Medical Miracles! This year I have been writing about birth characteristics and the related long-term effects we observe. Medical miracles at birth allow most babies born from 24-36 weeks to survive. For many of the families we meet, it is also the beginning of a journey of unknowns. Nine-year-old Megan, born at 27 weeks (left),…
Transitions and Play Last newsletter I mentioned an adventure Becki and I had that involved ping pong. There is so much more to reflect and share! In the midst of our ping-pong game, Becki and I paused to marvel at how much fun we were having! The joy of unexpected, pure, and simple fun. Laughing…
Headaches with An Unusual Cause For years, 11-year-old Zoey experienced daily headaches. For as long as she could remember, Zoey’s mother said her daughter would comment about her head pain, particularly toward the end of each day. “As the day would go on, the pain would worsen,” she described. Unwilling to take any medicine to…
Jordan’s Back to School Journey! “I constantly had a headache, felt seasick, and had shooting pains through my face and neck. I looked completely fine, so people thought I was completely fine. I was far from fine!” Fall 2015: Jordan is in her junior year of college studying abroad for the semester. As typical as…
Balance, Biking, and Nano-movements! Tommy’s mom wondered if her 9-year-old son would ever ride a bike on his own. She pushed the idea of riding for a couple of years but with no success. “It just seemed like he didn’t have the core strength or balance,” she said. “It was hard for him.” When Tommy…
A Parent’s Joy in Daughter’s Reading Reading… both fun and imaginative, reading is an activity fundamental to all aspects of learning. Often learned quickly and easily, reading can be a struggle for some. “Madeline fought me on reading, and any kind of homework was a fight.” Madeline, the third born out of four siblings, was…
This Grad Took a Village! Congratulations to my son Dan! To see him in a cap and gown marching as part of the Class of 2014 brings more joy and pride than I imagined possible. Hope Allows for Possibility Four years ago, when Dan was 13, I gave serious thought to Dan’s future. A…
Baby Hannah and Visual-Motor Development Despite everything being “normal” in her development, at 8 weeks Hannah was off track with visual-motor development. An uneventful pregnancy and an easy delivery with a midwife, Hannah was a relatively happy baby who ate and slept within her parents expectations. So why did I have the opportunity to meet…
The Anguish and Frustration of Being Last “Miss Cara,” my 10-year-old client asked, “what is your diagnosis?” A benign question from a child well aware of the developmental labels he carries. I laughed, but wondered what label I would have if I grew up in these times. I was terribly uncoordinated so I might indeed…