special needs Archives - Page 11 of 16

Little People, Big Discoveries

Oct 31 2013

The new phrase heard around our house twenty-seven times a day (No, not “Honey, pass the chips!”) is, “I do it myself!!” All of a sudden my daughter gets feisty when I try to do things for her. I don’t get it. I love it when people do things for me. If I had the choice I’d lay in my bed all day watching TV while people brought me things and rolled me over now and then to keep the circulation going. After years of having everything done for her from feeding to dressing to holding her hand every step of the way, my daughter finally has the physical and cognitive ability to do many things on her own. She wants to be independent and as difficult and nerve wracking as it is for us, we’re letting her flex her independent muscles. This includes letting her play on her own in her room without her parents or her big brother watching over her. Why on earth would we have to watch her playing in the safety of her own room you ask? Because of things like this… This kid is a climber and a risk taker. Left to her own[…]

Oct 27 2013

There are universal no-nos that need no explanation. Like the R-Word for instance. We don’t use it. Ever. And telling a parent that you’re so glad not to be in their shoes. Go there and you’ll find yourself on the receiving end of a knuckle sandwich. This isn’t a lecture. Truly. Unless you’re living this life, how are you expected to know? So just in case you’re unaware, there is also this distinction… “Is your child Special Needs?” versus “Does your child have special needs?” There is a significant difference. It’s important to identify that our daughter has needs which require special attention since they pose safety risks. Also, by identifying her particular needs, we can focus on areas of her development which require special modifications. But is she Special Needs? No. She’s Avery. She is who she is. Her special needs obviously exist, but they don’t define her. My daughter loves her family and her friends, she adores animals, and she is friendly and affectionate. She doesn’t like soup, but she loves chili. She likes the colour pink and riding her scooter and climbing at the park. She’s an ordinary kid with an extraordinary set of DNA.

Oct 12 2013

It seems my daughter’s inability to remain bipedal correlates with the season. It’s fall and boy has she fallen a lot this month. Off her bike onto the sidewalk, onto her head on the hardwood floor (probably didn’t help that she was sitting on an exercise ball on the couch at the time), in the grocery store, at the library, off the climber at the park and today, down the last four stairs face first onto the ceramic tile. Bruises, bumps and scrapes — nothing phases this tough kid. She falls and gets right back up. This temporary lapse in balance is likely the result of a growth spurt and her complete disregard for danger. I know it will pass — hopefully soon. In the meantime we struggle to keep her safe while still allowing her the freedom she so desperately craves. I’m tempted to put her in one of those inflatable sumo suits or wrap her from head-to-toe in protective bubble wrap. But that’s not the answer. Or is it? Would it be wrong to encase her in foam or follow behind her with a fluffy pillow or a giant catcher’s mitt? The best we can do is keep[…]

Aug 20 2013

She did it and she couldn’t be more proud. And I couldn’t be more proud of her. And my niece too. I have been blessed with two strong little girls to love. Strong as in, determined and strong as in they could easily take me down in an arm wrestling competition without breaking a sweat. My niece is a competitive gymnast. An amazing one. My daughter looks up to her and mimics everything she does. From the way she wears her hair to the clothes she chooses, to the sport she dreams of doing one day. In fact, Avery keeps a photo of her cousin leaping across a balance beam on her dresser. “I do that too, right mummy?” she’ll say as she points to the picture. A few weeks ago when we were visiting my niece and family, Avery got her chance. She wore a leo that her cousin gave her under her clothes all day, waiting excitedly for 3:30 when we would be heading the the gym. Avery sat in the viewing room and watched as her cousin and her teammates finished their practice. Four hours a day, four days a week they train. I sat with[…]

Aug 12 2013

Our son is fully aware that his little sister is different. He knows about her chromosomal disorder and her cognitive and medical challenges. He understands the implications of the R-Word and he’s aware of the range of physical disabilities that exist for so many people. He has been aptly schooled. We’ve shared Avery’s diagnosis and prognosis with him little by little. It’s like sex education that way — you want to provide enough information to prepare your child for what lies ahead, but you don’t want to bombard them with too much, too soon. He is basically up to speed when it comes to his sibling’s cognitive and physical challenges, or so we thought. I honestly assumed he already knew about her pinky fingers. Avery has a genetic condition called Clinodactyly. Clinodactyly is the sideways bending of a finger joint. It is often caused by an abnormally shaped bone within the finger. The pinky finger is most commonly affected. This condition is usually heredity, but in our daughter’s case it’s a result of her genetic abnormality. My best friend actually noticed Avery’s “shorter than average” pinky fingers before I did. That’s a story in itself which I’ll share another time. […]

Tag - special needs

Little People, Big Discoveries

Special Needs — Learning the Lingo

Fall Is For Falling

Gymnastics Gold

Clinodactyly