We were pleased to find out that Maksim's ears work, and the stimulus is being recognized by his brain. He passed all of the tests with flying colors, including turning to quiet sounds in the sound booth. The concern is now with how well his brain is processing the sound and turning it into something understandable to him. He can hear, which is definitely great news, but for some reason, I think a processing problem might scare me more.
His other appointment this week was with a physical therapist. I was really excited for this one, because it meant a fresh set of eyes, who have never seen Maksim, would get to evaluate him and give us a professional opinion.
His overall opinion of Maksim was that it is a "good sign" that he is so active and wanting to be so mobile. He was impressed at his amount of energy and asked "is he always like this? He must sleep well at night!" I thought that was so funny because it is so true! Maksim never stops! :) He also said it was a good thing that Maksim is so happy, because it makes him easier to work with and progress. He watched Maksim army crawl, and stand up, and play with toys. He watched how he struggles to get into a sitting position and how he favors exploring toys on his back or his belly, where he doesn't have to hold himself or toys up against gravity. He stretched and flexed his legs, and watched how he stands on his toes and struggles to make stepping motions. He watched him cruise slightly to the right but be unable to move himself to the left.
He said his main concerns with Maksim lie mostly in his muscle tone. He has an increased tone, particularly in his lower body; he has a hard time isolating antagonistic muscles; and he he has poor balance and core stability. These are all things that Logan and I have noticed and worried about, and they all contribute to his inability to sit and play for longer than several seconds, his inability to four-point crawl, and his limited ability to make stepping motions. However, he said he is very optimistic that Maksim will walk, particularly due to the fact that Maks wants to be mobile, but he has no idea of whether or not he will need assistive devices to walk safely. Maksim's poor vision is another set back in this area, because it frequently causes poor depth perception, which can lead to falls and injuries.
Anyway, I could go on about the visit, but that was the gist of it. I must say, it was nice to hear someone talk about my son through eyes that see him more closely to how Logan and I see him, not as being flawed, but as having a few real struggles that make him different from other children, and not "just behind" them. I can't tell you how many well-meaning people have told me lately that "Maksim is fine"; that I am "just creating problems" in my mind; or that he is "just behind." As innocent as these comments are, they literally drive me crazy. Not the annoyed kind of crazy, but the kind of crazy that seriously makes me question my instincts as Maksim's mother. I am comforted in knowing my instincts were, in fact, noticing something.
I am very excited to have the physical therapist as part of Maksim's team. He seems very proactive, and I really think he can help Maks make great strides with his gross motor skills. I look forward to learning more ways for us to help Maksim progress as well.
And here is the picture of the day. It was beautiful outside today, so I decided to take Maksim and Milyn on a walk. Maksim got to ride in the stroller for the first time today without being in the carrier! :) He thought he was such a big boy (and he looked like one, too), and Milyn loved being able to turn around to talk to him and make him giggle. We can't wait for more beautiful days like today! :)
- Posted by Shalee using BlogPress from my iPad
Always trust your instincts! You know better than anyone else. I completely understand those feelings of when people tell you that "he's fine." It's so frustrating and confusing! Your doing great, never let anyone tell you otherwise.
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