It has been one month since SensiGirl finished her AIT therapy. We have seen some changes, not huge ones but sly, shadowy ones that keep me hoping and happy. I went away for a long weekend a few weeks after her ear training and she had Grandma and Grandpa staying with her during the day. I was told she spent her time while I was away telling Grandma, "Uh-Uh" and "I don't know" and apparently popping off sentences here and there
School started the day after Labor Day and her daddy asked, "What was your favorite part of school today?" My SensiGirl answered, "Lunch!" Classic first grader answer! I loved it.
In the weeks before school started I noticed that she was singing lyrics clearer, it was like she was hearing the words more clearly. She also was more adaptable when I corrected her misheard lyrics. She is plugging her ears in response to certain sounds or environments. Her teacher noticed it too; the plan is to just let that one be. I think she is hearing things differently, so she is testing out the sounds.
Her teacher reports that she attends to group directions a lot more readily, but isn't sure if it is a maturity and familiarity issue or due to the AIT. There is less need to go to her individually, get in her space to get Sensi's attention to give a direction. This is a great improvement over last year. She does better at home with this too. I don't have to pull the answer from her with either or questions. I can give her choices, more than 2 and she will answer me. It may be a one word answer, but it is not the prompt and talk script anymore. She follows directions better at home too.
Her therapists at OT and Speech have also noticed some differences. She breezed into Theraplay the other day and looked right at her therapist and she said "Hiya!" There was no prompting, her therapist didn't need to initiate the greeting, she just did it on her own.
Last week we were still trying to get into the routine of waking up early for school and I told her, "You have to get up" she looked directly at me and said in a resigned voice, "I know." So, the whole 4 or more word sentences I am not seeing much of, but the direct appropriate replies, they are there now for the most part. The key is to give her time to respond, to process the language she is hearing. I'll keep on posting updates on her AIT progress periodically throughout the year.
It's really interesting to hear the updates. I'm glad you're seeing some progress... in the end it doesn't matter what prompted it, it's in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Both you and my friend Karla at Beyond the Dryer Vent posted about your girls doing this type of therapy with some success. I wonder if some of it is just the learning how to listen and hear. It's enough for me to hear it from two moms I trust to look into it more! Yay for SensiGirl! This is great progress! :)
ReplyDeleteIt really is cool, isn't it? Especially going from losing skills at the start of summer. I'll take progress any way she wants to do it.
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