kids knew every word and motion and then there were some that just stood there.  Adam was kind of in between but they all LOVE a song called "Tooty-Ta".  Here's a picture of them doing the "thumbs up"part.

Here's Adam getting his Certificate of Completion.

This was something they did before we parents got there.  These were hanging on the wall outside the door before we came in and we all got a great laugh!

 

Some pictures to compare to the first day of school:

Last Day of School

Last Day of School

Last Day of School

Happy boy in an Angry Birds shirt from Gramma

Little meltdowns

Today was the first time this year that I have been pulled aside by the teachers for them to talk to me.  It happened several times last year so I always get nervous that Adam has punched or tried to strangle someone. Apparently Adam had 3 mini meltdowns at school today. He gets upset about something (I think one of them today was over a toy that someone wasn't sharing...I don't remember the rest) and just throws himself on the ground crying and then it's over pretty quickly.  They asked if he's been doing this at home and the best way to calm him down.  He has been and we tell him to take deep breathes and talk.  His problem is that he doesn't like to talk about stuff.  I told him in his Sports class to ask someone to move instead of crying that someone is standing where he wants to be.  Guess what?  The following week he did, and everyone was happy! But I guess he forgets that it applies anywhere/anytime...to just ask! 

He threw a fit as we were leaving school because as I was looking through his book bag, I found a little note/picture to him from a girl named Ella.  (It was a heart with an arrow through it.  I think she likes him.)  He said he didn't want it and threw himself on the floor crying. What the...?  The only notes he wants are invitations to parties,  letters from Gramma & Pop-pop, and from Santa.  I tried to explain how nice it is to get letters from anyone, especially friends and he said he doesn't want her as a friend.  His friends are the 3 boys in class and the girls Abby and Aizza.  He said that at the end of the school day as the kids get picked up, he says "Goodbye (insert each of the 5 friends names)!  I love you!"  but not to Ella or Farrah (or the other girls names he can never remember).  Dave suggested saying something like "See you next time!" to everyone but I don't think Adam was into it. 

Anyway...I'm trying to pay attention to what he eats (or doesn't) to see if there may be food dye issues or hypoglycemic type issues that lead to his meltdowns or violent streaks...or if it's just part of being a 4 year old boy. 

Bedtime

What time do most kids go to bed these days?  Our neighbor-kid (who's maybe 7) said he goes to bed at 10.  I think that's pretty late! Every night when Dave puts Adam to bed (starting at 7:30), Ramona and I take a walk.  There tends to be quite a few kids out playing still.  Tonight, Ramona and I walked to an adjoining neighborhood and there was a little boy standing in his front yard eating some mozzerella string cheese.  He's 5 years old.  We had a funny little conversation:
Kid: What kind of dog is that?
Me: A boxer.
Kid: Oh, I think my mom likes those.  What are you doing?
Me: We're just taking a walk.
Kid: Are you bored or something?
Me: No. My son is going to bed and Ramona and I like to take a walk at night.
Kid:  Do you want to play with me?
Me: (Searching for a parent somewhere...) Umm, no we really need to get going.  Mona needs some water.
Kid: We have some water here.
Me: No thanks.
Kid: Where do you live? Down the street?
Me: No. We live in the neighborhood over there (pointing).
Kid:  Did you cut through that yard?
Me: No there's a path over there.
Kid: Do you know ____? They live next door.  I play with their kids __&___.
Me: Oh, that's nice to have kids your age to play with nearby....We really need to get going.
Kid: Do you want me to come with you?
(Seriously - where is this kid's parents??)
Me: No. It's our girl time.
Kid: OK.  I'll see you..sometime?
Me: Probably...except this weekend because I can't take my boy with me when his dad is out of town.
Kid:  Why not?
Me: He doesn't like to take long walks and it's his bedtime.
Kid:  Maybe if he rides in something.
Me.  I guess he could ride in his wagon but..
Kid: Yeah.  Give him something to eat and drink and he'll like it.
Me:  OK. Well...Goodbye!
Kid:  Enjoy the rest of your walk!

He was soo cute but it was sad. It was getting close to 8pm and I did not see parents anywhere.  I would never let Adam out front alone, talking to strangers, asking if he could go with them.  Maybe I should.  (kidding)

Another place for pictures and videos

I am trying out Shutterfly's "share site" to post pictures and videos.  http://theaikinsfamily.shutterfly.com/  It looks like I can do "journal entries" too so I might move over to there for updates as well.  We'll see... I added Easter and Slate Farm pictures to that site for now.

Spring Break part 2

Wednesday morning was gymnastics then we had some lunch and headed over to Young's Dairy Farm. Adam loved feeding the goats!  They had a couple of calves and some mama goats and their babies in the "petting zoo" barn that we could pet, too.  Then Adam chose to have some bright blue cotton candy flavored ice cream.  I thought maybe that would be all there was to do but we saw a sign for a big slide (like the one at the fair) so we walked over to see if it was open yet.  It was!  A token ($1)/ per slide.  Adam went down 3 times and then the nice man running the slide told Adam to come up again so he got a free ride.  We walked over to the putt-putt coarse but I wasn't ready to try that with him yet.  Somehow we ended up walking back and forth between the petting zoo and the putt-putt for 2 hours and then we headed home. 

Here's Adam on the slide the 2nd time (I didn't think to video it the 1st time but his face was awesome):


I'm sure you've seen the pictures but here's the link anyway...
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3627482125291.169487.1221196370&type=3&l=9c177c7bb0

Thursday morning we went swimming at the Community Center. The rest of the day was spent playing at home.  He learned a new trick on his trapeze that he wanted me to video it for everyone:


Today we went to The Works museum in Newark, Ohio.  It is a small science museum with a big interactive area for the kids to play and learn.    Kind of like a mini COSI but much cheaper.  Ha ha!  We even got to watch a glass blower which was pretty interesting!Adam did not want to leave but after 4 hours, I was tired!  We ended the day at McDonalds with a cool Green Lantern Happy Meal toy and another hour of playing in the play area there.
The Works pictures:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3639849554469.169689.1221196370&type=1&l=4eae4a4550

Now what to do this weekend....

Spring Break

This week is Spring Break for Adam.  We were going to go the beach with Joey and my parents but Adam got invited to a classmate's party on the 24th and REALLY wanted to go.  It was actually a pretty cool party!  It was held at Soccer Locker which is a little indoor soccer field.  The coach had the kids running around playing games for about an hour broken up with a half hour for cake.  Adam was mad that the plates and napkins had princesses on them so we had to turn the plate upside down and the napkins inside-out so that he would eat his piece of cake.  The parents that saw it thought it was hilarious.  Also, while he was running around, his pants kept falling down!  I guess his 5T pants only fit if he's walking or standing. Ha ha!

Anyway...I was trying to think of something fun to do for the rest of the week.  I though going to a new Metro Park each day or one of the many farms an hour away would be fun.  We started Monday by going to Blendon Woods.  Adam got to see some wild turkeys from the Nature Center.  We took a short walk down one of the trails but it was very chilly!  I decided we should head home until things warmed up.  We had some lunch then headed over to Highbanks since it was warmer (and I made him put a hoodie on under his jacket).  I had read to Adam some of the things on the map and one was something about "Pool family headstones".  He is fascinated with tombstones so he really wanted to go see them.  We headed down the trail and finally see them.  I start to read the sign by them and look over to find Adam under the fence standing in the little "cemetery".  Ahhh!!  Adam no!  He gets out and I start reading the sign again and find out that it was only a replica of a cemetery.  The headstones were found miles away and no one knows where the actual burial grounds are.  But still...

I drag Adam down this long trail to find the observation deck.  Highbanks has some eagles living in it and we kept passing people telling us the eagles were out.  Well, they were gone by the time we got there. A lady that was down there was nice enough to point out the eagles nest and let us borrow her binoculars to see it better.  Pretty cool to know we have some wild eagles in Ohio and not just at the zoo!  We sat on the observation deck for a little bit because 1) it was just really nice down by the river and 2) Adam really wanted to sit and wait for the eagles to come back.  They didn't.... :)

This morning started off with a tour of the Anthony Thomas Candy Factory.  It's only $3 but then they give you a $3 voucher to use in their store so Adam got a chocolate gun (and I got a dark chocolate bunny). Adam thought the tour was borrrring but I thought it was pretty interesting.  I would like to work there actually.  Emplyees can eat ALL the chocolate they want! 

After lunch, we went back to Highbanks.  Since Adam wasn't thrilled with just walking yesterday, we went back today to play on the playground and in the "natural play area".    He kept knocking over a 2 year old in the playground so we headed over to the natural area so he would keep his hands to himself.  We found a dirt path that led us to the river and stayed right along the river.  Adam loved this foot path much better than the stone or paved paths we had been on.  He pretended to cut through the brush and I kept getting whacked with branches. It was really nice being right by the water but I was soo nervous in a couple of spots that he would fall right in.  He saw a picture of kids climbing trees so he wanted to climb trees too.  This one went right over the water so I wouldn't let him go too far.

We took another paved path that led to something called the Adena Mound.  There were no signs about it but we saw later in the Nature Center that they were burial mounds for the Adena Indians.  Adam dragged his feet all there then found a big stick to drag all the way back.  2 years later...we had to head home.

Tomorrow may be Slate Run Historical Farm or Young's Dairy Farm. If it rains -  Magic Mountain or Chucky Cheese - yuck!