Yello! Eh I mean, Hello! Hehee...yup, am actually blogging again...should be doing other things like sorting out baby stuff but thought, of well, might as well update again since I promised I will...or not god knows when I'll update again..after I deliver?? Hahaha...
1st update would be - Ridhwan's school! Yes, alhamdulillah Ridhwan has finally entered into a school cum kindergarten now. Its been nearly 3 months now, we started him mid May and tomorrow would be his 1st re-assesment with our neuro paed, teachers and therapists to see how far has he progressed and what would be the next step.
Ridhwan in his very first class...its circle time..one of his favourite activity...now they have moreee chidlren..moreee headache also..heehe...ganbatte ya teachers and therapists! ;)
Another picture....Ridhwan on Aini, his long time speech therapists..I like the classrooms, very colourful!
Physically I would say he is getting better. As it is he now has a new AFO called a dynamic AFO. AFO is a special splint or shoe made out of special plastic polypro..pene..something lah, sorrylah forgot all my chemistry already...haha..anyway, its this special plastic that you mould and shape according to the patients feet so the patient can walk or stand better. In Ridhwan's case it is to ensure that his left feet is placed down properly instead of being in a ballerina gait as our dear Sarjit, physiotherapist would call it. Or easier said, so he won't tip toe when he walks. If not for the left feet always wanting to tip toe when he stands, he would be walking quite well right now, I should think. Cause for the right foot, it was just like a miracle it suddenly straighten itself and was placed nicely flat when he stood up. Oh how I remember the tears of joy coming down my cheeks when out of the blue his feet did that. But, before that, it was a lot and a lot and a lot of massages done on both foot. Sooo, I'm still hoping for that 2nd miracle on his left foot, where one day it too will placed nicely flat on the floor when he walks one day...amin...Insya-Allah...but for now, we'll use the dynamic AFO and hopefully that will help him reach that goal...Insya-Allah...
Ever since he joined the EIP, he has been made to walk so much more compared to at home...yes, sad to say, this mother who became pregnant has reached a stage where her energy and enthusiasm went down the drain and was too tired to do exercises and massages on Ridhwan in her 1st trimester and god knows, how it affected me and Ridhwan emotionally...but Allah is great, He has granted my prayers and Ridhwan got a place in the EIP at WQ Park and now in the morning for 5 times a week he is doing lots of walking exercises. He now enjoys walking, always saying "Mama...nak walk!"...and on top of that, when I hold his hand to help him walk and it is sooo much easier as he is putting weight on himself and not depending on us to pull him and hold his weight...alhamdulillah..alhamdulillah...but the goal to walking is still far ahead...but soon Insya-Allah...I have faith in that...we all have to actually....I realise or actually know this but need to remind this to myself again and again...that with a special needs child we so need to repeat..repeat...and repeat what we do...I now can understand why Glenn Doman in his book says do 50 times a day, and when I read that last time, I said to myself "Are u nuts??"..but the truth is, he's right! If a normal child needs maybe 10 times to actually learn ABC...a special needs child may actually need 100 times to actually register ABC in his/her brain...so I do believe and have seen for myself that special needs children DO need repetition on a daily basis...then again, we are all only human, as much as I am not working and now heavily pregnant, there are times the lazy bug sets in and instead of doing 20 times, I'd do 10 times instead...which saddens me and frustrates me a lot at times....but on and off, I think we special needs parents need to be motivated and remind ourselves that repetition is good and essential for our children kan...may Allah gives all special needs parents out there strength, wisdom and perseverance to give our children their needed therapy and also fun and joy at the same time ;) Insya-Allah...
Okay, next progress of Ridhwan in his EIP is his social skill...Alhamdulillah, he now has better eye contact with other children his age and actually is not afraid being with them...god knows, ho many times he has cried when we went to see our friends and they have children his age and younger and he'd go into a frenzy cry whenever they scream or cry...gosh....but now, Alhamdulillah sangat2x, he is so much better...all the screaming and crying by his classmates are immuned to him...hehee...and not only that, even his neuro paed acknowledges that he is interacting more with her and wants to communicate more. Last time, Ridhwan would even refuse to look at his neuro paed but instead smile and acknowledge our neuro paed's nurses instead! Hahhaaa....So she said, she can see that changes in Ridhwan...alhamdulillah...
Intellectual wise, he is learning better....I've always known deep down in my heart, he is a smart one and he is...cause I remember reading books after books to him before I was pregnant and before we entered him into the EIP, and one fine day he actually was repeating the pictures on each pages of book! All I did was showed him the picture and he said it out loud with no pelat whatsoever and pronouncing it correctly!! And then when Aziah our OT came to our house once last time to see what is his progress so far, he confidently read aloud each picture on each page to Aziah without any prompting by me or Aziah. Yeeaaah Ridhwan! So from then, I could see Ridhwan needs lots and lots of repetition, be it reading a book, playing puzzle, flashcards and basically anything lah...to see output, I so need to do extra extra input...now I can see how Shichida really works...at times I was thinking "What in the world are these people showing my kid..the same thing again and again, week after week..." ...when actually that is the key and method to enhance the child's brain to register what they have and need to learn and remember...so for that, I sooooo need to update Ridhwan's flashcards...I've been relying lots on the ones I buy aje lately...need to do more and more and more!!! Insya-Allah...
In the area of hand function and manipulation, Ridhwan still needs a lot of help and that I feel sad I can only do so much as I find it difficult sitting in his small chair and table and bending to assist him to hold something or even pencil...but Alhamdulillah lah, they are doing that in the EIP..but as I said, truthfully, depending on EIP or regular visits to therapists at hospitals is so not enough for Ridhwan or special needs child in my humble opinion..at the end of the day, the mother, father or even grandparents do need to play a role in enforcing what has been learned in school/therapy session so the child can enforce the knowledge he learns...I now see why Glenn Doman and Nury too emphasises sangat2x on the parents role in educating their special needs children...where parents do need to back up each other and support each other in hope to achieve their goals and desires...no one parent only should do this task...I'm thankful that hubby helps as much as he can eventhough sometimes work and travelling discourages him to do as much as he wants to...but he is there for all Ridhwan's follow up check up and he is there when I ask him to do certain exercises or help me with doing flashcards and that really makes me love him even more...I always tell my friends who have special needs children to try to make their husband be a part of your child's therapy and education as much as you can, cause truthfully, why bear the burden all by yourself isn't it...and also when the father is involved together, it makes the learning experience for the child even more joyful and fulfilling as he/she sees how both his parents love him and appreciates him by doing the activity together with him..at least that is what I see in Ridhwan lah..the smile and laughter he gives out when both me and hubby performs the exercises and teaching process together...when even sometimes we'd even play different musical instruments, hubby play the guitar, I bang something like the bongo or xylophone and we'd give the maracas or castanet for him to play..and after that he'd smile and clap with such joy that you can't help feeling proud that he has reached this far, maybe not much to some, but at least I know he is happy and he knows he is very much loved by his parents..he sure is!!
So, I hope this EIP will prepare him to go to school one fine day...be able to be independent, walk soon, be able to write soon and be a good student...to all the therapists and teachers in WQ Park, thank you for accepting Ridhwan in your class especially to Dr Sofiah and Dr Taayah, without them, I don't know what I'd do or where to bring Ridhwan to learn more and become better...and thank you for being patient to teach him all that you can though I know at the end of the day, I too myself must play a very important role to enhance and enforce what he has learned in school so he will be the best he can be...Insya-Allah...
Another view of the 'old' play area
1st update would be - Ridhwan's school! Yes, alhamdulillah Ridhwan has finally entered into a school cum kindergarten now. Its been nearly 3 months now, we started him mid May and tomorrow would be his 1st re-assesment with our neuro paed, teachers and therapists to see how far has he progressed and what would be the next step.
Ridhwan in his very first class...its circle time..one of his favourite activity...now they have moreee chidlren..moreee headache also..heehe...ganbatte ya teachers and therapists! ;)
Another picture....Ridhwan on Aini, his long time speech therapists..I like the classrooms, very colourful!Ever since he joined the EIP, he has been made to walk so much more compared to at home...yes, sad to say, this mother who became pregnant has reached a stage where her energy and enthusiasm went down the drain and was too tired to do exercises and massages on Ridhwan in her 1st trimester and god knows, how it affected me and Ridhwan emotionally...but Allah is great, He has granted my prayers and Ridhwan got a place in the EIP at WQ Park and now in the morning for 5 times a week he is doing lots of walking exercises. He now enjoys walking, always saying "Mama...nak walk!"...and on top of that, when I hold his hand to help him walk and it is sooo much easier as he is putting weight on himself and not depending on us to pull him and hold his weight...alhamdulillah..alhamdulillah...but the goal to walking is still far ahead...but soon Insya-Allah...I have faith in that...we all have to actually....I realise or actually know this but need to remind this to myself again and again...that with a special needs child we so need to repeat..repeat...and repeat what we do...I now can understand why Glenn Doman in his book says do 50 times a day, and when I read that last time, I said to myself "Are u nuts??"..but the truth is, he's right! If a normal child needs maybe 10 times to actually learn ABC...a special needs child may actually need 100 times to actually register ABC in his/her brain...so I do believe and have seen for myself that special needs children DO need repetition on a daily basis...then again, we are all only human, as much as I am not working and now heavily pregnant, there are times the lazy bug sets in and instead of doing 20 times, I'd do 10 times instead...which saddens me and frustrates me a lot at times....but on and off, I think we special needs parents need to be motivated and remind ourselves that repetition is good and essential for our children kan...may Allah gives all special needs parents out there strength, wisdom and perseverance to give our children their needed therapy and also fun and joy at the same time ;) Insya-Allah...
Okay, next progress of Ridhwan in his EIP is his social skill...Alhamdulillah, he now has better eye contact with other children his age and actually is not afraid being with them...god knows, ho many times he has cried when we went to see our friends and they have children his age and younger and he'd go into a frenzy cry whenever they scream or cry...gosh....but now, Alhamdulillah sangat2x, he is so much better...all the screaming and crying by his classmates are immuned to him...hehee...and not only that, even his neuro paed acknowledges that he is interacting more with her and wants to communicate more. Last time, Ridhwan would even refuse to look at his neuro paed but instead smile and acknowledge our neuro paed's nurses instead! Hahhaaa....So she said, she can see that changes in Ridhwan...alhamdulillah...
Intellectual wise, he is learning better....I've always known deep down in my heart, he is a smart one and he is...cause I remember reading books after books to him before I was pregnant and before we entered him into the EIP, and one fine day he actually was repeating the pictures on each pages of book! All I did was showed him the picture and he said it out loud with no pelat whatsoever and pronouncing it correctly!! And then when Aziah our OT came to our house once last time to see what is his progress so far, he confidently read aloud each picture on each page to Aziah without any prompting by me or Aziah. Yeeaaah Ridhwan! So from then, I could see Ridhwan needs lots and lots of repetition, be it reading a book, playing puzzle, flashcards and basically anything lah...to see output, I so need to do extra extra input...now I can see how Shichida really works...at times I was thinking "What in the world are these people showing my kid..the same thing again and again, week after week..." ...when actually that is the key and method to enhance the child's brain to register what they have and need to learn and remember...so for that, I sooooo need to update Ridhwan's flashcards...I've been relying lots on the ones I buy aje lately...need to do more and more and more!!! Insya-Allah...
In the area of hand function and manipulation, Ridhwan still needs a lot of help and that I feel sad I can only do so much as I find it difficult sitting in his small chair and table and bending to assist him to hold something or even pencil...but Alhamdulillah lah, they are doing that in the EIP..but as I said, truthfully, depending on EIP or regular visits to therapists at hospitals is so not enough for Ridhwan or special needs child in my humble opinion..at the end of the day, the mother, father or even grandparents do need to play a role in enforcing what has been learned in school/therapy session so the child can enforce the knowledge he learns...I now see why Glenn Doman and Nury too emphasises sangat2x on the parents role in educating their special needs children...where parents do need to back up each other and support each other in hope to achieve their goals and desires...no one parent only should do this task...I'm thankful that hubby helps as much as he can eventhough sometimes work and travelling discourages him to do as much as he wants to...but he is there for all Ridhwan's follow up check up and he is there when I ask him to do certain exercises or help me with doing flashcards and that really makes me love him even more...I always tell my friends who have special needs children to try to make their husband be a part of your child's therapy and education as much as you can, cause truthfully, why bear the burden all by yourself isn't it...and also when the father is involved together, it makes the learning experience for the child even more joyful and fulfilling as he/she sees how both his parents love him and appreciates him by doing the activity together with him..at least that is what I see in Ridhwan lah..the smile and laughter he gives out when both me and hubby performs the exercises and teaching process together...when even sometimes we'd even play different musical instruments, hubby play the guitar, I bang something like the bongo or xylophone and we'd give the maracas or castanet for him to play..and after that he'd smile and clap with such joy that you can't help feeling proud that he has reached this far, maybe not much to some, but at least I know he is happy and he knows he is very much loved by his parents..he sure is!!
So, I hope this EIP will prepare him to go to school one fine day...be able to be independent, walk soon, be able to write soon and be a good student...to all the therapists and teachers in WQ Park, thank you for accepting Ridhwan in your class especially to Dr Sofiah and Dr Taayah, without them, I don't know what I'd do or where to bring Ridhwan to learn more and become better...and thank you for being patient to teach him all that you can though I know at the end of the day, I too myself must play a very important role to enhance and enforce what he has learned in school so he will be the best he can be...Insya-Allah...
The entrance to Dr. Sofiah's clinic/room...now it doesn't look like this...they made it into play and break time area with tables and chairs to have their break cum makan time!!
Another view of the 'old' play area
1 comments:
reenaz, good to know u like and enjoy EIP for ridhwan at WQ Park.. I'm not a staff there, but the company i work for ada share dlm WQPark.. so masa dia open day the other day i was there to assist them.. masa tuh I sms you to join not knowing you are existing client hehhe.. anyway.. good job dear.. wonderful mom you are
Post a Comment