Most of this was written the day after our early intervention assessment on Monday, August 13th:
"Each day that passes we realize more and more how much God love us!! I am in awe at how He has put together our family. Our new little one brings us such joy!
Yesterday we had our early intervention assessment. The Chinese interpreter showed up first (along with her driver who was an older caucasian man with a degree in chemistry...I know, interesting) and Jake looked a little confused. He got upset (he was actually hungry also) and she tried to take him out of my arms to console him....BAD IDEA!! That was the first time that happened (someone trying to pull him screaming from my arms) and he wanted nothing to do with it. Those of you that know anything about adoption know that this is a very good sign that he is attaching well. This is a huge praise!! I am so grateful.
It wasn't long before the evaluator and coordinator arrived and by this point I finally have Jake eating some Chex. I tell them that I just can't imagine how they are going to test him because it just seemed that it would be difficult. I immediately remembered that this wasn't about me and how well I was doing or my parenting skills or lack thereof but it was about Jake, and wherever he was and whatever he could do, well that would just be what it was. Weight seemed to lift. Before I knew it we had him playing down on the floor in the family room and she began her testing. I enjoyed watching how much he could do, and let me tell you, it was just amazing.
The evaluator assessed his motor skills, cognitive abilities, speech, self-help, and something else but I can't remember. He is totally normal in his cognitive and motor skills, but, of course, tests delayed in speech and self help skills. Both of these delays totally make sense since he is learning the language and we are not pushing him at all with moving to cups (though he can do that) verses bottles and we're not trying potty training (though he can do that sometimes as well).
Jake is eligible for the early intervention program based solely on his diagnosis of CP and speech delays but quite honestly, both the evaluator and I agreed that there was no need to pursue anything further. There were things that he can do, like somersaults, that couldn't be captured on the form (this was voluntary as he waited for the next activity / game). There are a few remaining medical things to evaluate, but nothing urgent. I continue to try and put him down to bed in such a way to help shape his head if it's not too late. Certainly an MRI at some point would help us know more about whether or not there was some issue that caused early rigidity in his limbs. A CT scan taken at 14 months old showed some issuewith the left ventricle but we certainly don't see any neurological issues to be concerned about.
We are very grateful that God has allowed Jake to heal and be so healthy. God has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams. We are seeing our other children's hearts slowly transformed. And we too, Jeff and I, are being changed, slowly day by day."
No comments:
Post a Comment