First on the agenda is giving all the kids fish oil. The other kids are just getting little capsules (which Francesca chews without batting an eye), but Victoria is getting the premium cod liver oil from Iceland. She isn't reciting Shakespeare yet, but I am hopeful.
I have been trying to work with Victoria in using her tongue. She doesn't seem to be very aware of how her mouth works, which is not surprising, since no one ever talked to her or encouraged her for her first 21 months. The idea is, the more she uses the muscles in her mouth, the more she will make sounds.
I put peanut butter on her upper lip and explained how she was supposed to lick it off. She thinks I am nuts!
Catherine was a big help in showing Victoria what to do.
Francesca is a natural!
I am usually not very organized (which is slightly minimizing the reality), but I actually put together a zip lock bag of "fun items to promote Victoria sounds." My retail therapy purchases include a train whistle, a sliding whistle, a horn, twisty straws, caramels, bubbles, a kazoo, a harmonica and stale Twizzlers. Thanks to the help of my friend, Renee Alan for, all the ideas! She just brought home her daughter from Ukraine, but she still takes the time to give me great advice and to talk me off the ledge when I get worried. She has a wonderful blog if you want to check it out.
http://butbygraceitcouldbeme.blogspot.com/
I have noticed several changes in Victoria lately. When we used to come into a room or call her name, she would just sit and stare. Now, she looks around for us and makes eye contact. She really stares at our mouths, trying to figure things out. She is also expressing her opinions. She will screech and holler if you try to put her in the cart at the grocery store.
Someday soon baby, you will be able to lick all of this chocolate off your mouth!
Another similar trick I learned from the speech therapist whe I used to teach was to out a froot loop or cheerio on a string and hld it just in front of them so they had to extend their tongues to pull it in.
ReplyDeleteoh I'm so happy to see this- I love that she's starting to screech- she's making that connection between verbal communication and getting her needs met!
ReplyDeleteYou watch- she'll start talking and never stop lol!
This is the true premium cod liver oil...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/ButterCodLiverBlend/index.cfm
I can get a discount through my co-op. If you want some let me know.
-Bryan
My son has hypoglossaly (probably spelled it wrong): meaning his tongue is too small along with having cranial nerve damage (muscle weakness). He can't stick tongue out due to its size but you can understand his speech (and did in Russian too). Craniofacial clinic is working with him on 'tongue exercises' and speech. Maybe can get some ideas from them too?
ReplyDeleteDoes Francesca use verbal language?
ReplyDelete