An Update and An Opinion

Yes, once again I am painfully aware that it is Wednesday and I am just as painfully aware that I have no projects or even real accomplishments to show for this week......unless of course you consider going through 3/4 of a tank of gas running around to different appointments an accomplishment. If that's the case then I should get a gold star for my efforts!!!! However, since I missed blogging about David yesterday because I was running and all, I figured you all might like to hear about him instead of how many gallons of gas I used in the last two days! Your welcome!

Yesterday was David's first official physical therapy appointment. To say I am over the moon with this new therapist would be an understatement. This girl is very good as David let her work with him the entire time without getting upset at all. There are two definite reasons for this. The first one is she is a little tiny girl who is just gorgeous. Definitely Davids type. And the second and probably most important reason he behaved was because she knows how to distract kids from the task at hand. She played on Davids love of balloons and gave him one of those really thick balloons with the rubber band attached. He played with that the entire time as she stretched him and manipulated his muscles. She and the entire staff were also huge on praise and as he walked with his walker through the gym. The other therapist and office staff came out to high five him and tell him how great he was doing. It was the push he needed to continue. Yes, David does now, and always has, worked well for praise.......and candy!

After the PT thoroughly checked out his strengths and weaknesses (and there are still a great many weaknesses), she came up with a plan. This plan she assured me would ensure that his weakness would be improved upon greatly. Under this plan, David will be seeing her twice a week and then seeing the swim therapist once a week. With all of that and horseback riding therapy (HIPPO therapy) too, we should be seeing some great changes in David fairly soon. I am excited....not just for the change, but also for how he relates to this therapist. I feel like we are finally headed in the right direction!

As if that wasn't amazing enough, before his therapy yesterday, David had his yearly IEP. While I can't tell you what those letters stand for, I can tell you that it is a meeting with myself and all involved with him at school. It is to check on past goals and set up new goals for David scholastically. It covers his basic educational needs, while including all of his therapies. If you remember, last year I spent the year very unhappy with school, but this year, it is a night and day difference. There are many new faces in the mix and some fresh ideas balanced by some impressive experienced ones. I am so pleased with all I have heard and seen at school this year and although David is still adjusting to getting back in the swing of things.....he is also thriving. I am a happy momma so far!!!

So we are all moving forward. Now if I can just keep that nasty virus that is going around away from him. THAT has ER/hospital visit written all over it. I did tell the teacher yesterday that if kids start getting sick with this, I will be keeping David home for a few days to avoid contact. I know I can't protect him from everything, but from this wheezing nightmare.....I will do my best.

Finally, I would like to say a word about the young special needs child who was trying to be a part and participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Some other kids, as a prank doused the child with urine and feces instead of ice. My question is....why? Why would someone think that was funny to do to anyone, let alone an autistic child? This young man was 15 years old and he thought he was doing something good and being a part of something special. Instead, he was deliberately humiliated, I'm sure embarrassed and bottom line....bullied.

It is my understanding that the kids responsible have been identified, as celebrities such as Drew Carey and Jenny McCarthy (who has an autistic child) put their resources to work to help find the offenders. So should these kids be punished? Should charges be filed against them? Here's my thoughts...... The offenders should be first and foremost made to publicly apologize to the young man. THEN, these kids should have community service in which they have to spend a period of time working with special education kids and learning about them. Then they need to be put into a position where they have to educate others on special kids and finally.....maybe the punishment should fit the crime. Maybe they need to have an "ice" bucket challenge of their own and have it filmed so that they too can have a taste of how this young man felt. Sometimes the simplest punishments are the best. These kids need to know that what they did was wrong and I do sincerely hope that whatever punishment comes their way....it is one they learn from and take that lesson through the rest of their lives.

Well there you have it....an update and my opinion! Boy you lucked out today!