Jo Jo is Potty Trained!!!

Potty training Jo Jo has been one of the biggest challenges we have been facing lately. So I had started reading more about potty training a child with autism. I got a lot of tips from one of my favorite blogs and Facebook page's that I follow regularly Autism Daddy. I loved his post about potty training.

After taking some advice from autism daddy, I also have noticed lately that Jo Jo keep's watching videos of himself on his iPad and mimicking himself. So the other day when he was on the potty I decided to record him on the potty. So on Wednesday he started watching the video and by Thursday morning he was telling me Elmo potty. He has never done that before so I took it as a hint that he needed the potty. Since that moment he has been putting himself on the potty and he has been diaper free all day except at bedtime. We even went to speech and grocery shopping with no accidents and he had no problem using the potty at speech and at the store. He has even learned to pull his own underwear down! Sounds funny but he never messes with his clothes. At the most he will put his own shoes on but that's it.

When we went to speech yesterday I told his speech therapist about how fast he all of sudden understand's what he needs to do on the potty, including him watching the video. She thinks it is amazing but she also told me that it is most likely Jo Jo is very much a visual learner, especially when it is video. She suggested that i try to capture as much video as I can of Jo Jo playing with Caylee, and as much normal behavior that I can. She said when he watches the video's he will mimic the behavior and learn faster from it! Here's to many home movies!!!

Occupational Therapy Intake

Intake's can be so boring sometimes, it's usually just a bunch of questions you have answered before many times. It can become so repetitive. Today's occupational therapy intake was the opposite. I feel like I was listening to a lecture but it was a good lecture. I feel like I really learned something. It was priceless information! We went through all the boring questions at first but them she schooled me! 

Now that the intake is complete I will hear from billing for approval from our health insurance and what the copayment will be. The next step will be to schedule a 45 minute evaluation with Jo Jo so they can put together a plan. Then we will start weekly visits at south shore therapies for occupational therapy. So yes that means we will be there twice a week for speech and O.T.!

Jo Jo Update!

My last blog post was back in February when Jo Jo started preschool. Can't believe it's been 5 month's, that time went by very fast and Jo Jo is doing great!!! He transitioned into school very smoothly and loves going. Every morning when he gets to school he runs in very excited and gives his teacher a big hug!

* School Update: Jo Jo has started the summer program. He is going 4 days a week for 4 hours a day with Fridays off. He has also started taking the bus to and from school and he loves it! He runs out to the bus every morning, and in the afternoon when he gets off the bus a waves goodbye bus until the bus is gone. He was only going to school for 2 1/2 hours a day so this is an increase in hours at school. He will also continue with speech therapy and occupational therapy in school during the summer to keep up with his skills and to prevent any regression. In September he will be in school full day for 6 hours!!!

* Private Speech Update: We are still currently attending speech once a week at South Shore Therapies. Jo Jo loves going and works very hard with his speech therapist. He has made huge progress during therapy and we will continue going until insurance says we can't lol! but that shouldn't be a problem because he was just approved for 75 more visit's!!!

* Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician Update: A couple of weeks ago we had a follow up with the pediatrician who diagnosed Jo Jo with Autism. We have not seen his doctor since September when he was diagnosed so I was very excited for this visit because I knew she would be impressed with his progression!!! The doctor spent a whole hour with us which really impressed me because I didn't think we would be there that long at all. She was so amazed with the eye contact he was giving, he was pretend playing, and he put three words together right there in the office. She was extremely satisfied with the progress he has made and his school. She was also very happy to hear we are going to private speech therapy. We will go back in 6 months for another follow up.

* Social and Communication Skills Update: Jo Jo's social skills are improving on a daily basis! He really enjoys playing with Caylee, he has been following and copying kids at the park, he is giving amazing eye contact, and he is saying hi and greeting friends and family. His communication continues to improve on a daily basis also. He is able to tell me what he wants to eat or drink. He is also able to tell me what he wants or what he wants to do. He is only putting up to 3 words together but he mostly uses 2 words. He is asking for help frequently when he can't do something. He knows most family member's by name. He can also identify most animals.

We are currently still struggling to get Jo Jo potty trained, it has been a long road so far but we are making some progress. He understands what to do on the potty and loves the rewards, but he is having a hard time communicating when he has to go.

Jo Jo is also currently struggling with his sensory processing disorder and has been seeking a lot of sensory input. The type of sensory input that Jo Jo is seeking is called Vestibular Seeking Behavior. It's almost like having a very hyperactive child at the moment so I included a brief description of what I'm going through with Jo Jo.

Sensory Seeking Vestibular Sensations:

• Described as hyperactive – always running, jumping, and hopping
• Engages in rocking or rhythmic movements
• Trouble sitting still or staying seated
• May vigorously shake head or rock rhythmically
• Crave intense movement including jumping, upside-down positions
• Enjoy swinging very high
• Loves seesaws, teeter totters or trampolines more than other children
• Can’t seem to sit still
• Likes spinning in circles

I spoke with our private speech therapist today and she got to witness some of Jo Jo's activities and explained all of this to me today. She highly recommended that we start the intake and evaluation process for private occupational therapy because he is not getting enough sensory input and school is not providing enough either. Our insurance should cover it hopefully!!! We start the intake tomorrow. So what this will mean is that we will need to go to South Shore Therapies twice a week for speech and occupational therapy if approved. The only part that is tough is more copay's, but our developmental pediatrician has been helping us trying to get social security and mass health which will cover the copay's and any other cost's that may arise. Sometime's it feels like a never ending battle!