Progress through Early Intervention

Jacob responded well to his home interventions. I must say however, that I cried outside his bedroom door for the first week or so listening to my child ignore and try to escape the confines of his room where he would be trapped with a therapist for two and a half hours each day. My heart broke wondering whether this therapy would aide my son in teaching him to speak and interact normally.

The therapist would give him very short commands like "touch head" or "touch tummy" if he did it correctly he was given a treat. Usually a fruit snack or piece of cereal, occasionally an M&M or the like. The treat was only used to reinforce correct behaviors and no treat was awarded for a wrong answer or behavior.

Listening through the walls to the therapists teaching my son pretend play still brings a smile to my face. Jacob knew how to imitate, but he never really made up his own play. I would hear the therapist, holding a dinosaur, shreak out, "ROAR, I'm going to eat you. Yum Yum Yum!" Jacob would giggle and laugh and loudly "groar" in response!

I quickly realized that I was capable of doing much of the "play therapy" and put a two way video camera in his room during therapy sessions. I would be in the kitchen or living room and I could watch every minute of therapy going on inside his room! This gave me the confidence I needed to get really involved in "intervening" on Jacob's behalf. We continued to pray for a miracle and waiting for any signs of progress.