Therapists are amazing!

Watching a doctor wave a flashy wand across your child's line of vision, only to watch your child not respond induces a special kind of panic.

And having to fill out the developmental questionnaire three times in one week for three different specialist assessments is more than depressing.

Does your child track movement?

No, apparently not. 

Does your child hold his head up?

No.

Does your child make eye contact?

Sometimes?  I think? 

Does your child smile?

Yes!

Does your child have a social smile?

No... not really anymore...

Does your child recognize you?

I have no idea. And if I can't tell I'm guessing no? 

And the questions go on and on. The whole thing is really good at identifying in excruciating detail every little thing Cyrus is not able to do.

And so that very first time when his first therapist (she's a visual specialist) hovered right over him and just waited until he focused on her and then moved ever so slowly to his right and he slowly but surely followed her with a delighted coo... Well, that's a powerful moment for a parent.

Shortly after that she had him on his tummy, and just by tucking his arm out of his own way and he rolled over within seconds! Totally and completely for the first time! Beyond amazing!

And that's the thing about therapists, they have a different job than doctors. The therapist figures out everything Cyrus can do. It's not a binary checklist at all - it's a developmental spectrum and they figure out where on that developmental scale he is and then work with him (and train us to work with him) wherever he is to make progress toward those developmental milestones that come naturally for most children.

Cyrus has been receiving services from a visual specialist since August and he just started physical and occupational therapy this last January. The physical therapist works with him on gross motor skills (things like head control and walking) and the occupational therapist works with him on fine motor skills (picking up objects with his hands or eating). Due to my work schedule I have never had the chance to attend one of Cyrus' PT/OT sessions. This week being my spring break, I finally got to change that!

And I found myself floored once again! I don't know how they do it, but therapists totally know how to communicate what they want a nonverbal child to do! Kyle refers to them as baby whisperers. They tuck a limb here or there, tickle his chin or pat the ground and ask in that high pitched baby voice. And Cyrus understands what they want him to do. Sometimes he's excited to comply. Other times he whines in complaint! And boy do they get him to work! They get him to play! Or discover his feet or stand up (with assistance)!

His head control has improved so much in the last 12 weeks - he's far less wobbly than he used to be. Does he still like to arch his head back? Yes! And now he seems to be more aware and purposeful about it, so he'll do it all the time! But from a prone position he can totally hold it up.

He can roll down a slightly inclined wedge almost completely unassisted on his right side. On his left he still needs a little help. And he seems to enjoy it - loves getting to the cushy mat at the end where he can just face plant!

He will bat at toys or his own feet. He looks incredibly uncoordinated when he does so, but there is little doubt that it is intentional. He even has a favorite iPad app! Some barnyard game or something... I don't know what it's called.

And yesterday evening I was making faces at him and he was imitating me consistently three or four times in a row.

His seizures are still better controlled than they were last January with a seizure free Saturday this week and only small ones since then. So overall, we've been seeing only improvement in these last few months! So grateful for the doctors, and especially the therapists that have helped us make this progress!

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