Better than a bumbo seat

It’s amazing in this day and age, sometimes you actually come across things that the local government does RIGHT! We have been lucky enough to qualify for a program in our county called Infant & Toddlers which is a part of the AA Co. school system. Since the boys were preemies, they automatically qualify for this FREE service. The program was established for infants & children 3 & under who are born with any kind of compromised condition (preemies, downs syndrome, CP etc.). I heard about the program while we were still in NICU and was a bit skeptical about what it really was. At that time, I didn’t inquire much about it since we were concentrating on the issues at hand and I could hardly think ahead enough to ask any questions about it. A week after we got home, I received a call from a nurse that is with the program. They tracked us down. I could not get over how knowledgeable and kind this nurse was. We set up an appointment and within a week, she came for a home visit. I then learned about the program and how incredibly valuable this resource would be for us. They follow the kids until they are 3 years old, providing any therapy resources needed, if any. They have physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and many other resources to aid in developmental issues. It’s beyond me how this is a FREE service, and they come to your HOME. Nonetheless, I’m prepared to take full advantage of it, as long as it’s available. Everyone I’ve dealt with so far is so professional and knowledgeable.

Preemies generally are behind developmentally, for obvious reasons. However, some preemies catch up VERY quickly and you never notice they were behind, and others can take a bit more time. The fact that my kids are preemies, boys and triplets makes it even more likely that they will be a bit behind for a short while in their early months. After my initial consultation with the nurse, she set up a full evaluation for both boys in the following week. At that appointment, a developmental specialist and a physical therapist came to the house and spent over 3 hours with us. In they walked with bags of toys and various learning tools, kicked off their shoes, shed their coats and got on the floor with the boys. They had the boys doing all kinds of things – testing them in every way that they could. They then make an analysis on each of them and give a baseline rating so that we have a starting point. Both kids did well and were right in their correct range for regular baby development. First hurdle.

It was amazing how they had different strengths and weaknesses. It’s been so interesting to see them develop. In just 6 weeks, they have come such a long way. Following the evaluation by the two therapists, they assigned us a physical therapist who comes to the house weekly to work with both boys. She spends about 30 minutes with each of them, working on lots of little things to make them stronger. They are both gaining on their neck and head control each day. We’re working on rolling over with them both – and they both are so proud of themselves when we cheer them on.

I love our therapist. She’s such a neat person – and she’s an amazing therapist and teacher. You know when you just connect with someone? Well, I feel like we’ve made a connection already and the boys seem to have adjusted well to her after just 3 weeks of sessions. This week, she showed up at my door with two large brown empty boxes, two huge pieces of thick foam, an electric carving knife and a big fat ruler and magic marker. Needless to say, I had no idea what our session would involve for the day. BUT, much to my surprise, she was making JD & Cole their own personal “sitters”. They aren’t the prettiest things around but they are so cool! And the boys really dig hanging out in them!

Here are a few pictures from our sit time yesterday. The foam pieces inside the box have been cut out around their legs and bodies so that the foam actually encircles them inside, giving them support so that they can sit up well. It teaches them what it feels like to sit up, along with helping with their neck control and balance. This therapy tool is used a lot with children who need wheelchairs and walkers to function. It’s proven to be great for kids to get their bearings when learning to sit up. She gets the boxes from leftovers at the grocery store and the foam comes from scraps at a sewing shop. She spends no money making them, just her free time and some TLC for her clients.

The best part is that there is a little table like platform right out in front of them that they can use to rest their hands and play with toys. What a cool thing! I feel so fortunate to have been paired up with such a dedicated, knowledgeable therapist. She’s awesome! The sitters are even better than the bumbo seats – much more supportive and they have a table top for them to use. Although they aren’t nearly as sporty looking as the bumbo’s! Maybe we should decorate their boxes to make them a bit more attractive?