Dyspraxic Journey

Tag Archive: potty-training

Motor Cognition Lab Testing Results & Nutrition/Supplement Updates

The testing at the motor cognition lab went well. CB was easily redirected and tried to a certain degree on all the activities/tasks requested of him. I got the chance to observe the testing and was impressed with CB’s skills on the verbal component of the testing, his tossing skills, and with some of the comparison components of the non-verbal portion. Prior to the moment of testing, we were unaware that administration of an intelligence test was planned. Many times intelligence tests may not accurately reflect your child’s mental capabilities when they have verbal difficulties and/or motor-planning issues.  Since CB is younger than most of the kiddos they test, there were only 2 tests they administer that applied to CB. One was an intelligence test, Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, 2nd ed. (KBIT-2), and the other was the standard test provided for evaluating motor skills for a child suspected of DCD (Developmental Coordination Disorder), Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd ed. (MABC-2).  We also completed a parent response test related to his sensory needs. Some positive findings were that the intelligence tests prove that CB’s motor skills are not due to a lack of intelligence and that the researcher was impressed with the progress CB has made since we last talked. We knew that CB is an intelligent boy and that his motor-planning issues are not related to a mental deficit. It is nice to see that reflected in the testing, as well. The results of the motor test still conveyed a severe issue with motor skills, but the researcher felt very optimistic about his suspected prognosis. She wants to test him again around his 6th birthday and she thinks the gap between his skills and a typically developing child’s skills will more closely align. She also thinks CB will eventually be mostly indistinguishable from his typically developing peers. This is all fantastic news! It doesn’t mean we are able to lay off any of his therapies or diet restrictions but what it does mean is that the therapies and diet ARE HELPING!

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October 8, 2015 Allergy, Diet, & Supplements, Tests & Evaluations, , , , , , 0 Read more >

Health Update – Perianal Streptococcal Dermatitis

So, it turns out the red ring around CB’s rectum was not due to a yeast infection. We still believe the infection formed from the chigger bite on CB’s penis. We think he scratched it and got it infected and then passed that infection to his bottom. For the past almost 2 weeks, the ring has been present, his rectum became increasingly itchy, his pee and poop accidents became a daily to 2x a day thing, his diapers were completely full or overflowing at night, and he mentioned having a headache a few times. We took him to urgent care since we are out-of-state right now and had him tested for strep. Yep, that is what he has. It is perianal streptococcal dermatitis. Since CB reacted to amoxicillin with a rash covering his entire body after taking it to treat an ear infection when we was <2, we asked the Dr to prescribe something else. She prescribed him azithromycin. It is day 4 of taking the medication and the ring and itchiness are definitely improving. He also had no accidents today and the slight rash on his bottom that has been present since January seems to be improving. We also got confirmation that HB also has strep and started him on azithromycin, as well. In addition to having the rash after taking amoxicillin, CB also developed a yeast infection. CB is taking probiotics so this should help combat a yeast infection from starting from starting the antibiotics. I have also started giving CB & HB goat’s milk yogurt to just help ensure the yeast infection does not form.  We have introduced dairy on occasion over the last 2-2.5 months. So far, CB hasn’t shown a reaction. The exposure has been very limited though. Hopefully, giving him the yogurt to fight off a potential yeast infection will not backfire and cause another issue.

The other interesting thing is that we were trying to get a comprehensive parasitology x3 stool test from CB to send to the lab to determine yeast, parasite, and bacteria levels within CB’s gut. We requested this test before this whole thing started. Oh well, we will wait till CB’s system is better and then take the stool test and finally complete the OAT (organic acids test) urine test. The lab is sending us some urine bags so we can collect the urine samples during the night while CB has a diaper on. It has been impossible to get CB to pee first thing in the morning, which is the requirement for the OAT test.

July 30, 2015 Allergy, Diet, & Supplements, Tests & Evaluations, , , , 0 Read more >

Argh…this restricted diet is getting to me

CB is 4 years old …

CB is handling his restricted diet beautifully. He eats most anything we put in front of him, and responds well in situations where he can’t eat something his friend is eating. The generic “I’m sorry honey but that will hurt your tummy” response seems to work fine, at least for now. I am very grateful for this; however, for the last week or so, I keep imagining our family eating out wherever and eating whatever. I find myself hoping that his progress is not connected to his restricted diet. I picture a fridge full of full fat milk yogurt, cheese sticks, cream cheese, and ice cream. OK, can you tell I am missing milk products? I make our coconut milk yogurt, coconut milk kefir, almond milk, and on occasion we have Dayla cream cheese. They suffice but I really miss animal-based milk. I also imagine a time where I am not making so much of our food and we have a clean kitchen most of the time. I seriously am not keeping up with all the cooking AND keeping the kitchen totally clean. Maybe I just need to order a supermom cape. Once I tie the cape around my neck, I will instantly be the SuperMom I would like to be. One can hope!

So, within the next week, CB will have more bloodwork done to see how his nutrition levels are. We hope this will help us to see if the diet is helping his body, to ensure he is not having any new vitamin deficiencies, and to look at a few more factors we haven’t tested for before.

CB’s OT & ST started including the ILS (Integrated Listening System) as part of his therapy. With his first OT session with the ILS headphones, he was able to ride his balance bike (a bike with no pedals) smoothly down the hall w/no headphones on. After his OT put headphones on him, he was super wobbly trying to ride the balance bike down the hall. Surprisingly by the 2nd session, he was functioning quite well with the headphones on. His ST is also providing mouth and tongue tactile input to help him be more aware of the different parts of his mouth. This should help him to be able to move his tongue, lips, and jaw more independently. CB has this issue with his entire body. He has a hard time moving various body parts independently. His OT also performed some vision exercises with him immediately following spinning exercises. It is so good to see auditory and vision therapy being incorporated in his OT and ST sessions.

Glowing Glances: CB is stringing more and more words and more and more syllables together. Before swim lessons, HB was crying b/c he didn’t want to stay in the dressing room. CB’s first impulse was to hit HB so I mentioned that CB should instead tell his brother he was sorry he was sad or ask how he could help.  CB hugged his brother and said “I sorry your sad”. It was such a beautiful sentence.

Progress: CB has been dry for the past 3 days! We changed his potty reward system to reflect a new system where he gets a car if he stays accident free for a day. We made this change about a week ago. It looks like we now get to update it to be something like he gets a car if he is accident free for 3 days in a row. The interesting thing is that the point of the rewards system is to serve as a motivator; however, CB asks for a car about every time he uses the potty. He cries about 1-2 times a day b/c he wants a car then. I am pretty  sure he doesn’t understand our current system and just waits for us to tell him he has earned a car. He doesn’t have much of an awareness of time, so it makes sense that this could be an issue for him. As I type this I am realizing, that our current chart system kind of blows and maybe our next one will be easier for him to understand.

April 22, 2015 Allergy, Diet, & Supplements, Therapy, , , , 0 Read more >

Car hoarder

So something CB does that I guess other kids with sensory issues do is that he takes a large amount of cars with him to the car in some sort of container every time he goes to the car. He may play with them but most times, he either holds on to the container or dumps them onto the floorboard. It is a huge fight if he is not able to take the huge amount of cars. There is clearly some sort of attachment associated with them. If his brother gets one of the cars in the car, CB will grab it, look at it for 30 seconds or so, and then add it back to his pile. He doesn’t actually play with that car. Maybe they are his safety net. Maybe he likes the sound and visual effect from dumping them. Maybe they are just fun to play with or maybe I am a mama who has no clue and just doesn’t get it.

Promising Progress: Yay, CB had his first dry day – 100% self-initiated. He is sill in pull-ups. We plan to continue to let him be the driver in this potty-training race. Something has clicked and he has better awareness. The 2 days prior were not so successful, but this is a big step.

Lousy Low: Seeing him struggle in group ‘PE’ time at his preschool program for special needs children and not being able to help him. It unfolded like a story in a textbook. He was sitting among the other 20-30 pre-k kiddos with a smile and sitting calm. After 20 seconds or so, a specific tune played and all the kids started crab walking, except for CB, who was bear crawling. He still had a smile and watched the other kids but continued with the bear crawl. The tune changed and the kids sat doing something with their hands. CB followed along. Then the specific tune started up again and all the kids started crab walking again, except for CB. He started scooting around on his bottom. He looked around at the others, looked at his body and continued scooting on his bottom. After that, he started chewing on his shirt, yelling, moving all around, and making disruptive sounds. One kiddo scooted away from CB and another stared at him. The teachers called him to come sit on the steps by them. I felt so bad for CB. I can’t tell to what degree he understands and recognizes how he is different and that these motor activities are easy for others but are difficult for him. He clearly has some understanding and chose to leave the situation versus continue feeling the way he felt.

Short note on current priorities:

  1. speech
  2. body awareness
  3. continue troubleshooting allergies, immune issues, periodic digestive issues

March 10, 2015 Growth and Progress, , 0 Read more >

Behavior and swim class

CB is 4 years old …

Earlier today during CB’s weekly swim class, he acted mostly like his usual self except he was more impulsive. He didn’t respond very well to his instructors and was trying to play with the other boy in his class. His play was spitting at him, splashing him, and screaming. Fortunately, for CB’s confidence, the other boy responded positively to CB by laughing. Unfortunately, it probably motivated CB to continue with his behavior. CB’s play is still quite limited. He enjoys big movements with loud sounds, getting others to laugh, lining and slowly moving his cars around, watching cartoons & parts of movies, hugging his brother repeatedly and often, reading books, collecting leaves, rocks & nuts, checking out cars, trains, construction trucks, and other big moving machines, reading car magazines, playing with others, hide and seek, tag/chase, looking for monsters, and sleeping w/lots of blankets, stuffed animals, pillows and toys.

We don’t have an official diagnosis for CB except for severe neuro motor planning speech disorder with developmental delay. He also has global motor-planning, sensory-processing, slower processing, auditory and visual issues. He is behind on his language, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and potentially some comprehension delays.

Since he is 4, it is hard to know how much behind he will remain.

Glowing Glances: CB & his younger brother played a game independently outside where they were talking the whole time, working together to achieve a goal, and greatly enjoying their time together without parental guidance. I am not sure what they were creating or building but it involved moving wood from 1 pile to another location.

Lousy Low: Reading through another evaluation that placed CB in the <5% for fine more skills.

Promising Progress: 1) Latest loose stool issue appears to be resolved. Changing CB’s supplements caused him to have loose stools for 3 days. We backed off the supplements and the issue disappeared. We slowly have reintroduced supplements and so far his stools are normal. He is skipping some days. (The extra vitamin C was the culprit) 2) Pooping and some peeing in the potty at school independently and 100% self-initiated. Keep in mind independently does still include help wiping.

February 25, 2015 Growth and Progress, , , 0 Read more >