(NO HBOT) Little Things Matter

Normally, we (parents of children with developmental delays) are more attuned to changes in our kids behaviors. We crave more positive changes as they may signal improvements and we feel hope in our hearts that they are moving into the right developmental direction. And when we see regression, we withdraw into depression. Because remembering difficult times is very hard to deal with emotionally. So raising a child with developmental delays, from Down Syndrome to ADHD to Autism, is a roller coaster of emotions for us parents.

We have done many MANY interventions since Jonathan was diagnosed on September 24, 2004. I have kept a journal of all the improvements and regressions that I have seen since. My journal is mostly in my head. I have a photographic memory although I have actually written many of my observations down. I still remember the day that he communicated with me via a simple drawing. We were at an OT session and I showed him how to draw a happy and a sad face. I told him what they meant. Jonathan didn't speak. He erased my happy face and drew a sad face and when I asked him who that was (is that daddy, is that mommy, etc.), he nodded no to everyone I pointed out until I mentioned his name, and he nodded yes. He was 33 months, had no language (other than vocalizing the ABCs and the numbers) and that was the first time ever that he had told me how he felt. That was a very intense moment. Very emotional (happy) for me.

2.5 years later, Jonathan can now speak and he can tell me when he is sad or about to get mad or happy or sick or scared. What a wonderful improvement. He is not recovered yet, but this is a major improvement.

Despite his great improvements, we continue to notice every tiny change in his behavior and feel extremely happy or sad about each of them (depending on what we notice). Today, his school teacher sent a note saying "Jonathan usually wants us to cut his pizza into strips, but today he picked it up and ate it without being cut :) Way to go Jonathan". That tiny improvement made my day!

Tia Maria Alejandra brought the kids a magnetic build kit toy (Magnetix for 6+ year-old kids) made out of magnetic balls and tubes and the child makes shapes with it. Jonathan loved it. He started to build triangles and squares, but really liked it when Maria Alejandra showed him silly things to do.

After they played with that toy, Jonathan initiated playing and asked Vanessa to go outside to the swings and the slide in our backyard. It was awesome to see them play. They are now having some simple conversations, and they fight because they don't like to share some toys. I am trying to teach Jonathan that he is the big brother and needs to let Vanessa play, but I have to admit that the fighting sounds like music to my ears for the most part. I do lose my cool when they both scream louder than the other. But it is great that they are using language to communicate. I will work on managing this behavior better.