Hi Deborah, Have you had a cat scan done. The cat scan showed us what part of Amber's brain is effected - or in her case completely missing. It was the portion that links her to her right side for motor purposes and the part that allows her to use language to express herself. It was scarey seeing a big hole where there should be brain - but gave us some idea of what to look forward to. Amber always lagged in motor skills up to 12 months at one point. She tested out ahead cognitively but had no real speech - in fact we started teaching her signing around 2 - she understood what we said but could not reply back. This ended up having two reasons - 1 the obvious - the missing brain part and 2 she was spending so much of her energy making her body function that there wasn't enough left over to put toward speech. She did eventually take up speaking at about 4 to 4.5. And it was well in 4th grade before she would quit fumbling for words. It is my understanding their brains are elastic and cells can take up missing cell functions. I think people tend forget exactly how complex it is to make a body function and that children are just learning this - even NDA ones and expect to much. With our kids when simple control is a challenge - things progress at an even slower rate. I have always found putting oneself in the others place a great place to start with understanding. I equated Amber with an alien new to the planet and I was acclimatizing her. In other words all the skills and knowledge I have - she had none of. Many adults treat children from the aspect of their 40, 30 or whatever years of experience. If you simple imagine yourself - suddenly plopped down on a planet with a much higher gravity - so you had to learn how to move, you don't speak a word of the language and everthing is alien and there are beings - in you face making noise expecting you to understand, and you don''t know rule one. Welcome to being a baby. Once I was able to actaully place myself in Amber shoes, and think about what was happening and the counter effects - I understood what was going on and why she was lagging, and quit worring. This doesn't mean you child is like Amber - I am only illustrating one example of a possibilty. Brightest Blessings Trisha > But Bobby, that is what he is missing. His gross and fine motor skills are > lagging, but are only behind about maybe six months. It is his speech > skills, oral motor functions, and use and understanding of language is what > is significantly delayed. > And his neuro said "If I put him up her on the table and checked his > reflexs, I can tell you right now that they are still very ridged," > Deborah mom of 4 > -----Original Message----- > From: Bobby Greer <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Monday, February 28, 2000 8:00 PM > Subject: Re: Questions went to Neuro > > > >Debra > > > > As far as a sppecific type od CP dx, it might be difficult with a > >child Zachary's age. Most persons with CP actually have mixed types. There > >is rarely a "pure" athetoid, or "pure" spastic. A good neuro will asceratin > >the types by the pathological reflexes which are stil function. Most phase > >out between 6 and 12 months of age. Some people believe you can "type" CP > >by outward appearance, but, to me, that's quite naive. > > > > As for intellectual development, "chill" for a while. What really > >counts is language development. Again, most people think intellectual and > >language development go hand in hand, but not always. Good language and > >communication skills are "everything" as far as goals. > > > >Bobby > > > > > >>Sorry for cross posting. > >> > >>Zachary went to the neuro today for his recheck. He said he seems to be > >>doing fine, "Has all the basic skills down, anyway, the walking, fussing, > >>throwing." > >>Then I began the questions. > >>First I asked him can there be any classification that we could put > >>Zachary under ? He said not really since they do not know what caused > >>Zachary's conditions. I told him the reason was because the OT told me > >>last week, "If we have documentation of CP things would be different" He > >>said " I can give him a dx of CP easy, all CP is ,is an umbrella term for > >>children who have a muscle coordination, and muscle tone problem caused by > >>a brain injury or abnormality that is not progressive, and that Zachary > >>is." Should I call him and tell him to go ahead and give the "official" > >>dx of CP or not ? > >>He also could not tell me weather or not Zachary is going to be MR or not, > >>still too early to tell, but he said the toe walking and the severe delay > >>in speech and oral motor skills is a sure sign of learning disability. > >>So there goes our six month visit. > >>Deborah mom of 4 > > > > __________________________________________ > NetZero - Defenders of the Free World > Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at > http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html