Long Time Away

It seems like a year since I last posted! I've been very busy lately and can't believe it's April already!
Christian has been busy with the doctors:
1. ear infections

2. followup on ears and evaluated delayed speech
3. low on iron again, a "not good low number", so he's back on the iron drops which don't taste good and constipate him....fun, fun.  Internet search for foods high in iron and that list goes to every grocery store trip with me. I am SO lucky that he literally eats everything I give him...whew!

4. appointment with an audiologist to see if anything's there that's related to the delayed speech.  Hearing is all good and they even said he has a very good vocabulary, right at his age level, which is great due to the fact that he's only heard English for 15 months now. Yay! They said I must read to him alot, which I do. I love to read and want to instill that in him if I can, which so far isn't too hard because he loves to read too and typically asks me to read "one more book Mommy."

5. Audiology report sent to speech therapist; met with speech therapist. He had to go by himself with the therapist, which is baulked at first but gave in and off he went down the hall. An hour later, the therapist said the letters and sounds he's not producing yet (s, f, th...) that he's not supposed to be able to pronounce them until the 4, 5, or 6th years, so he's on track with that.  But, yes I knew a "but" was coming.  He cannot manipulate his tongue like he should be able too, which is a direct result from the way they did things in the orphanage.

He isn't able to move his tongue side to side, up toward his nose or down toward his chin.  Right now it does affect how he chews, which is with his front teeth and mashing the food to the roof of his mouth, but he can eat, so they are not concerned about it. However, it can affect his future speech development.  So the therapist gave me things to do with him to get his tongue moving and we also got a good vocabulary report from her too.  Most parents try to keep their kids from sticking their tongues out, but I am trying to get mine to do it...crazy!

So the good news is, according to regular development, he speaks like he should, not quite as clear, but not delayed enough to be concerned.  But we have to work now on the tongue thing, so when it comes time for him to pronounce those tougher letters and sounds, he'll be able to. So if you happen to see us out and about and I am asking him to stick out his tongue, it's not to promote bad behavior, just future good speech :)

Otherwise he's great, active, getting more funny every day. He's still in the "why" phase, which I pawned his questions off on my parents this past weekend. Hey they raised six kids, they know how to answer those "whys" that go on and on and on :)

`Amy