Eli was first evaluated by EI (early intervention) around 18 months. I didn't have any expectations; it was all so new and I was so confused by many things. When they did the assessment they talked to us about his strengths and they kept telling us that he had a an awesome baseline and that they felt he would thrive in services. Reading the written report a week later was daunting. Our little man scored really low in a few areas, one of the areas was language. His language scores were really low at the 3 and 4 month range.
We knew he wasn't talking. We knew he wasn't even making his needs known. And we knew he couldn't follow simple instructions. But seeing it typed in bold on that paper? Hard stuff. After a small pity party (hey I'm allowed!) I picked myself up and got ready for the long but rewarding road ahead. I knew he would make gains and I knew therapy was going to be a wonderful thing for him. I had lots of hope and I hung my hat on that.
What I didn't know, what none of his therapists knew was how quickly he would pick things up. Once he learned to sign more and saw that it got him what he wanted- it was all over. He became a more signing maniac. And then he learned that he could say it too and the parties we threw every time he said the word more delighted him to no end. And from there it was slow at first, but once he caught on and started to pick things up he took off like wild fire.
It's been a year since Eli started with EI and 6 months or so since he started with BB (Building Blocks, they are therapy providers that work with spectrum kids using the floor time model with tiny bits of ABA thrown in). The change in him is amazing. He can put his own shoes on. He can verbalize pretty much anything. There isn't a word he can't say. He often echos and he does use some odd words at times and his sentences are usually wacky, but he clearly makes his needs known! He lets us know if he's hungry. He let's us know if he doesn't like what we are doing (diaper changes). He asks for things! He can get something if you say "Eli can you get the x from y?" He has thoughts and feelings and desires and he clearly states things for us now.
Some of the stuff he says cracks us up. Some of it we still don't understand, but if we don't understand him he usually keeps trying until we do. He is a spit fire for sure. His imagination has taken off too. His pretend play is wonderful. He is learning to change and adapt his play as needed or asked of him without become too upset.
It is so nice to be able to know his needs and to help him. It was all a guessing game for so long and that was hard on everyone. He was getting frustrated and at times so were we. I felt like I was letting him down. He had needs and I wasn't meeting them. But now things are much easier in that department.
Eli was working with one of his therapists a couple of weeks ago and she said something silly and he looked at her (yay eye contact!) and said, "Are you shitting me?!" Plain as day. She looked at me as if to say, "Did he just say what I think he just said?" and as if he was making sure he was understood because she didn't respond to him right away he said it again. We both tried not to chuckle. His daddy says that on occasion, but always in jest and never TO Eli and heck never in the same room! But this kid hears everything, stores everything for later and puts it to good use.
Eli is an amazing kid. He has come a long way and I have no doubt that he will continue to grow and thrive. I know he'll always be autistic (there was a time when I thought maybe he would out grow it or just be quirky or something), but I am so thankful for all of his strengths and all of the wonderful things that comprise this little boy of mine.
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