February - March 2006 (Catch-Up)

The following is a summary of the significant events that occurred in Emma's life in February 2006:

WEDNESDAY 1st FEBRUARY 2006
Emma visited a day nursery today where she will hopefully start attending for a Friday morning. She was also taken to the children's centre group where the staff are supposedly trained to deal with children's specific needs - Emma had them running around all after her and she was completely uncooperative as she was busy testing boundaries. Plus, she is very wary around adults anyway as she believes they are going to harm her.
The staff there will be focusing on her walking, general awareness and interaction skills and will also be trying to discourage her casting tendency!

THURSDAY 2nd FEBRUARY 2006
Emma has a strange rash on her wrists and lower back.
She is definitely trying to gain her independence and make her mark - she has full-on tantrums and really has some impressive outbursts!
She heard the vacuum cleaner and went looking for it and also turned to find her musical butterfly toy when it was turned on.

FRIDAY 3rd FEBRUARY 2006
She is becoming extremely frustrated and angry as she is unable to communicate her needs or what she wants.
When the coil came off she reached for her head as if to say 'Where is it? I can't hear!'. She got very upset until it was replaced.
She ahs really been in her own little world today and not been interacting much with anyone at all.
Judy (TASS) called to say that Emma's statement of special needs will be ready at Easter. The day nursery has accepted her and she will be doing a few taster sessions before starting properly on the 24th - Judy says that support can be arranged for her.

SATURDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma shook her head very purposefully and said 'na na' at the same time. She is enjoying turn-taking with toys and other objects and has been playing independently lots. I have just found out that the Pneumococcal Vaccine (Prevnar) will be readily available as og April this year - how gutting is that?! I am absolutely devastated.

SUNDAY 5th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma fell asleep with her implant on and then woke abruptly when a noise startled her - she got very upset and took ages to calm down.
She has been making some nice eye contact. She definitely understands 'no' and stops dead in her tracks for a few seconds before continuing anyway! She picked up a dog biscuit and threw it on the floor. Mummy said 'for Mummy' from behind her and she picked it up again and handed it to her.
Emma realy jumped when the vacuum cleaner was turned on in another room and went looking for it.
She has started to bounce a ball repeatedly and will shake and bang a range of toys to make noises. She seems to really love having access to sound!

MONDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma did really well at Chatty Monkeys today and joined in with some of the games. She enjoyed sitting on mummy's lap and doing the actions for 'Row Row'.
Her implant has been cutting out all day and causing her great distress.
Amanda (OT) came round to fit a harness on Emma's Breezi chair to try and stop her climbing out and so far so good.
She found a coaster that had been hidden under the sofa (with her watching).
Emma didn't fall asleep until 8.45pm and is sounding very grizzly and ill.

TUESDAY 7th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma didn't do great at Physio today but mainly because she wanted to do her own thing and play with a particular toy. Her SAL session went well though and she interacted nicely with Helen and engaged in a few activities for about 5 minutes at a time.
The cable on her implant broke and needed replacing.
Ruth (HV) came and measured her head again but there has been no change in the circumference so that's good.

THURSDAY 9th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma started bouncing her body up and down as if dancing to music and she even started wiggling her bottom when up on all fours!
Her eyes have been deviating to the left lots and she keeps rubbing them - they are obviously causing her discomfort.
She has started having deeper baths and seems to enjoy them.
She took 3 steps to the table with mummy only supporting her waist with two fingers!

FRIDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2006
Judy saw Emma today and she did really well - she sat on mummy's lap for a good 5 minutes looking at a book, she worked out how to make a spinning top rotate after being shown a few times and she picked up a ball that had been rolled to her and threw it back!
She took a loaded spoon from her plate to eat and then passed it back to mummy nicely to reload.
Judy left a checklist that indicates that Emma is currently finctioning as a 12 month old. She also left a load of information and tips on how we can help her develop.

WEDNESDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma spent 2 hours at the day nursery for a taster on her own and she actually sat with the other children whilst they sang and enjoyed some 'quiet time' in the TV room. She also spent the afternoon at the Children's Centre where she stuck a few pieces of paper onto some card and didn't attempt to eat all the pieces! She is casting 50% of the time.
She got very excited when she saw her reflection in the lounge mirror.

THURSDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma was seen at GOSH for another MAPPING session and her electrodes were tweeked slightly. She has been very frustrated as she has been stuck in her pushchair for most of the day and been very bored. She is also getting very upset as she is unable to communicate what she wants.
She tried standing herself up from the floor. Her eye contact has not been good - only if she needs to make it in order to get something!

FRIDAY 17th FEBRUARY 2006
Emma spent the morning at day nursery and has been fine. She ate a pear and went through 3 bowls of fish pie and 2 bowls of custard - I am going to have to tell them that this is unacceptable! Emma doesn't realise when she is full and will just continue eating!
She has played nicely alongside other children with cause and effect toys. She got very distressed when her implant cut out and the staff were unable to sort it, but she soon perked up when mummy managed to fix it for her.
Her eyes have been rolling and deviating lots and we are beginning to think that it might be linked to tiredness, so we will be monitoring this to see if we can find a pattern.
Emma wriggled her hands out of mummy's when taking supported steps to try and do it independently and she managed one step - she will get there!

WEDNESDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 2008
Emma had a very restless night and kept waking in what seemed like pain. It could be due to bad nappy rash she has - she looks burnt bless her. Her eye contact is getting much better and she turns consistently everytime she hears a voice. she got very upset when mummy had to take the harness that holds her cochlear implant off her in order to change her clothes and tried putting it back on herself as she couldn't cope being without access to sound!

FRIDAY 24th FEBRUARY 2008
Emma spent the morning at Nursery as a proper session and apparently had a good time, although they did still feed her seconds! She is now turning constantly to her name and even went looking for mummy when her name was called from another room.
She took two independent steps holding on to her bottle for 'reassurance'. I am sure she will be walking within the year. Just cannot believe that we were told she would not be able to sit up let alone walk again. I am so very proud of her.

SUNDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2008
Emma nose-dived out of her cot this morning and has prompted us to seriously think about transferring her to a proper bed - who would have thought she would ever be in a normal bed?!
She has let daddy hold her hands to help her bang two plastic cups together and has stilled and turned to mummy singing and calling her name.
She has been climbing up and down of the settees in order to collect things that have been placed there for her to reach and she is far more controlled when coming down.
The cable on her processor broke (again!) and she became very distressed until it was replaced.