Snowing outside

School Report: OT - Swing, running, trampoline, and wheelbarrow walk. At table worked on cutting & printing name. Beginning to approximate letter strokes. Very happy and hard working today!
Speech - Really pushing the hi! Lots of cheering when he says it - be loud, high 5, say hi and see if he will do it at home too - like when he gets off the bus, dad gets home, etc.

This morning it was lightly snowing, really just a dusting. I looked out the living room window while opening the curtains. Nikko stood next to me and said, "Snowing outside." I turned to him and said, "Yes, Nikko it's snowing outside." He repeated it. I said, "And it's c-c-cold, Nikko!" I shivered next to him and he smiled. I was just floored that he independently said snowing outside. *wow!*

Unfortunately, as I watched Nikko move around this morning, I noted that he was still hunching over the sofa and table. I noticed that he was taking some sharp, deep breaths. That was an indicator to me that something was not right, that I would have to unplug him. I gathered my materials and told him we'd change his diaper. When he saw the tub of vaseline and the little suppository, he started to whimper and cry. I felt so bad for him, but tried to reassure him that I would help him and be there for him. Instead of holding him in my lap and forcing him to straddle me, I let him lay on the floor and bend his knees while I knelt in front of him. That seems to be more comfortable for him nowadays. I saw him shudder when he passed his poop, twice. It was soft and pliable, not hard, about four inches in diameter. He should be able to pass this kind of stool, but instead it's getting impacted. I decided to call Dr. Santiago for a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist. There has to be something wrong inside, probably his musculature, that is not properly pushing his poop along. Thankfully she called me back later in the day and gave me two doctors to call, which I will do tomorrow. My poor Nikko.

His mood improved after that, and he went off to school in a good mood. He also came home in a good mood and continued to have a good ABA session with Jenna. It's boggling my mind, really, that the first three months of this year seemed to go downhill, but right now he's on an upswing. Or is he? Is he just having a really good three days back from Thanksgiving? OK, I won't kid myself here. I am going to request a meeting w/the teachers, Linda and Maria to talk further about moving Nikko along. I'm also waiting for a call back from Arlington Pediatric Therapy regarding speech therapy. I called them last week and figured the Thanksgiving break set everyone back a little, but time is passing and I really need to move forward with getting Nikko some speech hours. In fact, with Christmas break on the horizon, I need to increase the ABA hours as well. I should find out what the average number of hours the other clients are getting. 4.5 hours during the week is not enough for Nikko, I fear.