Spring is Here

Spring is here and we've been outside enjoying the unseasonably warm Ohio weather.  Here are a few pictures to update you on what's been happening with Chloe and our family.

Chloe's sensory disorder is still in full swing, so she loves to crash, bounce and do anything crazy she can think of.  On occasion she literally bounces herself off the walls.  In the picture above we were getting rid of an old mattress.  Chloe had the best time crashing, rolling and jumping before we could take it out the door.

Chloe won't fully admit that she likes preschool, but I think she secretly does.  She recently had an assessment for next year's preschool class.  Afterward she so angry, yelling at her sisters, hitting them, arguing, etc.  As it turned out, Chloe thought she was always going to have the same teacher and  be in the same class year after year.  Any kind of change (in this case a change in the fall) triggers all kinds of inappropriate emotions  and fears because of the trauma that was associated with change in her past.

Thankfully, we are seeing more and more of these genuine, happy faces.  Chloe can be such a character!

Chloe got to go bowling for the first time (playing on the Wii does not count).  Her ball did make it all the way down each time even though we weren't always so sure it would.

Chloe spent most of Spring Break and Easter day sick on the couch.  Thankfully she was feeling well enough to head outside for a little Easter hunt.  I am very grateful she has her bounce back today.

Chloe and her sisters had a cake decorating 101 lesson from dad about how to decorate cupcakes.  It was great fun and I must say a lot of icing was inhaled.

   As for myself, I've been berried under a mountain of paperwork lately.  For those of you parents with special needs kids, you understand that it is an ongoing process of insurance approval, assessments, policy renewals, etc.  Fill out this form, go to this meeting, call this person - on and on.  Most recently in our family Chloe's funding for occupation therapy ran out.  That set in motion an extensive string of events to refile for PASSS funding through the State of Ohio, including a letter to reallocate attachment therapy money, financial forms to fill out, an assessment and letter for treatment along with credentials from her occupational therapist and so it goes.  Once everything is collected, we must then wait up to a month for funding approval.  In the mean time, Chloe does not get her occupational therapy and so the crashing and bouncing off walls is escalated at home.

    Also, Chloe just had an IEP (Indiviual Education Plan) meeting with her preschool teacher for next year.  She is signed up to attend a public school preschool in the fall for 2 full days a week.  This preschool is a mixture of special needs and typical kids.  Having heard about Chloe's social-emotional needs and her sensory disorder, the school suggested she be evaluated to qualify as special needs.  We have been in process for several weeks and after extensive questioning and reporting from Chloe's therapist, it looks like she will qualify as special needs and be able to get occupational therapy and maybe speech therapy at preschool.  This also means that she will be able to attend for FREE!  I will meet with the preschool director in a few weeks to go over the details of the special adaptations they can do to help Chloe.

   As tiring as it can be to constantly advocate for our kids and educate school officials, doctors, and insurance companies, it is worth the effort.  Chloe has received wonderful help, funding for treatment, and it looks like even free preschool.  Keep plugging away and be encouraged.  Help is out there, you just have to turn over the right "rocks" to find it.