Ok, so I've caught this conversation in the middle so, I hope I don't put my
foot in my mouth.  There are several ways you can help Alex with his memory.
First, see if you if you can find a developmental opthalmologist.  They can
also be called behavioral or functional opthalmologist.  These doctors are
really good at testing for and explaining vision to others.  You need to get
a good base line on just what Alex is seeing.  This can affect how you teach
him, and how he should be tested for IQ scores.  It also can give you access
to a vision specialist and others who work outside the medical model of
practice
You are learning the hard way the difference between sight and vision.  It
seems that Alex is also going to have to learn using hearing and his tactile
sense.  You can teach the concept of two as clapping twice or holding two
objects.  Look one, two.  Same with shapes, draw circles and triangles and
lines in the air with his hands, in sand, rice, styrofoam, etc.  You can
play songs like Bingo where you have to clap you know B-I-clap-clap-clap to
develop rhythym skills.
That should give you a few ideas.  If you need somemore, let me know.
You're right though, you had to do what you could to keep him alive now
comes the living.

Elizabeth Hill Thiers, OTR/L
email address: [log in to unmask]
homepage: www.bv.net/~john/bethsot1.html




OK, I know that Alex at 4,5yrs is still young.  I also know that he was
dealing with serious health issues his first three years ( you don't get a 5
file chart otherwise) that staying alive was the main issue and reaching
milestones by necessity took a backseat.  So now that he doesn't need 02, a
tube and its been 18 months since he had his last apnea attack and need to
be revived we are playing catch up. Alex is very vocal and has an
outstanding auditory memory.  His visual memory is not so hot though.  He
has ROP that was resolved with laser surgery.  The surgery itself caused him
to lose his side vision.
He can vocally count to 20 with no help but he doesn't make a connection of
2 pennies on the table means 2 etc.  He knows a real life pooch is a dog but
can't make the connection that the picture in a book is a dog too ( even if
it's a Polaroid of the very real dog he ID in real life.)  So while he talks
well he at times often just mimics what he hears with out understanding what
he's saying ( OK, Maybe Alex will grow up to be president ;-P )  He is able
to express wants and needs, he does have appropriate speech many times when
asked a question so he is capable of independent thought.  SOOOOO....
the question is for the adults and current HS/College students...what worked
best with you to help you learn, if any of this sounds familiar?
Joanne

PS a nuero-psych test put his IQ at below 50 because he had little self care
skills.  I'm not buying into the IQ score per se but the thing is if we
don't find a way to help him conquer the LD's his abilities will still make
him incapable of independence.  His vision with glasses is fine as he picks
up a piece of rice from the dinner table, it's just he can't remember what
he sees.
Joanne