June 18th, 2010

Carver seen his ENT on Wednesday. Some of the preliminary cultures have grown out as a staph infection. The cultures are growing slowly and will continue to be monitored over the next 5 weeks or more. I'm not sure what all of this means, yet. According to Carver's doctor, the antibiotic that Carver is on should resolve this type of staph infection. The site looks really good, so hopefully things are clearing up. The doctor was nice enough to let us soak the tape off the stitches at home. Last time, the doctor tore the tape off in the office and we had tears everywhere. Nurse Marci gently took the tape off at home with no tears.

Carver has been responding to all of the "LING" sounds. He smiles with each new "LING" sound (AH, OOO, SSSSS, SHHH, MMM, EEE). I got a new IPHONE for my birthday. I was able to download a neat "LING" sounds program for my phone. So, we've been having fun with it. Kinnick has even learned to say all of the "LINGS". She said all of them right the first time. Crazy - I can't get her to say new words, but she said all of these with no problem. She still has a pretty limited vocabulary. Her vocabulary doesn't seem to be progressing like we had hoped. So, we have started some sign launguage. She seems to do pretty good with her signs. I just have to keep my eyes open at all times or I miss her requests.

We have a huge list of things to work on this summer.

Kinnick's List:

VI Therapy

Pre-Braille skills:

Top/Bottom/Left and Right side of page/Turn pages

Typing on Brailler and feeling letters

Light Box Activities:

Activities in book

Shape sorting on light box

Playing with controlled levels of light on light box

O&M Therapy

Directionality:

Find things using right, left, under, on, etc. commands

Example: Hide-n-seek with objects

PT Therapy

Strength Training:

Push/Pull

Carry around groceries

Climbing slide stairs

Animal walk – walk like a crab, frog, bunny, etc.

Walking up/down stairs first with rail then without

Balance:

Sit on Therapy Ball – Shift weight side/side front/back

Walking on uneven surfaces with object in hand

Stand using one leg/foot

Jumping – first with 2 hands, then 1 hand, then no help

Hand-eye coordination:

Rolling ball with 2 hands

Kick a ball

Jump off stair with assistance first

OT Therapy

Deep pressure input to hands/arms

Pull-apart toys like pop beads or Velcro fruit

Sidewalk Chalk

Release items into bucket with sound component

Work with stabilization of a toy with 1 hand while using

the other hand to play with it

Dressing/Undressing

Explore textures like beans (see list)

Fill latex glove with water and play with it

Hide things in paper towel holder and let her find them

Use empty tissue boxes as moon shoes

Collect rocks

Dig in dirt

Play in puddles

Squeeze bubble wrap

Motor Activities (see list)

SLP Therapy

Explore tastes/textures:

Smashed Bananas, peaches, pears

Tongue lateralization:

Put food in both right/left cheek when feeding

Self Feeding:

Help load spoon and bring to mouth

Hold and drink from tippy cup

Carver's List:

VI Therapy

Braille exposure:

Feeling Braille books as you read

Light Box Activities:

Activities in book (Pg 52 activities)

Rolling toward light (likes yellow and red)

Playing with controlled levels of light on light box

HI Therapy

Find sounds (above, beside, in front, behind)

Press switch when a sound is heard

Find sounds on resonance board

Listen to nature sounds (machine)

Listen for environment sounds (door bell, microwave, etc)

Introduce sounds like washer/dryer, hair dryer, dishwasher

Shake keys when going bye-bye

Have people greet Carver with hand-shake and “Hi”

Have people say by with a bye-bye shake when they leave

Request Carver’s hands when playing hand games

Play row-row-row-your-boat (let K&C do it together)

Offer choices for play

Try to encourage Carver to push an item away or say, no.

Do this by giving an object he wouldn’t want

Turn taking

Ling Sounds

Reinforce gestures and sounds

Verbally describe things that are happening

Have Carver touch you for “more”

PT Therapy

Quadruped:

In Creepster – bearing weight on hands/knees

Weight bearing on hands/knees over bolster

Standing:

In stander angled so he has to work on head control

Have stand from your lap – sit/stand/sit/stand

Sitting:

Supported to work on head control (rifton, childrite)

Less supported (on your knee or floor) – provide support

closer and closer to waist

Stretching:

See handout provided

OT Therapy

Bang two objects together

Peek-a-boo with heavy fabric

Pushing a ball (work towards two-handed push)

Release items into bucket with sound component

Explore textures like beans (see list)

Encourage reaching for objects

Use right hand to bat at hanging things

SLP Therapy

Explore tastes/textures:

Smashed Bananas, peaches, pears

Tongue lateralization:

Put food in both right/left cheek when feeding

Self Feeding:

Help load spoon and bring to mouth

Hold and drink from tippy cup