Double Trouble, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Tuesday is now speech therapy day. During the school year, every school day has some component of speech therapy that is provided through the school system, both in the traditional classroom and also in special education settings. But now, every Tuesday is also speech therapy day, as in the day we take the boys to a private speech therapist for additional services.
We have long debated adding additional speech therapy for the boys outside of what the school system provides. Part of it was trying to find that difficult balance between giving them the therapy and help that they need without making every moment of their life scheduled and monitored. It was also a question of finances and insurance, and this year we finally decided it was time.
This week marks the third week in the boys' new speech therapy routine. The first week was simply evaluations and observations - all those fun forms and questions to respond to - but the last two weeks have been actual sessions. They are short, only 30 minutes long, but held every single week.
The boys are quickly learning the routine. Sawyer already tries to leave the waiting room as soon as we check in. He's not a huge fan of the waiting part, though he usually does pretty well in the sessions. Xander is hit or miss. His first session, he was really cooperative and calm. Todays' session he was a bit feisty and combative. I'm sure they will both have their days.
The good news is we really like the boys' new therapist. She is young and energetic, and on the very first session recognized something very important about Sawyer and Xander. They are stubborn. They know much more than they will show you at any given moment. Xander was tossing out one and two word phrases when he clearly knows that we expect sentences from him at this point. He KNOWS this. But he wasn't going to give it to this new person who was making him work and play by her rules. And Sawyer also knows more than a single sign, but he's taken to trying to use "eat" as his "I want" and not offering anything else unless you make him.
Today's session was also a bit of a departure. We joined a session with an older child who also has autism, and he and his therapist showed Sawyer a little about his communication software (and other software as well) on his iPad. This was one of the main reason we got an iPad for Sawyer (and why we are considering one for Xander as well). It was interesting, watching the other little boy show him things and seeing Sawyer watch what he could make the screen do. It was also nice to see the software in use by someone who was familiar with it and used it on a daily basis.
The boys are definitely ready to leave when the session is over (and there is waiting, because they are scheduled back-to-back with the same therapist). But they at least come willingly out of the truck and into the office. They also usually come willingly into the back area for the session.
Just another twist and turn on our journey. The boys are getting used to adapting to new and different things, which is a huge step in and of itself. So Tuesday afternoons, you'll find us taking time out to look for a few words ...