Goals are everywhere. People set goals for themselves all the time. People set goals for others all the time. Goals can be little, goals can be big. Goals can be complex, goals can be simple. One persons goal can be to get out of bed the next day, another persons goal can be to conquer the world the next day. No matter what the goal is, it is always important to that individual person and to the people that love and surround that person.
Last week, we (Sadie and I) had her IEP with her OT. What is an IEP? It is an Individualized Education Plan. Every child that has special needs has an IEP. It is a list of goals that are put into place so that all caregivers are on the same page when it comes to taking care of that child. It is looked at and reassessed every 6 mo. I really never put to much thought into these in the past. We work on everything whether it is written on paper or not. Sadie's goals in the past have always been to progress to the next natural step in life. We follow the natural progression of a baby, except at a MUCH slower pace.
I couldn't even remember what her goals were that we set for her so when her OT brought out the list, I was pleasantly surprised. She accomplished most of them. They score each goal as a 1. regressed, 2. no change, 3. improving, 4. accomplished. She received a 2 in her eating goal (probably because we did nothing in this area). Her other goals were 3, mostly 4's! What are the goals, you are thinking to yourself? Honestly, I can't tell you cause I don't really remember all of them (LOL, I know I'm an idiot) but the big ones were to be able to role from front to back and back to front, balance on all 4 extremities for 15 sec or more (she got a 4 on that goal, except she uses her head to help balance herself, it probably should have been a 3), and to have better head control. Her head control is great, but only when she is laying on her stomach and pushing up on her arms, otherwise she has a ways to go. So I was pretty proud of her for achieving these goals.
Since Sadie did such a fantastic job on meeting these goals without me being conscious of them and deliberately working on them, we decided to up the ante on this little girl. Her goals for the next 6 months:
1. Sadie will bear weight on her legs with assistance. For whatever reason as soon as Sadie is put into a "standing position" she immediately draws her legs up. Not sure why. Pain? Neurological? Muscle, bone issue? All of the above? Who knows! But we are going to work on it. Even if I can't get her a 4 on the goal, it will at least be a 3.
2. Sadie will work on fine motor skills. Sadie doesn't really do anything with fine motors yet. She doesn't grab at things, or pick things up, she doesn't even really bat at things that are hanging in her face on her play mat. The only fine motor skill she can do is get a fistful of her hair and rip it out when she gets mad (hence she is almost bald on half of her head). So we will be working on her switch button toys. (For those that don't know what these are, I'll post a video once she accomplishes this goal)
3. Sadie will balance on all 4 extremities. Like I said before, she can do this now, except she uses her head for a 5th point for balancing.
4. Sadie will take in some food orally. This is actually a year goal, not 6 mo. I want her to eat at least 1 meal by mouth and drink something by mouth. Currently, she takes absolutely nothing. This is going to be a hard goal to reach. She is not a big fan of having anything put in her mouth, never has been. She clamps that jaw down so fast, and she does not open it for anything.
5. Sadie will be able to get from point A to point B. I don't care how she accomplishes this. She can roll, she can bottom scoot, she can crawl, or army crawl but she will get there! This is actually more of a year goal, not a 6 mo goal. But we are going to work super hard and hopefully make this a 6 mo goal. Honestly, she already has accomplished this, but it is only by scooting on her back and turning on her side and then repeating this over and over and over, but I want her to be off her back and getting from point A to point B.
6. Last goal is to have complete head control in all positions. Right now she has wonderful head control when laying on her belly, which is probably do to the fact that she LOVED to arch her back as a baby (and actually still does) so her muscles already know how it feels to be in that position and are comfortable feeling that way. I truly believe that once this goal is met, so many more goals will start to fall into place more easily.
So as you can see Sadie will be very busy these next few months. No summer break for her! Her break will come when she has her surgery this fall.
Last week, we (Sadie and I) had her IEP with her OT. What is an IEP? It is an Individualized Education Plan. Every child that has special needs has an IEP. It is a list of goals that are put into place so that all caregivers are on the same page when it comes to taking care of that child. It is looked at and reassessed every 6 mo. I really never put to much thought into these in the past. We work on everything whether it is written on paper or not. Sadie's goals in the past have always been to progress to the next natural step in life. We follow the natural progression of a baby, except at a MUCH slower pace.
I couldn't even remember what her goals were that we set for her so when her OT brought out the list, I was pleasantly surprised. She accomplished most of them. They score each goal as a 1. regressed, 2. no change, 3. improving, 4. accomplished. She received a 2 in her eating goal (probably because we did nothing in this area). Her other goals were 3, mostly 4's! What are the goals, you are thinking to yourself? Honestly, I can't tell you cause I don't really remember all of them (LOL, I know I'm an idiot) but the big ones were to be able to role from front to back and back to front, balance on all 4 extremities for 15 sec or more (she got a 4 on that goal, except she uses her head to help balance herself, it probably should have been a 3), and to have better head control. Her head control is great, but only when she is laying on her stomach and pushing up on her arms, otherwise she has a ways to go. So I was pretty proud of her for achieving these goals.
Since Sadie did such a fantastic job on meeting these goals without me being conscious of them and deliberately working on them, we decided to up the ante on this little girl. Her goals for the next 6 months:
1. Sadie will bear weight on her legs with assistance. For whatever reason as soon as Sadie is put into a "standing position" she immediately draws her legs up. Not sure why. Pain? Neurological? Muscle, bone issue? All of the above? Who knows! But we are going to work on it. Even if I can't get her a 4 on the goal, it will at least be a 3.
2. Sadie will work on fine motor skills. Sadie doesn't really do anything with fine motors yet. She doesn't grab at things, or pick things up, she doesn't even really bat at things that are hanging in her face on her play mat. The only fine motor skill she can do is get a fistful of her hair and rip it out when she gets mad (hence she is almost bald on half of her head). So we will be working on her switch button toys. (For those that don't know what these are, I'll post a video once she accomplishes this goal)
3. Sadie will balance on all 4 extremities. Like I said before, she can do this now, except she uses her head for a 5th point for balancing.
4. Sadie will take in some food orally. This is actually a year goal, not 6 mo. I want her to eat at least 1 meal by mouth and drink something by mouth. Currently, she takes absolutely nothing. This is going to be a hard goal to reach. She is not a big fan of having anything put in her mouth, never has been. She clamps that jaw down so fast, and she does not open it for anything.
5. Sadie will be able to get from point A to point B. I don't care how she accomplishes this. She can roll, she can bottom scoot, she can crawl, or army crawl but she will get there! This is actually more of a year goal, not a 6 mo goal. But we are going to work super hard and hopefully make this a 6 mo goal. Honestly, she already has accomplished this, but it is only by scooting on her back and turning on her side and then repeating this over and over and over, but I want her to be off her back and getting from point A to point B.
6. Last goal is to have complete head control in all positions. Right now she has wonderful head control when laying on her belly, which is probably do to the fact that she LOVED to arch her back as a baby (and actually still does) so her muscles already know how it feels to be in that position and are comfortable feeling that way. I truly believe that once this goal is met, so many more goals will start to fall into place more easily.
So as you can see Sadie will be very busy these next few months. No summer break for her! Her break will come when she has her surgery this fall.
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