Samantha is going through the motions everyday with her early intervention and the constant influence of myself and her daddy working speech therapy techniques into our everyday conversations with her. We have seen wonderful sparks of speech here and there, and they seem to come at the most random times. She will ask for something in more detail than a single word, she is learning to talk on the phone and has had several good (although very short) conversations with my mom and myself while on the phone. Her labeling is still gaining momentum, but her use of verbs has increased as well.
She is more opinionated about her desires (usually at meal time) and is still struggling very hard to communicate them. We fight the battles of tantrums that start with the frustration she has over something she cannot verbalize every day still. However, we are learning ways to help her through these tantrums quicker and to recover from them smoother. One thing that has been used by 4 different people in 3 different settings is a constrictive hold. It was 1st approached during an E.I. session then brought to my attention again after the special ed. teacher at Sunday school successfully used it on Sam. Matt and I them implemented it at home and if done at the right time in the right way, it is very effective. While not an instant fix for a fit, it is a way of getting that communication connection with her that we need to calm her down.
I am still reading material as it comes to me, however have about 4 books on the desk waiting their turn to educate me further. I have taken a less panic mode approach to all of this and am just tackling one thing at a time. The big picture is still out there and not clear, but if I can just deal with one thing then move onto the next....I seem able to breathe at the same time.
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