SPD Diagnosis & OT Therapy

We'll we are officially diagnosed. She said she has a mild form of SPD called Body Awareness issues which is why she's constantly moving, jumping, climbing, etc. They said we're already doing 150% of what they would recommend so we're going straight to OT which will start within the next 30 days. 1 - 45 minute session per week. She said she's extremely advanced and that since we're catching this early they should be able to help her learn to recognize her body and cope and it should help her speech take off. I'm going to make her a weighted blanket & vest this weekend and she said that is perfectly on target with what her therapist will suggest on her first visit anyway. She said to only do a 1lb blanket because of Gwen's size because anything heavier would likely shut down her nervous system and all she'll do is sleep (so I may also make a 3lb one for night time). She said that a persons nervous system isn't "set in stone" until about 8 years old so we have time to reconfigure hers. This is why she's so clumsy and bumps into things a lot.

Possible SPD and Other Updates

Gwen's ST brought to my attention that she felt Gwen may be suffering from SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) which could be affecting her communication as well. Gwen tends to hang on EVERYTHING and climb on EVERYTHING. She also will climb or hang when she's upset. She also likes to jump ALL THE TIME. We've suspected SPD in the past, but just adjusted to her needs (built her a hanging bar, bought her an indoor and outdoor trampoline, frequent trips to the park, etc) but the ST feels she may need OT to try and manage the issue better.

I e-mailed our Service Coordinator yesterday and she set up an evaluation with an OT on 10/24 @ 1:00 PM to see if we can get an actual diagnosis and then we'll move forward with therapy if we do.

Gwen is now saying "Bubble" more often and for both Bubble Guppies and Bubbles in general, however we've lost "Daddy" and "Kitty" and most of the "D" sounds. She's still very 'talkative' in her own language and extremely bright, continuing to amaze me & her ST every day.

Will let you guys know how things go.

Update

Gwen did amazing at ST on Tuesday. She said Weeeee and Butter (which has since become butterfly)... yay... she also Neighs while riding her horse.

Then just now when Adam was refilling her water bottle she was saying "Wa Wa"

I am one happy mama!

Current Word List

THANK YOU
MOMMY
DADDY
SPONGEBOB
KITTY
DOGGY
POPCORN
POPSICLE
BOOM
OWW
TRACTOR
HELLO

The funniest thing is she's said all the above words multiple times but if you ask her to say it she shakes her head no.

Great Milestones Today

We were reading a book earlier today and Gwen repeated Tractor, it was pretty clear and well said. Though everything became tractor for awhile.

And then Gwen just said UP. We were in bed and I had my back to her and she kept tapping me and I was ignoring her until she shouted "MOM" so I said "honey its ni ni time" she went into this long babble speel and I said "do you want to snuggle" and she said "Up" I said "did you just say Up?" She shook her head yes, pointed at the ceiling and said "up" again, I started bawling uncontrollably and said "say it one more time for mommy" and she said "uh" just no P sound but it was close enough for me. I think she relates up with snuggling but I am okay with that.

Of course when I called Adam up she wouldnt say it again.

I love that we are making progress. She has  Boom a couple more times she is just very inconsistent with her words.

Speech Therapy 09/17/13

Gwen just finished up ST. Laine was super impressed with how well she picked up on the signing. She wants us to start working on "Ready, Set, Go" and using it a lot and then doing "Ready, Set..." and pausing to see if she will respond or at least try to say "Go". During therapy they were playing with a tennis ball, bouncing it off the wall and Laine kept saying "Boom" after a few times Gwen repeated "Boom". YAY!!!! Laine was also working on the "mmm" sound for more and Gwen kept saying "mmmm" and then "ma" for more. It's a start. :-)

Another Update 09/13/13 "Thank You" and "Help"

We've tried sign language in the past and she just wasn't getting it and now she is picking up on it quicker than I thought possible. While playing with her beads tonight we attempted "Help" (which Daddy has been working on with her) and "Thank You" (which I've been working on with her) and she NAILED them both. :) I even got them on video for you to see. 

So after 3 days we have Help, Thank You, More all consistently used, and we are working on Please. :) The first video is Gwen asking for help, and the second is Gwen with LOTS of more's with a Thank You at the end.  The ST said that as long as the signs were close we shouldn't worry about perfect form (which is why I don't correct her "help" or her "thank you" I just sign them the proper way when I "speak" to her).