Tiddler's Paediatrician appointment last week went ok. She is, apparently, 6 months delayed in her gross motor skills, but on course with her fine motor skills. Intellectually, he said that it's too early to tell how her development will pan out as intellectual growth kicks in from about now onwards. I know we would say this, but I am pretty sure she is doing ok intellectually.
After my wobble following Physio the other week, I asked him whether he thought a standing frame at Tiddler's age was quite (too) young? He said no- she wants to stand, she is trying to stand... she needs us to give her a helping hand. Standing will also really help build up her muscle tone as she wil have to work against gravity. Ok. Fair enough. I trust our Dr completely so thats good enough for me.
However, its not as straightforward as this. The other night, I spent a lovely evening with a couple of close friends. One of which had had a couple of shandies. They asked abut Tiddler, I partially updated them- telling them about the boots that she was to wear and how much she had hated trying them on. Cue drunken slurry rant interspersed with : "I am not being horrible..." and "Don't take this the wrong way...."
Basically, this friend told me to just let Tiddler enjoy her childhood, that the Drs were talking "bullshit", that T would walk when she was ready etc and why are they (and we) rushing her. The fact is, she is not the only person who has said similar to us. I know she wasn't exactly sober, but I wouldnt dream of saying the things to her that she said to me. I wouldn't ever volunteer my opinion on how she should bring up her child. I sincerely hope I wouldn't anyway, drunk or not.
What are we supposed to do? If Tiddler is 6 months delayed with her gross motor skills then without a leg up- excusing the pun- she is potentially faced with being a very late walker. There is no suggestion at this time that she won't be able to walk. So surely we are letting her down if we don't give her all the assistance she needs, albeit at this young age. Obviously we have to trust the medical profession. We have to have faith in them and we do, although at times it makes me sad that Tiddler is so entrenched in the "system" and sometimes I just want to scoop her up and run away from all the meddling/ exercise/ regimes etc.
Things are difficult. They will continue to be difficult. Our life would be easier without contradiction, and this includes that from well- meaning friends and family. They are not with us 24 hours a day, they do not see her abilities and frustration like we do. We must trust medical opinion. I just wish family and friends could keep their comments to themselves as voicing them puts us in an impossible position.
Showing posts with label standing frame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label standing frame. Show all posts
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Physiotherapy & the Nature of the Beast
Why do I feel so devastated?
I had thought Tiddler was doing really well- a growth spurt, almost sitting, fashioning her own crawling, mastering bite/dissolve foods.
Why then, why did I drive home from her latest Physiotherapy appointment hurting and fighting back the tears?
T’s lovely physio gave her the fab patent hot pink Piedro boots to try on. Mummy would have liked a pair in size7. Seriously, they rocked. Due to T’s Chicken Pox we are a little later than intended, and so they only just fit. Oops. Size 2 and ½!
Tiddler went ballistic. Screaming and screaming, real tears, she was NOT happy. She hates socks / bootees anything on her feet so I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Eventually, with my holding her and the Physio battling, we got the boots on. Still the screaming ensued. She tried T standing in them, I meanwhile was desperately trying to distract/ cheer her up. In the end I had to intervene and ask for us to take them off. I couldn’t bear to hear her upset any longer. It really didn’t seem worth it.
Upset number 1: the Physio at this point said she was really wobbly and weak and would need a standing frame as well as the Piedro boots. At our last appointment she had not said this. I know it’s only temporary but it still makes her less able than her peers and makes me concerned again about her future abilities. As she has been doing so well I had thought she would be walking by 18 months. I feel a bit stupid now. Maybe this won’t be the case. I am angry with myself that I let myself believe everything was nearly "there".
Upset number 2: I mentioned in passing that although her arching behaviour has got a lot better, she has started head banging. I have assumed this is a normal phase, it seems not. Now I am concerned. As she is still without a diagnosis, I suppose if there is to be one, then little pieces of the jigsaw such as head banging help to work out what the overall condition is.
The Physio suggested it is either behavioural - which is what I have assumed it is- or otherwise sensory? Now I have googled this quickly (I know, I know….) and it seems that it may be an issue with sensory processing. She also seems to have a very high threshold for pain. Whatever it is the appointment has brought me down to earth with the bump I was waiting for. Even if this latest episode turns out to be nothing it just shows we are never that far away from hypothesising, grey, twists and turns. I guess that’s the nature of the beast.
I had thought Tiddler was doing really well- a growth spurt, almost sitting, fashioning her own crawling, mastering bite/dissolve foods.
Why then, why did I drive home from her latest Physiotherapy appointment hurting and fighting back the tears?
T’s lovely physio gave her the fab patent hot pink Piedro boots to try on. Mummy would have liked a pair in size7. Seriously, they rocked. Due to T’s Chicken Pox we are a little later than intended, and so they only just fit. Oops. Size 2 and ½!
Tiddler went ballistic. Screaming and screaming, real tears, she was NOT happy. She hates socks / bootees anything on her feet so I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Eventually, with my holding her and the Physio battling, we got the boots on. Still the screaming ensued. She tried T standing in them, I meanwhile was desperately trying to distract/ cheer her up. In the end I had to intervene and ask for us to take them off. I couldn’t bear to hear her upset any longer. It really didn’t seem worth it.
Upset number 1: the Physio at this point said she was really wobbly and weak and would need a standing frame as well as the Piedro boots. At our last appointment she had not said this. I know it’s only temporary but it still makes her less able than her peers and makes me concerned again about her future abilities. As she has been doing so well I had thought she would be walking by 18 months. I feel a bit stupid now. Maybe this won’t be the case. I am angry with myself that I let myself believe everything was nearly "there".
Upset number 2: I mentioned in passing that although her arching behaviour has got a lot better, she has started head banging. I have assumed this is a normal phase, it seems not. Now I am concerned. As she is still without a diagnosis, I suppose if there is to be one, then little pieces of the jigsaw such as head banging help to work out what the overall condition is.
The Physio suggested it is either behavioural - which is what I have assumed it is- or otherwise sensory? Now I have googled this quickly (I know, I know….) and it seems that it may be an issue with sensory processing. She also seems to have a very high threshold for pain. Whatever it is the appointment has brought me down to earth with the bump I was waiting for. Even if this latest episode turns out to be nothing it just shows we are never that far away from hypothesising, grey, twists and turns. I guess that’s the nature of the beast.
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