motor dyspraxia | Imamother

BS"D!!!

Mon, Feb 21 2011, 12:11 am

Thank you both so much for responding!

I'm new to this. My daughter is 17 months old. She only eats bottles of formula (though she nursed for her first year), commercial baby food and cheerios- she only sucks and does not chew on anything. She gagged and threw up after I tried mixing pureed soup and chicken with her baby jar of carrots.

Until she started Special instruction, PT, OT, and Speech/Feeding therapies 3 months ago she couldn't get in or out of a sitting position (she put a lot of effort into maintaining the sitting position) and could roll around but not move around in any other way. After being put through the motions and strengthening her arms and legs, she now crawls and cruises.

Even when she finally learned to clap her hands, she forgot how to and seems to relearn, forget it for a stretch and keep relearning it. She tries to put things into containers, but tends to aim it in the right direction often missing the container. She can sometimes imitate simple sounds, but usually only after she has initiated the sound to begin with.

My pediatrician seems to be following my lead rather than guiding me. First of all- does this sound like apraxia? Also, I just got her on an insurance where I can afford to take her to specialists and don't even know where to start. She also has a possible wandering eye- noticed by the speech therapist, awful eczema, and an ankle which turns in slightly. Do you know of a good developmental pediatrician near Staten Island? Any ideas of what to do? I've been thinking that she should see a opthamologist, ent, gastoenterologist, orthopedist, neurologist.

I also could use a bit of chizuk- cuties' mom- it sounds like you can help with that. B"H, it sounds like your son really has come far!
Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!!

TwinsMommy

Mon, Feb 21 2011, 2:00 am

don't be scared if it gets worse before it gets better. I've also noticed that our pediatrician takes our lead on these issues-- so you have to do your own research and hishtadlus. For us, our daughter's dyspraxia is secondary to her hypotonia but it's gotten worse over the years--- she was crawling a little late, standing a little later than normal, walking a decent amount later than normal, jumping 2 years later than normal, and she has just now (age 4) learned to ride a trike. (we're still working on taking stairs one at a time with no grandma shuffle). Potty training is going NOWHERE--- she wets a little in her pullup every 15-20 minutes and has NO idea it's coming and NO idea when she's wet or dry-- so we need to wait for the hold it in muscle to mature more, though she loves sitting on the potty.

We're finding she hits all milestones, just in her own due time. At this rate we don't think she'll ever be on a sports team, but I CAN see her walking with a group and being able to keep up at some point. We've got her in speech, PT, and OT and special ed. We do believe that if we get her other, non physical issues under control (long story, but we're probably dealing with ADHD) then she might be able to be mainstreamed in the future.

Foot braces help a lot--- that might help you in the future. Also, a compression vest for prop. awareness. We also hold her upside down a lot to futz around with her vestibular system.

We've got the gagging/overstuffing issues too.... that gets a lot better as the toddler matures--- now that Reena is 4 we can remind her "small bites" "chew and swallow" and though she can't really feel when her mouth is full, we can tell her.

One time she fell down and needed stitches and didn't feel any pain--- it was so odd---- I hadn't realized how dyspraxia and hypotonia can really go together and affect each other until that point.

Is she being evaluated by EI? Here in Ohio it's called Help Me Grow-- they'll move you in the right direction and help you get into therapies and help you with transition (3 years old) to special ed or itinerant services or whatever is needed.

BS"D!!!

Tue, Feb 22 2011, 10:10 pm

Yes my daughter gets EI. She get OT, PT, Speech/Feeding- each twice a week and special instruction once a week (all half hour sessions. We are trying to increase the speech and special instruction, but it is hard to get services these days so I don't know if that will happen.

Any advice on how to get her to accept textured food rather than smooth puree? She is still drinking formula, but I think we may try her on milk soon. If she only drinks milk, eats 1 baby jar fruit, 1 baby jar veges, and has some baby cereal each day is that good enough nutrition wise?

I just made appointments with an allergy specialist (she has awful eczema), opthamologist, and ENT for her.