Transitioning to first grade has gone way better than we ever would have anticipated for Jacquelyn. The last few months of therapy have made all the difference in the world. In another first, she has been able to jump down from the trampoline instead of using the step ladder. She was so proud of herself. She said, “I jumped down mom. That’s the second time I’ve done that. I’m doing that now.” She has lacked the body awareness to do much jumping down and even some climbing – she always felt she was falling. Jacquelyn played with a friend yesterday, and her mother told me they were running around together blowing whistles. What the huh? Running? Whistles? It’s a Christmas Miracle… except that it really isn’t. It’s taken years of reading and research to figure out what was wrong and then lots of therapy and time to make a difference. (For a list of Jacq’s interventions click here.) Jacq sees and feels the results for herself and is working hard to accomplish everything we set out for her to do. She has actually been hyper a couple of times… enough for me to have to say CALM DOWN. Then I thought what am I saying? Be crazy! Be loud! Run around! This is what “normal” children do. Welcome to normal! She is humming a lot lately, but that’s the only self-regulation I see – no more ear holding, no more withdrawing, no pacing, no more tear filled eyes, and no more ear plugs even at school! She is more joyful now, more energetic, more talkative and is carrying a much lighter burden – she is just less stressed. Good-bye sensory processing disorder with Asperger’s tendencies. It was nice educational knowing you.
(A special thank you to the Diane who wrote Meghan’s World and Hartley who wrote This Is Gabriel Making Sense of School - their books and their advice have helped me help Jacquelyn.)
