March - April 2006 (Catch-Up)

WEDNESDAY 1st MARCH 2006
Emma seems to understand the word 'drink' as she turned to look for it when mummy asked her where it was.
She went to fetch a jigsaw shape from across the room that she had cast and handed it to mummy.

FRIDAY 2nd MARCH 2006
Emm spent the morning at Nursery where the other children try playing with her and will hand her toys which she takes, but she is not interested in interacting with them and is only noticing the toys.
She has become very aware of her actions and will turn around to see if anyone is watching her before doing something 'naughty'.
She stood unaided for just over 10 seconds as mummy was trying to sort out her cochlear implant.

SATURDAY 3rd MARCH 2006
Emma kisses the little dog that pops up out of her toy very tenderly!
She has definitely been experimenting with sounds today in a musical way! she said what sounded like 'more', 'mum' and 'green' ('muuur', 'mam' and 'greee') in context but could still have been a fluke although she was given lots of encouragement and praise.

MONDAY 6th MARCH 2006
She is definitely responding to her name and will go off to look for the person who called it when they are in another room.
She has started shaking her head when she is being taken somewhere she doesn't want to go. She recognises the milk carton and biscout tin and will reach for them.
She has started to attempt to do the pop-up toy her self although gives up after a few minutes and takes mummy's hand to 'say' she needs help.

TUESDAY 7th MARCH 2006
Emma sounded very ill and 'chesty', and looked very tired when mummy collected her from Respite this afternoon.
she definitely recognises her name and understands 'drink' as she immediately reached out for her beaker when mummy asked her if she wanted a drink.
She has not been making her usual high-pitch noises and has started babbling a little more.

WEDNESDAY 8th MARCH 2006
Emma said 'mum mum' and 'ya ya ya' whilst Judy was here as if engaging in conversation with her. She also said what sounded like 'mine' whilst holding a jigsaw piece up to her chest.
She stayed on-task with several activities that Judy brought for her and made good eye contact.
Mummy tickled her with a baby wipe and she then picked it up and put it to her face trying to tickle herself again.
She was seen by the GP who assured us that she doesn't have an infection but has prescribed a strong moisturiser for her skin as it is incredibly dry at the moment.
She managed to drink from her beaker this afternoon - only half, but at least she managed.

SATURDAY 11th MARCH 2006
Emma has started to distinguish between mummy and daddy's voice and will turn to the right speaker.

TUESDAY 14th MARCH 2006
Emma hasn't had the chance to be very active today as most of the day was spent either in a car seat or in her pushchair as she was seen by the Neurosurgeon in Oxford. He told us that we need to watch her development and should we feel at any point that she should stop progressing or starts regressing that we need to be vigilant as it could be a sign of a shunt malfunction.

THURSDAY 16th MARCH 2006
Emma spent the day at Respite where she has been chasing and kissing another little boy. She keeps taking her coil off her head and then passing it to an adult to sort - almost as if for attention.
She waved at her reflection in the mirror and thought it was funny.
She has been drinking more willingly from her beaker today.

SUNDAY 19th MARCH 2006
Emma goes looking for the person who has called her name from another room almost instantly. She has started taking her coil off her head when she is being told off! She passed her beaker to mummy when asked to and when there was quite a lot of background noise.
She smiles when smiled at and her eye contact has been okay. She is reaching out when she wants to be picked up.
When she is told 'No!' she passes the object she shouldn't have up to the person for them to take away from her!
She is anticipating 'Round and Round the Garden' being done on her belly and giggles excitedly.

TUESDAY 21st MARCH 2006
Emma has started showing signs of jealousy and didn't like a carer at Respite holding another little boy.
She ate her sandwich in small pieces rather than shoving it all in her mouth and choking herself if asked to 'eat nicely'. She has worn her implant today but been pulling it off loads.
She sat very attentively and watched 'The Tweenies' on TV this afternoon for a good 10 minutes.
She has been cruising everywhere with support from furniture, walls and cupboards. She is cimbing up onto furniture all the time. She even stood unaided for a few seconds.
She will pass cutlery into her left hand and then throw them but it they are in her right they never get chucked!

FRIDAY 24th MARCH 2006
Judy went to visit her at Nursery this morning and said that although she is happy that she is attending she needs a lot more support as the staff there are not really able to give her the amount of attention that she needs.
She allowed the Nursery staff to paint the palms of her hands and help her make handprints without any fuss or bother at all.
She sat unaided at a table in a normal chair and was very steady.
She is still pulling the implant out a lot.
She is pushing the strategically placed jigsaw pieces into their correct slots and getting very happy about it. She lets you know if she likes something (toys, people, food etc) by smiling at it. If she cries or ignores it then she doesn't like it!
Although she is turning to her name consistently now she will obviously ignore you if she knows she is in trouble!

MONDAY 27th MARCH 2006
Emma was seen by Gill this afternoon but was too tired to cooperate. She loves the praise she gets when pushing the jigsaw pieces into the right slots. She took an unaided step from the radiator to the table in the kitchen and is far more confident about moving in between furniture around the house. She has been taking sips from her beaker well. She seemed to make a 'helllllooooooo ' sound when the implant was switched on for her.
She doesn't like being 'made' to do anything that she doesn't want to do and gets very upset if made to sit at the table and eat.
Her eyes have started to deviate again quite a bit. She didn't like daddy stroking the dog and pushed him out of the way so that she could have a cuddle with daddy instead!

WEDNESDAY 31st MARCH 2006
Emma seems to be talking more to objects. She took the rings off the stacking game one at a time and placed them on the floor nicely. She walked around the kitchen holding onto mummy's hands for support and even stood alone for a few seconds. She has been trying to get Chester to kiss her and really enjoys making kissing sounds!