Early Intervention

Emily and Alex both receive services from Early Intervention.  They are evaluated for this service every six months.  Their next evaluation will be in June.  In the meantime they see a physical therapist every other week and a general EI specialist on the alternating weeks.  After each visit we get a report and recommendations on how we can work with them in between appointments.  Here is a sample of what we typically get from the physical therapist:

"Emily didn't cry today and approached me on her own with smiles and sounds.  Lots of nice babbling and she enjoyed songs and peekaboo.  She is crawling nicely and pulls up to standing on her own.  She did a little cruising and could stoop down part way to reach a toy on the floor.  We worked on bending forward while sitting on my leg to strengthen back muscles and legs.  She enjoyed the ball, working on abdominal strength and sitting/trunk balance and strength.  She is starting to take more steps with two hands held now as well.  She worked on standing balance tilting to the sides and back as we sang.

Continue to encourage lots of crawling, cruising and stooping to help her strengthen her body and legs.  Play games in standing tilting to the sides and back to challenge her balance. Begin to help her walk with hands held."

"Alex has a cold and seemed a bit tired and stuffy, but overall tolerated activities well.  His stiffening and flexor muscle weakness were the main areas of focus - he did well with supported sit-ups on the ball and tilting in to partially reclined positions.  His head will still tip back and lag due to weakness.  Alex is starting to W-sit (bottom between his legs) which we tried to correct whenever we saw it. W-sitting decreases trunk and hip strength and makes rotation difficult.  He let me help him play in side sit (legs to one side) on both sides which encourages more rotation and flexion of the trunk.

Alex will stoop nicely now through his left leg was noted stronger than the right.  When he takes steps with hands held his right leg dragged behind more - he could be assisted to take a better step with the right.  Continue to work on abdominal/flexor strength to help balance his stiffenings.  Play in side sitting with help - both sides."