Locator bracelet

So on Zulily today, they were selling My Buddy Tags. My Buddy Tags' website is here. I ended up ordering one since the price ($24.99) was lower than normal ($39.99). Basically this bracelet uses our smartphones Bluetooth to help locate your child if he or she wanders off. It also has an alarm if your child is in the water. Most GPS locating bracelets need a monitoring fee plus the outrageous price of the bracelet, but with My Buddy Tags, you only buy the bracelet and then download the free app to monitor your child. 

This would be neat when on vacation, at the zoo, playground or a big birthday party. We have been fortunate to not have lost our young child, but I like the idea of having this on her wrist as an added precaution. 

I look forward to updating later once I receive the bracelet.  Does anyone own one? 

School meeting

We met with the school. They agreed she qualifies for testing. She will begin with that in August when the nurses return to start testing her vision and hearing. Then other tests will follow.

She had her second speech therapy appointment. The speech therapist performed another test on her and then started working with her problem eating. My little monkey got highly upset and cried, ran around the room, tried to leave, would not look at the food, rocked, sucked her fingers, and screamed. Just looking at food, she hates, freaks her out. She was told to state she would not care for that instead of I hate that. Last night, we put broccoli on the table just for her to see. She looked at it a few times, but did not freak out. At one point, I asked her if she wanted to try a bite, she avoided my eyes, and stated, “I do not care for that.” Much nicer dinner! As much as I hated to see her upset, I already see progress.

Update after seeing Speech Therapist

We enjoyed speech therapy. She was nervous at first, but she finally warmed about half way in. She enjoyed the testing. She is missing some sounds. She is a problem eater, not a picky eater. Since insurance will not pay, and her speech is not too far behind, we are going to go once a week and work on a few problems. She will give me some ideas for home so the whole family can work with her. She is also going to help when she sees negative behaviors by reinforcing positive ones. I feel really good about this.

I am also going to make her a picture schedule to help her not have so much anxiety about what we are always doing each day. Speech therapist was the second person to recommend this.  

A little funny: Monkey was being asked her body parts by the speech therapist: "Where is your forehead?" Monkey pointed to her neck, then looked at the speech therapist and exclaimed: "I only have one head!"

Speech therapist evaluation

Today, we are seeing a speech therapist for an evaluation.  We saw the pediatric neurologist, and he wanted her to be evaluated by a speech therapist. After she had a social and physical evaluation, he ordered a bunch of testing, which will begin in October due to the only clinic being able to sedate a small child is booked up until then. He does suspect autism spectrum, but she still needs more testing before we are sharing that with everyone. (not many of my friends read my blog so I am still putting it on here to maybe connect with others that have been through this). For my friends that read this blog, please just keep this to yourself now as we go through this journey and find out more as we are trying not to worry our family right now. She is still the same child and we know that she will be excepted by them, but we do not want them worrying until we have all the information and testing done. We know something is going on as we are with her all the time. We still have a long ways until a diagnosis. There still could be other things going on besides autism or with autism especially since she is verbal and pretty social. She shows autistic traits, but not in the "classical" or "what most people know about autism...nonverbal or in their own world". There are many different degrees and not any one child is the same. We will do whatever we need to for her. Sadly, so far insurance has been a joke. They will not pay for any kind of therapy. 

We will meet with the school system next week for an evaluation. So we are hoping for some kind of help there. If they will take over speech therapy (If they believe it is needed), then we will not have to pay for it. That will help us out a lot and leave money for other therapies. We are also hoping to get her in the atypical preschool program (again school system has to approve it). She would attend half a day (she could not handle more than that so it is perfect for her). 

Anyhow, this is where we are right now. More questions answers soon at least with the school.