Speech Therapy (Autism)

          Delayed language or speech is one of the most common developmental problem in children. There are many causes of language and speech delay, the most important is hearing loss, and the other most likely causes including cognitive impairment (e.g. Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Autism), neurological damage (e.g. brain infection/ injury or cerebral palsy), psychosocial disorders (child abuse, neglect or lacking of environment stimulation), and anatomical (e.g. cleft lip or palate). - (References - Speech-Language Therapist by Francesca Bierens)

          Sean is included in Autistic Spectrum Disorder. In my previous post I did mention about Sean's Audiology Test, Sean's hearing is normal (from the result). His next appointment would be speech therapy and his 1st speech therapy was on 8th April 2013, located at Sibu General Hospital. Recalling back, that day was a good sunny day, everybody was in a good mood including our little Sean. As we brought him entered the therapy room, the 1st thing he did was grabbing a box of blocks, ignoring other toys on the table. He was so happy jumping up and down while flapping his both hands, laughing loudly regardless of the therapist there. Everybody pass by saw his actions would smile. I'm proud of this happy child that I have. Thank God.

          After that, he was examined by the therapist briefly, she tried to play with him with other toys but he refused, still preferred the blocks. At that time, Sean started to line up the blocks on the floor, just exactly like the way he did at home. She let him do it, as there's no use in forcing him to do something that he refused to do. Then the therapist interviewed us about Sean's behaviour at home, how he communicate with us at home, how many word that he knows, the way he plays toy and etc. After she recorded all the informations about Sean, I showed her Sean sang "Girl on fire"s video. here. She was very entertained by it, and we laughed a lot about that. Then lastly she summaries all that Sean really delay in speech, he needs speech therapy consistently. She suggested that if it's possible to make it once a week 4 - 6 times?..my husband and I just looked at each other because we both knew that it was impossible, so finally we decided to make it once in 2 weeks started from 29th May 2013. So if it going on for 4 times, that will be 8 weeks period of time, and if it going on for 6 times, that will be 12 weeks period of time, same as 1 year. It's not easy we know but we just need to try.

Activities that encourage development of speech for children:

1. Play pretend games, express your feeling through your face or gesture when you play. (e.g. "wow!so delicious"-happy face, "i'm so full!!"- rub your tummy...etc..)
2. Play take a turn games so that he is aware that he has companion or somebody is around.
3. Play as a team.

Please do visit here for further information, it might help your little one.

Sean's class activities

          It's been a while that I didn't  write about Sean. Well, he is doing just fine. Busy with his EIP (Earlier Intervention Program) class and OT (Occupational Therapy) class, which are 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As I said earlier on my previous post, Sean was having audiology test at Sibu, Sarawak General Hospital. Well, the result was normal, there is nothing wrong with his hearing. We're relief though, that's a great news.

          Sean's classes have been going on for about more than a month now. He is doing great even though sometimes he refused to go into the class room. Just like some other normal kids, he too has a mood. Every Wednesday is OT class. He likes that class very much. There's a lot of things to play, such as puzzles, blocks, toys, swing, jumping spring and so on. This can tell through his smiling face all the way and excited laughter, jumping up and down happily, at the same time flapping his hands and banging/shaking his head.
At his EIP class which is on Monday and Friday, so far he learns how to write, how to focus etc. The teacher's comments about Sean:-

1. Lack of concentration. (Look up at the ceiling fan most of the time - obsession towards spinning objects)
2. His sensitivities caught his attention to almost every moving objects in the class. Unable to focus well.
3. Unable to grab pencil to write in a correct way. He has weakness at his fingers, cannot hold pencil in a correct way for one period of time.

There are still a lot of things that need to be done about Sean. He still can't talk at the age of 3+ make us difficult to figure it out what is in his mind. But there're also some improvement after he attended those classes.

1. Better eye contact.
2. Better response when we call him by his name.
3. Better response in classes activities.
4. Ability to differentiate objects by its colour.
5. Ability to solve simple jigsaw puzzle.

We are hoping for the best, always on the positive side. May he recovers soon. God bless.

P/s: He still arrange his toy car and blocks in a straight line though. Yes, he still doing it daily.

Beautiful Autistic Child - Sean -

Thanks for watching...

Trip to Sand Therapy (Autism)

Date: 22/3/2013
Location: Similajau National Park

Sean sings in his own language (Autism Language)

This video is just for entertainment. Sean sings "this girl is on fire" by Alicia Key in his own language, Autism language...enjoy and thanks for watching.