Re: using a spoon and dressing

June 14, 2007

Hi Marcia.

What a lovely posting. It shows that there is hope for our children.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Regards,

--- In , " and Marcia Hinds " <hindssite@...>

wrote:

>

> My son is recovered and entering a University this fall on a half

scholarship. Thanks to Dr. G and the medical interventions, ABA and a

lot of hard work, he is one of the lucky ones. But I feed him until

he was five years old. He also was way ahead academically, had a

keen sense of direction and was extraordinary in certain area like

running our video equipment. But he had trouble with motor planning

and couldn't feed himself. If you gave him a plate of food, he

couldn't decide what he should eat first.

>

> He used to watch his older sister and eat whatever she did. If she

took a bite of mashed potatoes then he did. When she ate the veggies,

he did. At the time I just thought he was copying her because he

adored her, but that was not really the case. At one particular meal

my daughter accidentally dropped her plate. The next thing I knew my

son was throwing his plate on the floor. I almost killed him that

day. I was so exasperated by what he did. I thought he was just

being obstinate, but in hindsight I realize that really wasn't the

case. He just couldn't do it. When I was trying to teach him how to

move a piece on a game board from one square to another, I swear it

took over two hundred turns to teach this skill to him.

>

> He also couldn't dress himself. (Also motor planning.) If I wanted

to get him out the door in time for school, I had to start at least an

hour early because dressing him was so hard. I dressed him until he

was in second or third grade. If you would have told me back then, he

would be where he is today, I never would have believed you. But we

kept at it, because what other alternative did we have. Now he

drives, has friends and is an amazing person. Hope this helps.

> Marcia HInds

>

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