The world can move as fast as it wants, but Sawyer is always going to move at his own time and his own pace. It's just one of the things I love about him.
It's hard to believe that Sawyer is in first grade and will be seven in just a few short months. He is getting so incredibly big (51 inches tall and 61 pounds as of this morning's doctor's visit). He is also making a lot of progress this year.
School is going well. He got to keep his amazing resource teacher Mrs. K , where he spends the majority of his day. His amazing aide Mrs. H usually helps him between classes and activities throughout the day. And he has a wonderful first grade teacher who has already gone above and beyond this school year.
Just a few weeks ago, we were invited into Sawyer's first grade classroom to talk to the other students about Sawyer. His resource teacher and I worked on a little PowerPoint presentation (mostly handled by her amazing student teacher Ms. A) and we talked to the class about ways that we are all alike and ways that we are all different. Mrs. K led the discussion, and then the kids were able to ask us questions. We talked about some of Sawyer's strengths and challenges in the classroom.
And the kids were really paying attention. I explained how Sawyer learns a lot of things visually, and how he often models exactly as other people do things. His "backwards" wave was a big hit, and now the class all greets him with an excited "backwards" wave every morning when he first comes into their classroom.
We actually just finished his annual IEP, and at his first grade teacher's request, have added some social goals involving his her and his first grade classmates. It's a wonderful, inclusive environment and we are excited for him to be there this year.
Sawyer's speech is still a slow process. He makes a lot of beginning sounds and some ending sounds, but struggles with blends and words. He has several word approximations, and uses those pretty consistently as long as they are within his expected routine.
In recent weeks, several team members have identified behaviors that are consistent with a diagnosis of apraxia, both of speech and also of motor planning. That confirms what we've always believed, that Sawyer knows and understands a lot of what you are saying to him, but he is having trouble producing a verbal response. As far as the motor planning, we thing he knows what he should do, but at times has trouble with the correct sequencing of activities as well as trouble getting his body to perform the actions that are in his mind.
Apraxia is like autism. It is a lifelong issue. We can work on therapies that will help him, but those areas will always be a struggle for him.
We actually had a consultation this morning with his ENT at the request of his speech pathologist, and he will be having a small outpatient surgery procedure in a few weeks that may help with speech production. There are technical terms for it, but it is essentially a procedure to cut the tendon under his tongue, which in his case is both incredibly short and also incredibly thick compared to most people. The procedure will only take a few minutes, though it will require anesthesia, and recovery is just a day or so. It's very minor, but I'm sure Sawyer will not be impressed.
Adding outside occupational therapy this summer has made a big difference for Sawyer. We are seeing improvements in focus, in some motor skills, and in problem-solving and multi-step directions. He enjoys the therapy sessions, especially when he gets to use the multiple swings in the big gym. The joint sessions with Xander have also increased his skill set tremendously. The modeling behavior makes the learning process so much easier for him. He quickly mastered a "pull" and scooter board activity that we had previously struggled with during independent sessions.
Sawyer's "moments" in the last few weeks and months are less defined than the ones Xander has been having. There is just an overall change. We think the gluten-free-casein-free (GFCF) diet has made a difference for both boys, and we especially see that in Sawyer.
Sawyer is so much more present than he has ever been. He watches the world around him, and he also engages the world around him, more than he's ever done before. Some of our occupational therapy sessions have been amazing in terms of eye contact, focus and joint attention. He frequently looks to his therapist after each action, wanting that approval and confirmation. That's huge for him.
Sawyer's ability to adapt to change and new places continues to improve. Just today we went to a new doctor's office (the ENT consultation) that was located inside the hospital. We had to park in the parking structure and go into a different building than we typically visit at this location. He did wonderfully, all the way through - walking to the new office, waiting in the waiting room, being examined by a doctor he hasn't seen in several years, and more waiting as I filled out paperwork for the surgery.
There are still struggles at times. Aggression can be an issue at times, especially if he's frustrated or if he's in a new situation. My arms are sometimes covered in bruises and blood from pinching. Using his Theraputty helps, but not always. Sometimes there are just too many sensory assaults to block out.
We also still struggle with sleep issues. He frequently has nights where he only sleeps five or six hours, or is awake at 3 a.m. for the rest of the day.
We have some food texture issues that seem to come and go. We struggle with meals, especially his school lunch, because of the limitations.
Despite the struggles, Sawyer is having a great year. He has a wonderful, supportive team in place to help him. And there is a tremendous amount of progress compared to the struggles.
It's so nice to see those brown eyes looking at you, anticipating actions and seeking approval and interaction.
Those eyes, that interaction, are priceless. Because I can still remember a time when he sat in a favorite corner of our old house, looking out the window and watching the leaves blow, but not looking at us or anything else around him. I can remember a time when he didn't respond to his name or pay attention to an airplane flying overhead. I still remember when he stopped waving hello and good-bye.
Lots and lots of progress. An amazing little boy who works incredibly hard and moves forward every single day.
We are so proud of him, and we love watching him on his journey.
