As it is quite a while since the last update I thought it was about time that we have a quick catch up.

So much has happened in the last couple of weeks that I really don’t know where to start.  The great news is that I am so happy to be able to say that Elliot has made AMAZING improvements over the summer.  It is fantastic to think that the little boy that we thought we had lost is reappearing.  I really don’t know how to describe the change other than it’s like we had a jigsaw with a few pieces missing, we have found the pieces and the jigsaw is now starting to form a  clear picture.  All the therapy programmes he has been involved in are really starting to pay off.  His speech is hugely improved his confidence is at an all time high and he is finding it easier to speak to adults, his sensory issues have all calmed down.  I.e he can wear his crocs without socks something that only a few weeks ago was a huge issue, he can leave the house without having to have a big routine and run up to leaving.  The daily melt downs have reduced and generally we are using the golden tickets to reward his good behaviour rather than having to use them to help him deal with “difficult” situations.  It still remains that socialising and interacting with his peers is really hard for Elliot but he is getting better at it and with all of his other sensory issues dying down hopefully the interacting with his peers will now become easier.

If anyone is reading this and skeptical that these “therapies” can help, Elliot is definitely a prime example of what a difference early intervention can make.  The difficulty is that it is a combination of things and I guess we have been really lucky in that we found the right plan for Elliot a lot by luck rather than judgement ;o)

To be honest in the back of my mind I am a little panicked, as I want to keep the momentum going and don’t want him to regress.  Especially as we have a big move ahead of us back to England.  I am in the middle of packing up the house and trying to locate what services may be available in the UK.  We are a little undecided as to the best course of action for Elliot when we go home, as I am pretty sure that if Elliot were to be reassessed the diagnosis would be quite different already.  Do we tell the doctors in England and the school about Elliot’s Diagnosis???  Or do we see if they pick up on anything themselves??  Even writing this I know the answer and yes we will tell them where we are with him.  I made myself a promise when we started this journey and that was to try not to compare Elliot to other children and that I would help him to be the best he could be “normal” or not.  As it happens with the improvements he has made this summer he is functioning very well and I am sure he would just be seen as a very shy boy with a few quirks.  I guess this remains to be seen…….

GOOD LUCK ELLIOT xxxx