Hi there - wow it was Cody's last day of school Tuesday!  I will be looking for lots of creative ways to keep him busy this summer!  We have lots of ABA therapy lined up so that will be good! 

He had 2 bad seizures today - darn it.  Not such a great week seizure wise - he's having lots of intestinal/gastro issues and I think that's the culprit.  I'm about to start the elimination diet - eliminating the things that turned up he was sensitive to.  You eliminate them all for a week, then add them back 1 at a time and track any changes.  Wish me luck!  

I spent yesterday at the school revising his IEP (individual education plan.)  He has lots of great goals for the next year!  If you are entering public school, or are in public school and have a child with seizures, email me from this site!  I'd love to share Cody's goals with you - and perhaps some things I've found significant when dealing with public schools and a child with seizures.  It's been a looooong 6 months of trying to understand the school's systems, forms, language, heirarchy, and rules.  And where I fit in to it all.  I'm sure I've overstepped the lines far too many times - but it's all a learning process.  Until you go too far, I suppose you don't know where those lines are.  Cody hasn't made much progress this year in school - even tho he has at home - but with a new IEP in place and some great plans for tracking progress, I'm optimistic for the summer and coming school year. 

I worked with a fantastic lawyer who specializes in special needs children who are in public school.  She helped me understand what my rights are - what all the forms and paperwork mean - and she helped me advocate for Cody.  I'd be happy to pass her name to you privately if you think she could be of help.  She's in the Seattle area.  There's also a great book called "From Emotions to Advocacy" which is kind of the bible for special needs advocacy.  And a website:  www.wrightslaw.com that is pretty much the #1 resource for all things pertaining to your child in public school. 

Cody's home ABA program is going great!  We just began a couple of new programs - one is for "receptive" communication.  We hold up a page with a square picture of "Elmo" from Sesame St. in it - and his therapist says "Point to Elmo!"  The intent is for Cody to learn to identify things by name and point to them - with the further goal being something like -- holding up a cup and a plate and saying "point to the cup" and having him able to identify which is which.  Right now he's requiring full promts - meaning his finger has to be shaped into a point - and pressed onto the picture by the therapist hand over hand.  But it won't be long before he's doing it independently.  We've also begun "stacking" blocks!  Those are in addition to programs on matching, imitation, puzzles, etc.  Some days are better than others - some programs appeal to him more than others.  For some reason he really latches on to matching.  He has 3 animals, a giraffe, zebra and elephant and you lay all of them out in front of him -- and hand him 1 animal that matches - and say "match elephant!"  Then he lays the elephant on top of the alike elephant.  He really likes that.  Then he gets a tiny piece of a cookie or a bunch of back scratches as a reward - and we do it again!  Repetition is the key - 10 times is typical.  I looked through Fred Meyer today for some toys that might appeal to him - but it's hard to find things he really prefers. 

Better run - both boys are fed and ready for bed.

Love to all!

Shawna