It’s the Little Things… Oskar

There are times with Oskar’s home therapy that I think nothing is working.  I’m constantly reading up on things and have a million books with some highlighter and folded over corners (that’s how I mark my pages). But his progress is often so much slower than Ted that I’m never quite sure what is working until some time has passed.

Lately, I have been changing up some things with his GAPS diet, supplements and BioMed treatments (with the ok from the Naturopathic Doctor of course) and I think we are finally getting more adrenal support for him.  He has been calmer, happier and shall I say, a tad more focused. Yay!

So the other day we were walking outside and as we walked past our truck he said “truck”.  Clear as day! I pointed to something later on the walk and I said “Oskar, what colour is that?” and he said “what colour is that?” again with perfect clarity.  Now I know some of this is echolalia speech, but for a child that only a couple of years ago had not even a speech sound… progress.  He does say a lot of words now, probably around 100, but nothing functional or expressive on a regular basis… too many motor planning issues at the moment.

But then today, without prompting him, Oskar played with a toy car appropriately!  He was moving it back and forth on the table.  He would push it and watch it move along on its own, he would giggle and laugh.  When it came to a full stop he would push it back in the other direction always making sure it stayed on the little play table.  A huge gain!  We have been working for a while on playing with cars, driving them around his dinner bowl, all over his body while singing little tunes we made up.  He tolerates it all, but I could never get him to do many back and forth “conversation” repetitions.  Yet today he played for a good 5 minutes with the car.  All appropriate play.

It’s these little things, the unprompted, totally in control moments that make me so happy.  He tries so hard every day to keep things in check, from his emotions to his movements and his speech.  To see him have a moment of pure happiness doing what I’m sure he wants to do every day, but can’t seem to get it together… for me, is pure joy!! I’m just so proud of him!!

 

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