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Laszlo's Therapy Session
Jan. 21st, 2005 04:13 pmWe spent the morning at the mall with Elise and Sophie (aka Fofie) and it was very nice. Laszlo has been improving so much on his own and I'm so proud of him. He got out of his stroller at Pottery Barn Kids and played with toys, put his Froggy in a little shopping cart and pushed it around the store a bit. This seems like nothing for other kids, but Laszlo would usually stay in his stroller rather than get out at all and scream "NO" when I'd ask him to come out and try something new. So this was big.
Then we went to the therapy place which is very close by. When we first walked in, it was like a crowded pediatrician's office...not sure what I expected exactly, but I was a little surprised. I went over the counter - had to leave the double stroller in the front by the door because there were just too many kids and toys to get it through - and told them we were there. Our therapist Jen was at the desk and welcomed us in.
She seemed very nice. Young, cute, etc. Laszlo was being his usual clingy self, asking me to hold him and not wanting to walk down the unfamiliar hallway. Of course our room was the last one down a very long corridor. No biggie. So we got inside and it was a small gym, with mostly padded floor and some kid-friendly equipment. Miss Jen was trying to get Laszlo to step into this inflated inner tube. She was asking him to do a bunch of tasks and showing him a ton of different things, so he got overstimulated very quickly. I was just going to let it happen, so I sat back with Lily and watched. Then Laszlo started screaming and another therapist came in and brought him like 4 more toys to play with. A no-no. Then another therapist was walking by and stuck her head in then said, "Oh, I'll get the bubbles." So I finally said, "Look, the more things you introduce to him right now, the worse he's going to behave." I didn't know what to think exactly, but I was sort of happy that he was showing his frustrated/overwhelmed side to her so she could know what we are dealing with. I was also kind of pissed off because aren't these people supposed to know better? I'm telling myself that they just don't know us yet, which is true. And Laszlo's forms say his issues are fine motor, not social, so I can't blame her. And she only had a half hour to work with him. All that said, by the middle of the session, he was participating like he never has in such surroundings. He was going up and down this half staircase, putting Froggy in and out of the tube, putting Froggy next to Lily and on the trampoline. By the end of the session, he was jumping alone on the trampoline and climbing up and down the stairs alone, and responding to Miss Jen (a stranger!) I'm so proud of my lil man.
Once it was time to leave, Jen wanted to show us the other room that we may be working in. There were 2 other kids and 2 therapists in there working. It is a bigger gym with an awesome low swing in there. Laszlo wanted to go on the swing (also a big thing) and was disappointed when we told him he'd have to wait until next time. Then we started walking back down the hall and he asked to go jump again on the trampoline. He walked all the way back down the hall without asking to be held or to go in his stroller.
All in all, I'm very happy with the way it went. I'm very glad that I was in the room with them and that I got to introduce Laszlo (and his issues) to Miss Jen. We agreed that I'll be in the room for the first few sessions and then work our way to me and Lily waiting outside in the crowded area. I'm glad that I stepped up and told her about the toys they were bringing in, and I felt more comfortable at the end when we left because she knows now the situation.
Sorry if this is disjointed...I'm going back and forth into Laszlo's room to check on the 2 of them playing in there. I get nervous when it's too quiet!
Also, Laszlo has been very affectionate to Lily in the last few days. He goes over to her and hugs her and if he can't reach her he said, "Wanna hug wif Lily" and my heart just melts.
The tiny things he's doing now that are so common for other kids make me realize how amazing he is and how lucky I am to have such a wonderful little boy. I'm so glad that other people are finally going to be able to see what a great kid he is, without getting to know us for a million years before he opens up around them.
Then we went to the therapy place which is very close by. When we first walked in, it was like a crowded pediatrician's office...not sure what I expected exactly, but I was a little surprised. I went over the counter - had to leave the double stroller in the front by the door because there were just too many kids and toys to get it through - and told them we were there. Our therapist Jen was at the desk and welcomed us in.
She seemed very nice. Young, cute, etc. Laszlo was being his usual clingy self, asking me to hold him and not wanting to walk down the unfamiliar hallway. Of course our room was the last one down a very long corridor. No biggie. So we got inside and it was a small gym, with mostly padded floor and some kid-friendly equipment. Miss Jen was trying to get Laszlo to step into this inflated inner tube. She was asking him to do a bunch of tasks and showing him a ton of different things, so he got overstimulated very quickly. I was just going to let it happen, so I sat back with Lily and watched. Then Laszlo started screaming and another therapist came in and brought him like 4 more toys to play with. A no-no. Then another therapist was walking by and stuck her head in then said, "Oh, I'll get the bubbles." So I finally said, "Look, the more things you introduce to him right now, the worse he's going to behave." I didn't know what to think exactly, but I was sort of happy that he was showing his frustrated/overwhelmed side to her so she could know what we are dealing with. I was also kind of pissed off because aren't these people supposed to know better? I'm telling myself that they just don't know us yet, which is true. And Laszlo's forms say his issues are fine motor, not social, so I can't blame her. And she only had a half hour to work with him. All that said, by the middle of the session, he was participating like he never has in such surroundings. He was going up and down this half staircase, putting Froggy in and out of the tube, putting Froggy next to Lily and on the trampoline. By the end of the session, he was jumping alone on the trampoline and climbing up and down the stairs alone, and responding to Miss Jen (a stranger!) I'm so proud of my lil man.
Once it was time to leave, Jen wanted to show us the other room that we may be working in. There were 2 other kids and 2 therapists in there working. It is a bigger gym with an awesome low swing in there. Laszlo wanted to go on the swing (also a big thing) and was disappointed when we told him he'd have to wait until next time. Then we started walking back down the hall and he asked to go jump again on the trampoline. He walked all the way back down the hall without asking to be held or to go in his stroller.
All in all, I'm very happy with the way it went. I'm very glad that I was in the room with them and that I got to introduce Laszlo (and his issues) to Miss Jen. We agreed that I'll be in the room for the first few sessions and then work our way to me and Lily waiting outside in the crowded area. I'm glad that I stepped up and told her about the toys they were bringing in, and I felt more comfortable at the end when we left because she knows now the situation.
Sorry if this is disjointed...I'm going back and forth into Laszlo's room to check on the 2 of them playing in there. I get nervous when it's too quiet!
Also, Laszlo has been very affectionate to Lily in the last few days. He goes over to her and hugs her and if he can't reach her he said, "Wanna hug wif Lily" and my heart just melts.
The tiny things he's doing now that are so common for other kids make me realize how amazing he is and how lucky I am to have such a wonderful little boy. I'm so glad that other people are finally going to be able to see what a great kid he is, without getting to know us for a million years before he opens up around them.
